Industry News
Curated articles on business financing and entrepreneurship.
SBA Launches $9M SCALE Grant Program for Small Business Supply Chains
The SBA is awarding 20 grants of up to $500,000 each through its new Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement (SCALE) Program, targeting small businesses in advanced manufacturing, biotech, defense, energy, food systems, and logistics. Proposals are due August 7, 2026 via Grants.gov — eligible applicants include private firms, nonprofits, and educational institutions that can deliver accelerator or technical assistance programming.
Read article →SBA Offers $50M in E2G Manufacturing Grants for Small Manufacturers
The SBA's Empower to Grow (E2G) Manufacturing in America Grant Initiative is offering up to $50 million across 10 awards for organizations that deliver hands-on training and technical assistance to small manufacturers in sectors like aerospace, robotics, food processing, and precision manufacturing. The program pairs with the SBA's new 90% Made in America Loan Guarantee, creating a combined capital-plus-training pathway for domestic manufacturers.
Read article →One Big Beautiful Bill: What Small Businesses Can Claim Starting Now
The newly enacted tax law permanently extends the 20% Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction and introduces enhanced credits for small business investment and workforce expenses — with savings applicable retroactively to January 20, 2025. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has published a step-by-step guide outlining how business owners can optimize deductions and claim expanded eligibility under the new law immediately.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorized: $4B+ Annually Secured for Small Business R&D
The Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (S. 3971) was signed in April 2026, reauthorizing and reforming the SBIR/STTR programs that collectively distribute over $4 billion per year across 11 federal agencies for small business R&D grants. Phase I awards range from $175K to $323K depending on the agency, with Phase II awards reaching up to $2.15M through NIH — a critical non-dilutive capital path for tech-focused small firms.
Read article →MCA Regulation Tightens in 2025–2026: What Business Borrowers Must Know
New state-level legislation and attorney general enforcement actions in 2025–2026 are reshaping merchant cash advance (MCA) contract enforceability, with New York's FAIR Business Practices Act imposing disclosure obligations on funders regardless of where the business is located. UCC-1 blanket lien practices, confession of judgment validity, and multi-funder resolution are all under increased regulatory scrutiny — business owners in MCA agreements should review their contracts now.
Read article →OBBBA Tax Overhaul: What Small Business Owners Must Know in 2026
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed July 2025) permanently expands the 20% QBI deduction, raises Section 179 expensing to $2.5M, and boosts the employer childcare credit up to $600K for small businesses in 2026. Business owners should act now to capture these deductions before year-end and lock in fixed-rate financing ahead of projected deficit-driven rate increases.
Read article →Congress Reauthorizes SBIR/STTR Programs Through 2031, Restoring $6B in R&D Grants
The Senate and House passed S. 3971 in March 2026, restoring roughly $6 billion in annual federal R&D grant funding for innovative small businesses that had lapsed since September 2025. The five-year reauthorization extends SBIR/STTR through 2031 and introduces new "Strategic Breakthrough Awards" to accelerate technology commercialization.
Read article →SBA Launches $50M Made-in-America Manufacturing Workforce Grant Program
The SBA unveiled a $50 million grant initiative in 2026 targeting small businesses that deliver hands-on, in-person manufacturing workforce training — a direct push to rebuild domestic production capacity. Awards will be announced on a rolling basis; eligible businesses must demonstrate capacity to provide manufacturing-related technical assistance.
Read article →SSBCI Drives Up to $10-to-$1 Capital Leverage for Small Businesses Across U.S. States
The State Small Business Credit Initiative remains the largest state-level small business capital pool in 2026, with Treasury's program unlocking up to $10 of private investment for every $1 of federal funding. States like New York ($500M+), Louisiana ($113M), and Iowa ($96M) are actively deploying funds — business owners should contact their state economic development agency to apply.
Read article →Treasury CDFI Fund Deployed $300M to Back Small Business Lending in Underserved Markets
Treasury's CDFI Fund distributed approximately $300M in FY2024 Financial Assistance and Technical Assistance grants to Community Development Financial Institutions that serve minority-owned, startup, and low-income community businesses unable to access conventional financing. Business owners in underserved areas can locate a CDFI lender through the official CDFI Locator at cdfifund.gov.
Read article →One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Key Small Business Tax Changes for 2026
The OBBBA permanently extends the 20% Qualified Business Income deduction and restores 100% bonus depreciation, with Section 179 expensing limits raised to $2.5M for qualifying property. Small business owners also gain enhanced employer childcare credits up to $600K annually starting 2026.
Read article →HR1 Signed: Small Business R&D Tax Deduction Permanently Restored
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act — signed July 4th — permanently restores Sec. 174 immediate R&D expense deductions, reversing the 2022 amortization rule that imposed heavy cash-flow burdens on innovative small businesses. Companies with under $31M in annual receipts can retroactively claim this relief back to tax year 2021.
Read article →SBA FY2026 Budget: $50M Manufacturing Grant Initiative & SBIC Modernization
The SBA's FY2026 $1.3B budget introduces a $50M Manufacturing in America E2G grant program and a signed SBIC modernization bill expanding access to growth capital. A combined 7(a)+504 loan ceiling of $10M took effect July 4th, reshaping how businesses access SBA-guaranteed capital.
Read article →Top 10 Small Business Grants for U.S. Owners in 2026: SBIR/STTR Leads the Field
The SBIR/STTR program now distributes over $4 billion annually across 11 federal agencies, remaining the single largest source of non-dilutive funding for small technology companies — with Phase II awards reaching up to $1.8M. State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) expansions continue funneling Treasury dollars into state-level micro-grant programs open to any business under 500 employees.
Read article →Small Business Tax Cut Act (H.R. 8415): QBI Deduction Proposed to Rise to 23%
Introduced April 21, 2026, H.R. 8415 proposes increasing the Qualified Business Income deduction from 20% to 23% for eligible pass-through business owners and sole proprietors. The bill would also expand QBI deduction eligibility to certain Business Development Company dividends, effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2026.
Read article →SBA FY2026: $10M Loan Cap, $50M Manufacturing Grant & SBIC Modernization
The SBA's $1.3B FY2026 budget brings major changes: a new $10M combined 7(a)+504 loan ceiling effective July 4, a $50M Manufacturing in America E2G grant initiative, and a signed SBIC modernization bill. Only $57M of SBA's total budget flows through six noncredit grant programs — the rest covers loan administration, disaster response, and training infrastructure.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorized Through 2031 — 9 Agency Windows Open Now
The SBIR and STTR programs were reauthorized through September 30, 2031 after lapsing in 2025, with 9 federal agency components currently accepting applications including NIH (up to $2.15M Phase II) and NSF (up to $305K). As of late August 2026, 20 federal grant programs are open to small businesses across USDA, EDA, and DOE — 10 of them closing within 60 days.
Read article →CFPB Reverses Stance on Merchant Cash Advances — Compliance Chaos Follows
The CFPB retracted its prior position on whether merchant cash advances constitute loans, creating significant compliance uncertainty under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act while also amending small business data reporting rules. The reversal comes on the heels of the landmark $1.065B Yellowstone Capital judgment in New York — courts are increasingly reclassifying fixed-payment MCAs as usurious loans.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY2026 Small Dollar Loan Program — $9M for Community Lenders
The CDFI Fund launched its FY2026 Small Dollar Loan Program funding round, making $9 million available to certified CDFIs for loan loss reserves and technical assistance grants serving unbanked and underbanked communities. Grants range from $20K to $350K for loan loss reserves and up to $150K for technical assistance — a direct pipeline to affordable small-business capital in underserved markets.
Read article →Congress Saves $82M in USDA Rural Business Programs Despite White House Cuts
Despite the President's FY2026 budget request to eliminate USDA rural business programs as duplicative, Congress appropriated $82 million in grants and loan subsidies — keeping critical programs like the Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant and Business & Industry Loan Guarantees alive. FY2026 terms include zero-interest loans up to $1M per project and revolving loan fund capitalizations up to $300K for rural small businesses.
Read article →SBA Launches $9M SCALE Program: Grants Up to $500K for Small Supply-Chain Firms
The SBA announced $9 million in grant funding through its new Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement (SCALE) Program, awarding 20 grants of up to $500,000 each to organizations supporting small businesses in strategic supply chains like advanced manufacturing, biotech, defense, and food systems. Proposals are due August 7, 2026 via Grants.gov.
Read article →SBA's 90% 'Made in America' Loan Guarantee Is Now Live for Small Manufacturers
The SBA launched its Made in America Loan Guarantee program on May 1, 2026, raising the federal guarantee on 7(a) manufacturing loans from 75% to 90% — the highest guarantee rate ever extended to small manufacturers — while waiving all SBA fees through FY2026. Eligible businesses must be in NAICS sectors 31–33, U.S.-owned, and unable to secure equivalent financing elsewhere.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens 2026 Funding Rounds: $500M Bond Guarantee + $40M BEA Program
The Treasury's CDFI Fund opened three major 2026 funding rounds: the Bank Enterprise Award Program ($40M for FDIC-insured banks investing in CDFIs), the Small Dollar Loan Program ($9M to fund alternatives to high-cost small-dollar lending), and a new $500M CDFI Bond Guarantee Program round. Application deadlines ran through late July 2026, with funding set to expire September 30.
Read article →SBA Awards Up to $50M for Made in America Manufacturing Workforce Training (E2G Program)
The SBA announced up to $50 million in grants through its Empower to Grow (E2G) program, supporting up to 10 organizations that deliver free hands-on manufacturing training and technical assistance to small businesses in sectors like aerospace, medical devices, metal fabrication, and robotics. This initiative pairs with the SBA's new 90% loan guarantee and waived manufacturing loan fees as part of a broader domestic supply-chain push.
Read article →Merchant Cash Advance Regulation Tightens Across U.S. States in 2026
A growing number of states now require commercial-financing disclosures for merchant cash advances (MCAs), which are structured as purchases of future receivables rather than loans — historically putting them outside traditional usury caps. Regulators have won landmark enforcement actions in 2026, and the trend signals that small businesses relying on MCAs should anticipate more transparency requirements and increased scrutiny of factor rates and holdback terms.
Read article →SBA Launches $50M Made-in-America Manufacturing Workforce Grant
The SBA announced a $50 million grant opportunity to fund hands-on manufacturing workforce training for small businesses — the largest direct SBA grant initiative in recent memory. Applications have closed and award announcements are pending, targeting firms that can deliver in-person manufacturing training and technical assistance.
Read article →Congress Reauthorizes SBIR/STTR Programs Under Public Law 119-83
Congress officially reauthorized the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs — which together distribute over $4 billion annually to small R&D-focused businesses across 11 federal agencies. The reauthorization introduces research-security, accountability, and agency-administration reforms that are particularly significant for high-volume applicants.
Read article →OBBBA Restores R&D Expensing and Bonus Depreciation for Small Businesses
The One Big Beautiful Budget Act (OBBBA) delivers sweeping tax relief for small businesses, restoring immediate expensing of R&D costs and bringing back full bonus depreciation. The law also revises ATI calculations so businesses with heavily depreciable assets can claim larger business interest deductions — a direct win for capital-intensive small firms.
Read article →CDFI Fund Deploys $300M in FY2024 to Community Lenders for Small Business Access
Treasury's CDFI Fund awarded approximately $300 million in Financial Assistance and Technical Assistance grants to Community Development Financial Institutions in FY2024. These CDFIs in turn provide flexible, accessible loans to underserved small business owners — startups, minority-owned firms, and businesses in low-income neighborhoods — who can't qualify for conventional bank financing.
Read article →Small-Business Tax Credits in 2026: Key Credits Owners Must Claim Before Year-End
NerdWallet's updated June 2026 guide highlights the most valuable federal tax credits available to small businesses this year, spanning R&D, workforce hiring, and energy efficiency incentives. Experts emphasize that unlike deductions, these credits deliver dollar-for-dollar reductions in federal tax liability — and owners must act before December 31 to capture them.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
The SBA now allows qualified borrowers to combine a 7(a) loan and a 504 loan for a total of up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing — double the previous cap. By decoupling 7(a) balances from the 504 program ceiling, capital-intensive businesses can pair long-term real estate or equipment funding with working capital in a single financing stack.
Read article →The 2026 SBA Rule Changes Every Small Business Needs to Know
SOP 50 10 8 — the SBA's biggest underwriting overhaul in five years — has fundamentally tightened loan access: MCA debt can no longer be refinanced via SBA loans, collateral is now required on virtually all loans over $50K, and 100% US citizen ownership is now mandatory as of March 2026. The one bright spot is the new $10M combined 7(a)+504 cap, which doubles the ceiling for qualifying borrowers.
Read article →CDFI Fund Officially Launches Upgraded CIMS5 Information Mapping System
The Treasury's CDFI Fund has launched CIMS5, a major upgrade to its CDFI Information Mapping System, now accessible through the Awards Management Information System (AMIS). The tool helps small businesses locate certified CDFI lenders in their area — CDFIs that make affordable loans and provide technical assistance to businesses in underserved communities that can't access conventional financing.
Read article →CDFI Fund FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program Deadlines Approaching
The CDFI Fund has issued urgent reminders that FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program (SDL) application deadlines are imminent, releasing updated training manuals and FAQs to guide lender submissions. The SDL Program funds CDFIs that provide small-dollar loans to consumers and small businesses locked out of mainstream financial products — a key on-ramp for underbanked entrepreneurs.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorized in 2026: $4 Billion in Annual R&D Grants Still Flowing for Small Businesses
SBIR and STTR programs now distribute over $4 billion annually across 11 federal agencies, making them the largest source of non-dilutive cash grants for small businesses — with Phase I awards up to $1M and Phase II reaching $2M for qualifying R&D-focused companies. A 2026 Congressional reauthorization has kept the program active, and USDA's SBIR/STTR track specifically funds agtech innovations with commercial potential.
Read article →SBA Beefs Up Loan Limits to Historic Levels
The SBA has raised its loan program limits to the highest levels in the agency's history, dramatically expanding capital access for small business owners nationwide. The changes affect the flagship 7(a), 504, and microloan programs, enabling entrepreneurs to borrow more with a federal guarantee behind them.
Read article →SBA Announces $50 Million Grant for Small Manufacturers
The SBA launched a $50 million Manufacturing in America Employment-to-Growth (E2G) grant to fund workforce training at small manufacturers in critical industries including semiconductors, defense, and advanced manufacturing. The opportunity aims to build a skilled domestic workforce while strengthening U.S. supply chains.
Read article →SBA's Billion-Dollar SBIR/STTR 'Seed Fund' Programs Are Back
The SBA has renewed its SBIR and STTR seed fund programs, restoring a critical pipeline of non-dilutive R&D grant funding for innovative small businesses across 11 federal agencies. The programs collectively award over $4 billion annually, with Phase I grants up to $150K and Phase II awards exceeding $1 million.
Read article →MCA Legislation 2026: New Commercial Lending Protections Close Regulatory Gaps
State laws enacted in 2025–2026 are closing long-standing loopholes that allowed merchant cash advance providers to charge effective APRs of 100–350% while avoiding standard lending disclosures. New York's FAIR Business Practices Act leads the way, imposing transparency requirements and giving state attorneys general expanded enforcement authority over MCA contracts.
Read article →OBBBA Makes QBI Deduction Permanent and Restores 100% Bonus Depreciation
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) permanently extends the 20% Qualified Business Income deduction for pass-through entities — sole proprietors, partnerships, and S-corps — delivering lasting tax relief for millions of small business owners. The law also restores 100% bonus depreciation and raises Section 179 expensing to $2.5 million, opening major planning opportunities especially for equipment-heavy industries.
Read article →How the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Affects Your Small Business Taxes in 2026
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) permanently restores 100% bonus depreciation for qualifying assets, doubles the Section 179 expensing limit to $2.5 million, and locks in the 20% QBI deduction for the 33 million pass-through small businesses nationwide. The SBA estimates the law delivers an average $4,600 per year in tax relief for over eight million entrepreneurs, with Treasury projecting a $7,000 average reduction for more than 12 million small business owners.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
The SBA announced expanded eligibility allowing small businesses to access up to $10 million in financing through the flagship 7(a) loan program, which provides government-guaranteed loans for equipment purchases, real estate acquisition, working capital, and business expansion. The move is part of broader SBA efforts in 2026 to channel more capital toward domestic manufacturers, energy, food production, and critical technology industries.
Read article →2026 SBA 7(a) Loan Program Updates: New Eligibility Rules and Manufacturing Incentives
Effective March 1, 2026, SBA 7(a) loans now require 100% U.S. citizen ownership, eliminating eligibility for green card holders and any foreign ownership stake — a significant shift from prior rules. Manufacturers gain major new benefits including 0% upfront guaranty fees on loans up to $950,000 and a 90% SBA guaranty on qualifying manufacturing loans, compared to the standard 75% guarantee.
Read article →MCA Legislation 2026: New Commercial Lending Protections for Small Businesses
State-level legislation enacted in 2025 and 2026 is closing the regulatory gap that allowed merchant cash advance providers to charge factor rates equivalent to 100–350% APR while shielding themselves from usury laws under a "purchase of receivables" classification. New laws in New York (FAIR Act) and Texas (HB 700) impose disclosure requirements and restrict confession-of-judgment clauses, though federal MCA regulation remains fragmented as of early 2026.
Read article →Best Federal Grants for Small Businesses 2026: SBIR/STTR, EDA, CDFI, and USDA Programs
SBIR/STTR remains the largest direct federal cash grant path for small businesses, distributing over $4 billion annually across 11 agencies for R&D companies eligible for $150K–$2M in Phase I/II awards. The guide also covers USDA Value-Added Producer Grants ($75K–$250K for agricultural businesses), EDA Build to Scale ecosystem grants ($500K–$2M), and CDFI Fund programs channeling up to $10M in Treasury grants to community lenders serving underserved small businesses.
Read article →SBA Doubles Cumulative 7(a) and 504 Loan Limit to $10 Million
The SBA has doubled the combined borrowing cap for its 7(a) and 504 loan programs to $10 million, effective July 2026, giving capital-intensive small businesses far more financing headroom. Qualified borrowers can now stack up to $5 million from each program simultaneously — a major unlock for real estate, equipment, and expansion projects.
Read article →Small-Business Grants You Can Apply for in June 2026
A fresh round of grant opportunities opened in June 2026, with funding available from the SBA, Verizon, and Jobber — including the Patriot Pitch Competition for quick capital. Business owners across industries have multiple windows to apply this month for non-dilutive funding.
Read article →SBA's Billion-Dollar 'Seed Fund' Programs Are Back: SBIR/STTR Renewed
Congress reauthorized the SBIR and STTR programs in April 2026, restoring full access to over $4 billion in annual R&D grants distributed across 11 federal agencies for qualifying small businesses. Tech-focused companies that paused applications during the lapse can now re-engage, with commercialization-stage awards reaching up to $2 million.
Read article →10 SBA Loan Changes to Watch in 2026: Eligibility, Fees, and Program Updates
The SBA made more rule changes between October 2025 and mid-2026 than in any recent comparable period — highlights include the doubled $10M cumulative cap, expanded CDFI and nonbank lender eligibility, and manufacturing fee waivers. On the restrictive side, green card holders lost eligibility and the 7(a) small loan ceiling was cut from $500K to $350K.
Read article →MCA Legislation 2026: New Commercial Lending Protections for Small Businesses
New state and federal legislative developments through early 2026 are tightening merchant cash advance contract enforceability, expanding disclosure obligations, and broadening state attorney general enforcement authority. Small businesses burdened by predatory MCA agreements now have stronger legal grounds to challenge terms and negotiate settlements.
Read article →SBA Announces $50 Million Grant for Made-in-America Manufacturing Workforce Training
The SBA launched a $50 million grant opportunity through its Manufacturing in America E2G program, targeting workforce training for small manufacturers in critical domestic industries. Small manufacturers can apply for funding to upskill employees and strengthen U.S. supply chains under the Made in America initiative.
Read article →SBA Raises Loan Limits to Historic Levels — Changes for Small Businesses
The SBA has elevated its flagship loan program limits to the highest levels in agency history, opening the door to significantly larger capital for small business owners through SBA-backed lenders. Businesses that previously hit funding ceilings now have access to more capital, reducing reliance on costlier private financing alternatives.
Read article →SBA Billion-Dollar SBIR/STTR Seed Fund Programs Reauthorized by Congress
Congress reauthorized the SBA's SBIR and STTR programs, restoring more than $4 billion in annual non-dilutive R&D grants available to qualifying small technology businesses. The renewal revives competitive awards designed to help small companies commercialize innovations and move federally funded research from lab to market.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens 2026 Funding Rounds for BEA and Small Dollar Loan Programs
The Treasury's CDFI Fund announced its 2026 application rounds for the Bank Enterprise Award Program and the Small Dollar Loan Program, creating fresh pathways for community development lenders to channel capital into distressed communities. Key application deadlines run July 23-31, 2026, giving CDFIs a narrow window to secure federal funds that flow directly to underserved small businesses.
Read article →MCA Legislation 2026: New State Laws Tighten Commercial Lending Protections for Small Businesses
A wave of state-level legislation enacted in 2025-2026 is closing regulatory loopholes that allowed merchant cash advance providers to charge triple-digit effective APRs without standard loan disclosures. New laws in New York and Texas now impose commercial financing disclosure requirements and restrict confession-of-judgment clauses, giving small business borrowers stronger legal footing against aggressive MCA enforcement.
Read article →SBA Launches $50 Million Manufacturing Grant to Boost Small Manufacturers
The SBA announced up to $50 million in competitive grants through its new Manufacturing in America Empower to Grow (E2G) Grant Initiative, funding up to 10 organizations that provide hands-on training and technical assistance to small manufacturers in critical industries. The program is paired with a 90% Made in America loan guarantee and waived loan fees for manufacturing businesses in Fiscal Year 2026.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorized Through 2031: Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act Signed Into Law
Congress passed and the President signed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (Public Law 119-83) on April 13, 2026, reauthorizing the SBIR and STTR programs through fiscal year 2031 after a six-month lapse that halted thousands of small business awards. The bipartisan legislation includes reforms designed to better fuel technology-focused firms and strengthen the U.S. industrial base.
Read article →New MCA Legislation 2026: State Laws Tighten Commercial Lending Protections for Small Businesses
Legislation enacted in 2025 and 2026 is closing the regulatory gap that allowed merchant cash advance providers to charge effective APRs of 100–350% while evading usury and lending disclosure laws. Key developments include the New York FAIR Business Practices Act and Texas HB 700, which impose new disclosure obligations and enforcement authority on MCA funders operating in those states.
Read article →Tax Overhaul Will Shake Up Credits for Businesses in 2026
The sweeping tax and budget bill passed in 2025 delivers significant changes to business tax credits taking effect in 2026, affecting a wide range of high-stakes decisions for business owners. The legislation reshapes incentives around workforce investment, R&D, and capital expenditures, giving small businesses new opportunities to reduce their tax burden.
Read article →CDFI, EDA, and USDA Programs Remain Top Federal Funding Sources for Small Businesses in 2026
A comprehensive review of federal small business funding in 2026 highlights CDFI Fund grants ($1M–$10M to community lenders serving underserved businesses), EDA Build to Scale grants ($500K–$2M for entrepreneurship ecosystems), and USDA Value-Added Producer Grants ($75K–$250K for agricultural businesses) as the most accessible non-R&D federal funding channels. The analysis notes that CDFIs remain the critical bridge for businesses in low-income communities that cannot access conventional bank financing.
Read article →SBA Doubles Financing Limit: Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10M
The SBA announced on July 7, 2026, that borrowers may now combine their 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing — double the previous $5 million cumulative limit. This expansion gives growing businesses significantly more runway for capital-intensive projects without seeking separate financing sources.
Read article →SBA Loan Rule Changes 2026: Citizenship Requirements, No More SBSS Scores
Effective March 1, 2026, SBA overhauled its 7(a) and 504 loan programs — requiring 100% U.S. citizen or national ownership for eligibility and discontinuing the FICO SBSS credit scoring model in favor of conventional lender underwriting. Collateral requirements were also eliminated for loans of $50,000 or less, while lenders may now charge up to $2,500 in origination fees.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens $5 Billion New Markets Tax Credit Round for 2026
The CDFI Fund announced on August 12, 2026, that the CY 2026 New Markets Tax Credit Program will make $5 billion in allocation authority available for investments in low-income and distressed communities. CDFIs and community lenders serving small businesses in underserved markets should begin preparing applications immediately as the round is set to open soon.
Read article →MCA Legislation 2026: New State Laws Crack Down on Predatory Cash Advance Terms
State laws enacted in 2025 and 2026 — including New York's FAIR Business Practices Act and Texas HB 700 — are closing the regulatory loophole that allowed merchant cash advance providers to charge effective APRs of 100–350% by classifying advances as receivables purchases rather than loans. Small business owners with active MCA obligations now have expanded legal defense options, including new disclosure requirements and enforcement authority for state attorneys general.
Read article →USDA SBIR/STTR Phase I: Up to $175K in Non-Dilutive Grants for Agtech Innovators
USDA NIFA updated its SBIR/STTR Phase I program in May 2026, offering competitive grants up to $175,000 to small businesses pursuing high-impact agricultural R&D across 10 broad topic areas, with commercialization potential. The program is a critical non-dilutive funding source for agtech entrepreneurs and requires no equity in exchange — businesses retain full IP rights on NIFA-structured grants.
Read article →SBA Doubles Cumulative 7(a) and 504 Loan Limit to $10 Million
The SBA has doubled the cumulative borrowing ceiling across its 7(a) and 504 loan programs to $10 million — the highest combined SBA financing limit in the agency's history, effective July 4, 2026. Eligible businesses can now stack up to $5M in 7(a) working-capital loans alongside $5M in 504 loans for fixed assets like real estate and equipment, unlocking capital previously unavailable to growing small businesses.
Read article →SBA Expands Loan Limits: What the New $10M Cumulative 7(a) and 504 Limit Means
Regions Bank breaks down the practical implications of the SBA's new $10 million combined loan cap, noting that while the expanded ceiling is a major opportunity, eligibility is highly specific and requires the 7(a) loan to be approved first before layering in the 504. The update is designed to help businesses simultaneously fund day-to-day operations and long-term fixed-asset investments — but expert SBA lender guidance is critical to structuring deals correctly under the new rules.
Read article →Merchant Cash Advance News: What's Happening in 2026
Illinois and New Jersey joined California, New York, and six other states in rolling out MCA disclosure laws in 2026 that require funders to show a standardized APR-equivalent and total repayment amount before signing — giving small business owners a clearer look at costs that can exceed 300% annualized. Meanwhile, the FTC and state AGs are actively pursuing MCA funders using confessions of judgment (COJs), and restaurant and retail bankruptcy filings listing multiple stacked MCAs rose again in Q1 2026.
Read article →USDA SBIR/STTR Phase I: Small Business Innovation Research Program Updated May 2026
The USDA's SBIR and STTR Phase I programs — which fund small businesses transforming scientific discovery into commercially viable products — were updated in May 2026 with new topic areas across agricultural manufacturing, alternative energy, and disruptive agri-tech. The STTR track specifically requires a formal R&D partnership with a nonprofit research institution such as a university, making it a powerful pathway for tech-enabled agricultural startups seeking non-dilutive federal capital.
Read article →Small Business Grants 2026: SBIR, SBA, EDA & State Guide
This comprehensive 2026 guide confirms that SBIR/STTR represents over $4 billion annually in non-dilutive R&D funding for small technology companies, while EDA grants ($100K–$10M) target economic development in distressed areas and USDA rural business grants reach up to $1M for qualifying rural businesses. The guide debunks common myths — including that the SBA awards direct business grants — and clarifies that most federal small business grant money is concentrated in R&D and rural/economic-development channels, not general business operations.
Read article →SBA Announces 90% Loan Guarantee for Energy Sector
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced a new 90% loan guarantee program for small producers in the energy sector, aimed at expanding energy capacity and strengthening supply chains. This initiative represents one of the most aggressive SBA guarantee levels ever offered, lowering lender risk and opening financing doors for small energy businesses.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
The SBA announced that borrowers may now combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing, doubling the previous $5 million cumulative cap. This expansion significantly broadens capital access for growth-stage small businesses that previously hit the loan ceiling.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorized Through 2031: America's Seed Fund Is Back
President Trump signed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (S. 3971) on April 13, 2026, reauthorizing the SBIR and STTR programs through September 30, 2031, ending a six-month lapse that had frozen agency solicitations. The reauthorization restores over $4 billion in annual non-dilutive R&D grant funding for small technology companies and introduces new commercialization and security screening requirements.
Read article →What's New With Merchant Cash Advances in 2026 — And How Business Owners Can Benefit
The MCA industry has seen sweeping changes in 2026, including new state disclosure laws, stricter scrutiny on deal stacking, and a major regulatory shakeup in Texas (HB700) that is reshaping how funders operate. With nearly 50% of small business bank loan applications denied and the global MCA market projected to hit $26 billion by 2029, alternative financing is filling a critical gap for revenue-strong but credit-challenged businesses.
Read article →One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Landmark Tax Relief Permanently Extended for Small Businesses
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law on July 4, 2025, permanently extends the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction for pass-through entities and expands Section 179 expensing — key provisions that were set to expire at the end of 2025. Considered the most significant small business tax legislation since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, it also raises the 1099-MISC threshold to reduce compliance burdens on small employers.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens CY 2026 New Markets Tax Credit Round — $5 Billion Available
The CDFI Fund announced the upcoming CY 2026 New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program allocation round, making $5 billion in Allocation Authority available for investments in low-income and distressed communities. Small businesses and community development entities in underserved areas should prepare applications as the Fund plans to open the round imminently.
Read article →CDFI Fund Releases 20-Year NMTC Program Data Report Covering FYs 2003–2023
The U.S. Department of the Treasury's CDFI Fund released a comprehensive summary report and public data on all New Markets Tax Credit investments from FY 2003 through FY 2023, spanning two decades of community capital deployment. This dataset gives small businesses and CDFIs critical benchmarks for understanding NMTC investment trends and accessing financing in distressed markets.
Read article →Congress Reauthorizes SBIR/STTR Programs in 2026 — $4B+ Annually Secured for Small Business R&D
Congress finalized the reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs in April 2026, locking in over $4 billion annually in non-dilutive grants across 11 federal agencies. Updated award ceilings set Phase I at up to $275,000 and Phase II at up to $1.85 million, preserving these programs as the largest source of early-stage federal funding for innovative small companies.
Read article →Merchant Cash Advances Are Now the Fastest-Growing Small Business Funding Source in 2026
Merchant Cash Advances have surged to become the fastest-growing source of capital for U.S. small businesses in 2026, with the global MCA market projected to hit $26 billion by 2029 and approval rates near 90% — the highest of any small business financing product. The growth is being driven by tightening bank credit standards and an average SBA loan timeline of 3–8 weeks, leaving millions of revenue-generating businesses turning to MCAs for rapid working capital.
Read article →2026 MCA Regulatory Shake-Up: New State Disclosure Laws Target Merchant Cash Advance Transparency
California and New York's new disclosure requirements for merchant cash advance providers are reshaping how MCAs are marketed and structured in 2026, requiring lenders to clearly disclose costs and repayment terms to small business borrowers. More states are expected to follow, signaling a national push to bring MCA oversight closer to the standards applied to traditional small business loans — a development business owners should watch closely before signing any advance agreement.
Read article →SBA Doubles Financing Limit: Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced that small businesses may now combine their 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing, doubling the previous $5 million cumulative cap. This landmark change dramatically expands capital access for growing businesses seeking to fund acquisitions, real estate, and working capital simultaneously.
Read article →Congress Passes 5-Year SBIR/STTR Reauthorization — $6 Billion R&D Program Secured
The House passed S. 3971, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, reauthorizing the SBIR and STTR programs through fiscal year 2031 after a six-month lapse in solicitations; the bill passed 345-41 and was sent to President Trump. Key reforms include new national security reviews for applicants, a new Strategic Breakthrough Allocation program allowing awards up to $30 million per project, and stricter limits on foreign-tied businesses.
Read article →2026 SBA 7(a) Loan Program Overhaul: 100% Citizenship Rule, Manufacturing Perks & Fee Changes
Effective March 1, 2026, SBA 7(a) loans now require 100% U.S. citizen ownership — eliminating eligibility for green card holders and any foreign stake — a dramatic tightening from prior rules. Manufacturers get offsetting benefits: 0% upfront guaranty fees on loans up to $950,000 and a 90% SBA guaranty (vs. the standard ~75%), as the SBA channels capital toward domestic production and reshoring.
Read article →MCA Legislation 2026: States Close the Regulatory Gap on Merchant Cash Advances
A wave of 2025–2026 state laws — including New York's FAIR Business Practices Act and Texas HB 700 — is closing the long-standing legal loophole that allowed MCA funders to impose effective APRs of 100–350% by classifying advances as "purchases of receivables" rather than loans. New disclosure mandates, confession-of-judgment restrictions, and UCC-lien enforcement rules are reshaping the $20B+ MCA industry and giving small business borrowers meaningful legal recourse for the first time.
Read article →Tax Overhaul Creates New Small Business Credit Up to $600,000 in 2026
Sweeping federal tax legislation signed into law creates a separate small business tax credit covering 50% of qualifying expenses up to a $600,000 credit value, stacking on top of existing R&D and equipment deductions. Business owners should act quickly to review eligibility and update tax planning, as CPAs report significant savings opportunities for companies investing in workforce, technology, and equipment this year.
Read article →SBA Doubles Cumulative 7(a) and 504 Loan Limit to $10 Million
Effective July 4, 2026, the SBA now allows eligible borrowers to combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing — doubling the previous $5 million cumulative cap in the highest-ever financing offering in agency history. The rule gives capital-intensive small businesses greater flexibility, especially manufacturers, to pair long-term real estate/equipment loans with working capital for operations and expansion.
Read article →SBA Announces New $50 Million Grant Opportunity to Support Made in America Manufacturing Workforce Training
The SBA launched a $50 million "Manufacturing in America E2G" grant program on May 6, 2026, aimed at funding hands-on, in-person training and technical assistance for small manufacturers in critical industries. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to provide manufacturing-related workforce training, with award announcements to follow the application window.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens $5 Billion New Markets Tax Credit Allocation Round for 2026
The CDFI Fund announced on August 12, 2026 that its upcoming CY 2026 New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program round will make $5 billion in Allocation Authority available for investments in low-income and distressed communities. Organizations interested in applying are urged to review materials closely as the application window opens soon, creating a major capital access opportunity for businesses in underserved markets.
Read article →SBA's Billion-Dollar 'Seed Fund' SBIR/STTR Programs Are Back
The SBA's America's Seed Fund programs — SBIR and STTR — have been renewed and reinvigorated for 2026, restoring over $4 billion annually in competitive R&D grants available to qualified small businesses across 11 federal agencies. The programs fund early-stage innovation in phases, from feasibility ($150K–$250K) through development ($1–$2M), making them among the most substantial non-dilutive funding sources for tech-focused small businesses.
Read article →Tax Overhaul Will Shake Up Credits for Businesses in 2026
A sweeping federal tax bill is reshaping small business tax credits in 2026, including a new credit of up to $600,000 covering 50% of qualifying expenses — potentially cutting business costs in half for eligible activities. Additional changes cover clean electricity investment credits, R&D credits, employer child care facility credits, and pension plan startup cost credits, offering business owners multiple new avenues to reduce tax liability.
Read article →SBA Doubles Loan Limits to $10 Million for Small Businesses
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced that eligible borrowers can now combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million — double the previous $5 million cumulative cap — effective July 4, 2026. This marks the highest SBA financing ceiling in agency history and opens major new capital access across manufacturing, agriculture, and other sectors.
Read article →Congress Passes SBIR/STTR Reauthorization, Restoring $4–6B in Small Business R&D Grants
Congress passed a five-year reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, ending a nearly six-month lapse in solicitations and annual funding. The programs collectively allocate $4–6 billion per year to small business R&D through agencies including DOD, DOE, and NSF.
Read article →One Big Beautiful Bill: Tax Overhaul Reshapes Credits and Deductions for Small Businesses in 2026
A sweeping tax and budget bill signed into law in 2025 introduces major relief for small businesses in 2026, including a permanently raised Section 179 expensing limit of $2.5 million and restored full deductibility of domestic R&E expenses. Additional changes include a raised QSBS capital gains exclusion cap ($10M → $15M) and enhanced employer-provided child care credits for qualifying small businesses.
Read article →Small Business Legislation 2026: Tax Relief, SBA Loans, and Regulatory Changes Explained
A comprehensive June 2026 review details how recent federal legislation — headlined by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — affects small business taxes, SBA loan programs, and beneficial ownership reporting requirements. Key provisions include retroactive R&E expense relief for businesses under $31M in gross receipts and expanded SBA loan program access under the Returning SBA to Main Street Act.
Read article →Best Federal Grants for Small Businesses in 2026: SBIR, EDA, USDA, and CDFI Programs Ranked
An authoritative 2026 guide ranks the top federal funding programs for small businesses, led by SBIR/STTR ($150K–$2M for R&D), USDA Value-Added Producer Grants ($75K–$250K for agricultural businesses), and EDA Build to Scale grants ($500K–$2M for entrepreneurship ecosystems. The CDFI Fund also distributes $1M–$10M to community lenders serving underserved small business borrowers who cannot access conventional financing.
Read article →One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Permanent Tax Relief for Small Businesses
Signed into law on July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act permanently extended key small-business tax provisions including the QBI pass-through deduction, Section 179 expensing raised to $2.5M, and full immediate deductibility of domestic R&E expenses. Additional wins include a higher Qualified Small Business Stock capital-gains exclusion cap (now $15M) and an enhanced employer-provided child care credit for businesses under $31M in gross receipts.
Read article →Tax Overhaul Will Shake Up Credits for Businesses in 2026
The sweeping tax and budget legislation passed in 2025 introduced a raft of high-stakes changes to business tax credits taking effect in 2026, reshaping how companies plan capital investments and workforce spending. Business owners are urged to review their tax strategy now, as the new credit landscape favors businesses that act early on equipment purchases, R&D activity, and qualified hiring.
Read article →New Business Tax Credits for 2026: Complete Guide
Recent legislative changes have expanded multiple federal credit programs for 2026, including the R&D tax credit, Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) worth up to $2,400 per qualifying hire, and enhanced energy-efficiency incentives. Business owners who strategically document expenses and plan capital activities can unlock dollar-for-dollar reductions in federal tax liability, with unused credits carrying forward up to 20 years.
Read article →7 New MCA Regulations Small Businesses Need to Know in 2026
Seven new regulatory requirements are reshaping the merchant cash advance (MCA) space in 2026, with increased disclosure mandates and state-level oversight aimed at protecting small businesses from predatory advance terms. Business owners relying on MCAs for working capital should review compliance obligations and compare terms carefully, as regulators are cracking down on misleading factor-rate disclosures.
Read article →Small Business Grants 2026: SBIR, SBA, EDA & State Guide
SBIR/STTR programs now distribute over $4 billion annually in non-dilutive R&D funding to qualifying small businesses, while EDA grants ($100K–$10M) and USDA rural business grants (up to $1M) round out the federal landscape for 2026. The USDA SBIR/STTR Phase I opportunity was last updated May 13, 2026, targeting small businesses with innovative agricultural technologies ready for commercial application.
Read article →SBA Raises Combined Loan Limit to $10 Million for Small Businesses
The SBA announced that borrowers may now combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing — double the previous $5 million cumulative cap. The policy, effective July 4, 2026, primarily benefits manufacturers, business acquirers, and multi-location operators with large capital needs.
Read article →Congress Reauthorizes SBIR/STTR Through 2031, Ending Six-Month Funding Freeze
The Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (S. 3971) was signed into law on April 13, 2026, restoring nearly $6 billion in annual SBIR/STTR funding to over 4,000 companies after a five-month authorization lapse. The bipartisan bill passed the House 345-41 and extends the flagship R&D grant programs through September 30, 2031.
Read article →2026 SBA 7(a) Loan Updates: New Citizenship Rules, Manufacturing Fee Waivers, and Stricter Compliance
Effective March 1, 2026, SBA 7(a) loans now require 100% U.S. citizen ownership — green card holders no longer qualify — while manufacturers gain access to 0% upfront guaranty fees on loans up to $950,000 and a 90% SBA guarantee. The SBA is also channeling capital into critical industries including energy, food production, and advanced technologies.
Read article →QBI Deduction Made Permanent, 100% Bonus Depreciation Restored Under New Tax Law
The One Big Beautiful Budget Act (OBBBA) permanently extends the 20% Qualified Business Income deduction for pass-through entities and restores 100% bonus depreciation, allowing full first-year expensing of qualifying property. Section 179 expensing also increases to $2.5 million, phasing out at $4 million — a major planning opportunity for equipment-heavy small businesses.
Read article →Federal Small Business Funding 2026: CDFI, EDA, and USDA Programs Explained
SBIR/STTR surpassed $4 billion in FY2025 non-dilutive R&D awards, while Treasury's CDFI Fund deployed approximately $300 million in FY2024 grants to community lenders serving underserved small businesses. EDA's Build to Scale and USDA rural business programs round out the federal funding picture, with most direct small business capital flowing through loans, tax credits, and contracting set-asides rather than cash grants.
Read article →Best Federal Grants for Small Businesses 2026: SBIR/STTR, CDFI, EDA & USDA Guide
Federal cash grants for small businesses remain concentrated in SBIR/STTR R&D programs distributing over $4 billion annually, USDA Value-Added Producer Grants ($75K–$250K for agricultural businesses), and EDA Build to Scale awards ($500K–$2M for entrepreneurship ecosystems. CDFIs funded by Treasury's CDFI Fund deploy $1M–$10M to community lenders who then make small business loans in underserved markets.
Read article →What's New With Merchant Cash Advances in 2026 — And How Business Owners Can Benefit
The MCA market is the fastest-growing small business funding source in the U.S., projected to reach $26 billion globally by 2029, driven by near-90% approval rates versus the 50% denial rate at traditional banks. New state disclosure laws, smarter underwriting technology, and Texas's landmark HB 700 legislation have made 2026 a significant regulatory turning point for the industry.
Read article →Small-Business Tax Credits: A 2026 Guide — 10 Credits You Should Not Miss
NerdWallet's updated 2026 guide highlights 10 federal tax credits available to small businesses, including the Clean Electricity Investment Credit, R&D Tax Credit, Employer Credit for Paid Family Leave, and the Small Employer Health Insurance Premiums Credit. Notably, solar facilities must begin construction by July 4, 2026 to qualify for the clean energy credit, and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit has lapsed but may be retroactively reinstated by Congress.
Read article →New Business Tax Credits for 2026: Complete Legislative Guide
Recent legislative changes for 2026 have expanded eligibility criteria and increased credit amounts across multiple federal business tax credit programs, including enhanced R&D credits, workforce hiring incentives (WOTC), and energy-efficiency deductions. Business owners who proactively document qualifying activities throughout the year — rather than waiting until tax season — can unlock dollar-for-dollar reductions in federal tax liability.
Read article →Navigating the 2026 MCA Regulatory Landscape: What Small Businesses Need to Know
In 2026, state regulators are mandating stricter cost disclosure requirements for merchant cash advances, with California and New York leading the way and more states expected to follow, making MCAs more transparent but not cheaper for borrowers. The regulatory shift is also spurring innovation, with new hybrid products blending the speed of same-day MCA funding with the structured repayment terms of revenue-based financing.
Read article →SBA Offers New Supply Chain Grants and Up to $10 Million in Combined Financing
The SBA launched 20 supply chain acceleration grants of up to $500,000 each to help small businesses reshore purchasing and manufacturing operations. The agency also announced that qualified borrowers can now combine 7(a) and 504 loan programs to access up to $10 million in total financing.
Read article →Investing in All of America Act Expands SBIC Leverage, Bonus Incentives, and Investor Base
President Trump signed the Investing in All of America Act on May 19, 2026, significantly modernizing the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program by raising leverage caps and broadening the investor base. The legislation is designed to funnel substantially more private capital into small businesses, including those in underserved and rural markets.
Read article →5 Things to Know About the SBA's New MARC Loan Program for Manufacturers
The SBA approved its first loan under the new Manufacturers' Access to Revolving Credit (MARC) program, giving small manufacturers flexible revolving credit lines for working capital and production needs. The program is a targeted tool for businesses looking to expand domestic manufacturing capacity amid ongoing reshoring efforts.
Read article →What's New With Merchant Cash Advances in 2026: Disclosure Laws and a Surging Market
Merchant cash advances are now the fastest-growing funding source for U.S. small businesses, with the global MCA market projected to reach $26 billion by 2029 and approval rates near 90%. New state-level MCA disclosure laws in 2026 — including Texas HB700 — are reshaping transparency requirements, giving business owners clearer cost disclosures before signing.
Read article →Congress Advances SBIR/STTR Reauthorization: Key Changes for Small Business R&D Grants
Congress is moving forward with legislation to reauthorize the SBIR and STTR programs, which distribute over $4 billion annually in non-dilutive R&D grants to qualifying small businesses across 11 federal agencies. Proposed changes include updated eligibility thresholds, tightened commercialization requirements, and expanded Phase I award amounts for technology-focused small businesses.
Read article →SBA Doubles Loan Limit: Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10M in Financing
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced that borrowers may now combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing — double the previous $5 million cumulative limit. The change gives growing businesses significantly more access to federally backed capital for expansion.
Read article →How the "Big Beautiful Bill" Impacts Small-Business Owners
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act — signed July 4, 2025 and taking full effect in 2026 — makes the 20% Qualified Business Income deduction permanent, allows immediate 100% bonus depreciation on equipment, and restores same-year R&D expense deductions. Experts warn, however, that higher deficit spending may push up borrowing costs and offsetting Medicaid cuts could raise healthcare expenses for business owners.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorized Through 2031 After Six-Month Lapse
President Trump signed S. 3971 — the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act — on April 13, 2026, ending a six-month funding gap and extending SBIR and STTR programs through September 30, 2031. The reauthorization unlocks $4+ billion annually in non-dilutive R&D grants for small tech companies and restores new solicitations at agencies including DoD, NASA, and DOE.
Read article →SBA Loan Rule Changes 2026: Citizenship Requirements, Tighter Collateral Standards
Three major SBA rule changes took effect March 1, 2026: a new citizenship requirement that eliminates SBA loan access for non-U.S. citizens, the sunset of the FICO SBSS credit score model, and tighter collateral standards that raise the bar for approval. Business owners who relied on the old underwriting framework need to reassess their eligibility and prepare updated documentation.
Read article →MCA Legislation 2026: New State Laws Tighten Merchant Cash Advance Protections
A wave of 2025–2026 state legislation — including New York's FAIR Business Practices Act, Texas HB 700, and California DFPI disclosure rules — is closing the regulatory gap that allowed merchant cash advance providers to charge factor rates equivalent to 100–350% APR with minimal oversight. Business owners facing MCA enforcement now have clearer legal defenses, though UCC lien removal after settlement still requires separate action.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
The SBA announced a landmark policy change allowing eligible borrowers to simultaneously hold up to $5M in 7(a) loans and $5M in 504 loans — doubling the previous cumulative SBA financing cap to $10 million. The rule, effective July 4, 2026, especially benefits manufacturers and multi-location operators who previously were locked out of additional SBA financing once they hit the combined limit.
Read article →10 SBA Loan Changes to Watch in 2026: Rules, Fees & Eligibility
The SBA implemented more rule changes between October 2025 and mid-2026 than in any comparable period in recent history, covering citizenship requirements, underwriting standards, and lender eligibility. Key updates include 100% U.S. citizenship now required for all business owners, the end of automated SBSS credit scoring for small loans, and expanded access for nonbank lenders and CDFIs to become SBA-authorized lenders.
Read article →Congress Passes SBIR/STTR Reauthorization After Six-Month Lapse
Congress passed legislation to reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs after a nearly six-month freeze that halted new solicitations and awards. Signed into law on April 13, 2026 as the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (S. 3971), the bill extends both programs through September 30, 2031 with new foreign-risk safeguards and application limits.
Read article →Small-Business Tax Credits Not to Miss in 2026
NerdWallet's updated 2026 guide covers the most valuable federal tax credits available to small businesses, including the R&D Tax Credit, Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC worth up to $2,400 per qualifying hire), and expanded energy efficiency incentives. Unlike deductions, these credits reduce your tax bill dollar-for-dollar, and unused credits can be carried back one year and forward up to 20 years.
Read article →MCA Legislation 2026: New State Laws Reshape Merchant Cash Advance Protections
A wave of state legislation in 2025-2026 — including New York's FAIR Business Practices Act, Texas HB 700, and California DFPI disclosure rules — is closing the regulatory gap that historically allowed merchant cash advances to sidestep usury laws and lending protections. These new laws are reshaping MCA contract enforceability, confession-of-judgment validity, and disclosure obligations, giving small businesses significantly stronger defense options against predatory MCA terms.
Read article →SBIR 2026 Reauthorization: What Actually Changed
President Trump signed S. 3971 on April 13, 2026, extending SBIR and STTR programs through September 30, 2031 after a six-month lapse left new proposals in limbo. The reauthorization restores billions in annual R&D funding for small businesses working in defense, health, energy, agriculture, and space.
Read article →New Programs, Fee Changes and Other SBA Loan Changes to Expect in 2026
The SBA is rolling out new programs and fee adjustments across its flagship 7(a) and 504 loan programs for 2026, designed to expand access to capital for small business owners nationwide. Business owners should review updated lending criteria and interest rate structures to capitalize on expanded borrowing opportunities.
Read article →2026 Small Business Tax Guide: QBI Deduction Made Permanent, Bonus Depreciation Restored
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) made the 20% Qualified Business Income deduction permanent for pass-through entities and restored 100% bonus depreciation, with Section 179 expensing expanded to $2.5 million. These changes create major tax planning opportunities for small businesses investing in equipment and capital assets in 2026.
Read article →2026 MCA Legislation and Commercial Lending Protections: State-by-State Guide
New state laws in New York, Texas, and California enacted in 2025–2026 are closing regulatory gaps that allowed merchant cash advance providers to charge triple-digit APRs and use confession of judgment clauses without notice to business owners. Protections remain fragmented at the federal level, making state-specific defense strategies essential for any business carrying MCA obligations.
Read article →Billions in Small-Business Funding Hitting 'Pivotal' Moment in 2026
The State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), a Treasury-backed program directing billions to small businesses through CDFIs and state agencies, is reaching a critical deployment phase in 2026. Business owners in underserved communities should connect with their state's SSBCI administrators now to access capital that traditional lenders typically decline.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Signed: What the New Law Means for Small Business Innovators
President Trump signed S. 3971, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, on April 13, 2026, reauthorizing SBIR and STTR programs through 2031 after a six-month funding lapse that had frozen over $4 billion in annual grants. Key changes include a new $30 million "Strategic Breakthrough" Phase II award track, agency-level proposal caps starting FY2027, and tightened national security vetting requirements.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program Funding Round
The U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund launched its FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program on June 30, 2026, making up to $9 million available to certified CDFIs through grants for loan loss reserves and technical assistance. The program aims to expand affordable lending access for unbanked and underbanked communities, offering small-dollar loans (capped at $2,500) as alternatives to high-cost predatory lenders.
Read article →2026 MCA Legislation: New York FAIR Act, Texas HB 700, and California DFPI Rules Change the Game
A wave of 2025–2026 state laws is closing the regulatory gap that allowed merchant cash advance providers to charge 100–350% effective APRs by exploiting the "purchase of receivables" classification that historically exempted MCAs from usury laws and federal TILA disclosures. New York's FAIR Business Practices Act, Texas HB 700, and California DFPI rules now directly affect MCA contract enforceability, confession-of-judgment clauses, and UCC blanket lien filings against small business assets.
Read article →New Business Tax Credits for 2026: Complete Guide to Maximizing Savings
The 2026 tax year brings updated and expanded business tax credits covering workforce development, R&D investment, and energy efficiency improvements that can significantly reduce tax liability for small business owners. Business owners who proactively identify and claim these credits can unlock substantial savings while reinvesting in company growth, innovation, and employee retention.
Read article →Small Business Grants 2026: SBIR, SBA, EDA & State Guide
This June 2026 guide confirms that SBIR/STTR represents the largest non-dilutive federal grant pool — over $4 billion annually — while EDA grants ($100K–$10M) target distressed economic regions and USDA rural business grants reach up to $1 million for qualifying rural enterprises. The guide emphasizes that SBA 7(a), 504, and microloan programs remain the primary federal resource for mainstream small businesses that don't qualify for R&D or rural grants.
Read article →SBA Raises Financing Limit: Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million
The SBA has expanded its flagship 7(a) and 504 loan programs, making small businesses eligible for up to $10 million in combined financing. Small manufacturers can additionally access up to $5 million through the 7(a) program to boost production, hire workers, and meet demand driven by U.S. trade priorities.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Programs Reauthorized Through 2031 — Over $4B Annually for Small Business R&D
President Trump signed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act on April 13, 2026, reauthorizing SBIR and STTR programs through September 30, 2031 after a six-month lapse. The legislation introduced new commercialization requirements and has funded over $81 billion across 34,000 small businesses since 1982.
Read article →Small Business Tax Cut Act of 2026 (H.R. 8415): QBI Deduction May Rise to 23%
A newly introduced bill, H.R. 8415, proposes increasing the Qualified Business Income deduction from 20% to 23% for pass-through business owners, potentially saving small business owners thousands annually. The legislation builds on the Working Family Tax Cuts and would provide more long-term planning certainty for entrepreneurs.
Read article →2026 Regulatory Shake-Up: New Disclosure Laws Reshape Merchant Cash Advance Landscape
States including California and New York have rolled out stricter MCA disclosure laws in 2026, requiring funders to be more transparent about factor rates and effective costs. The changes aim to protect small business borrowers while MCAs remain one of the fastest-growing alternative financing products, with the global MCA market projected to reach $26 billion by 2029.
Read article →SBA 7(a) Loan Program 2026: New Citizenship Rules and Major Manufacturing Incentives
Effective March 1, 2026, SBA 7(a) loans now require 100% U.S. citizen ownership, eliminating eligibility for green card holders and any foreign ownership stake. Manufacturers gain significant new benefits including 0% upfront guaranty fees on loans up to $950,000 and a 90% SBA guaranty — up from the standard ~75% — to support domestic reshoring.
Read article →One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Key Small Business Tax & Lending Changes
The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" permanently raises the Section 179 expensing cap to $2.5 million and restores full immediate deductibility of domestic R&E expenses for smaller businesses. Congress also reauthorized SBIR and STTR programs in April 2026 after a six-month lapse, restarting over $4 billion in annual R&D grant funding.
Read article →Tax Credit Industry Trends 2026: What MCA & Finance Brokers Need to Know
The U.S. tax credit industry hit $47.3 billion in 2026, driven by new federal Clean Energy Manufacturing and Digital Innovation credits totaling $18 billion in funding. MCA and equipment leasing brokers are now bundling tax credits with financing deals, boosting average deal values by 35–60%.
Read article →Best Federal Grants for Small Businesses 2026: SBIR, USDA, EDA & CDFI
SBIR/STTR remains the largest federal cash grant source for small businesses at $150K–$2M per award, while USDA Value-Added Producer Grants offer up to $250K for agricultural businesses and EDA Build to Scale awards reach $2M for entrepreneurship ecosystems. CDFI Fund programs funnel $1M–$10M to community lenders serving underserved small business markets.
Read article →Real Small Business Grants in 2026: SBIR, USDA Rural & SBA Programs
SBIR/STTR programs distribute over $4 billion annually, with Phase I awards up to $275,000 and Phase II up to $1.83 million for qualifying R&D-focused small businesses across 11 federal agencies. USDA Rural Development grants remain one of the most under-utilized resources for businesses in communities under 50,000 people, offering targeted capital and technical assistance.
Read article →New Business Tax Credits for 2026: R&D, Workforce & Energy Incentives Expanded
Several enhanced federal tax credit programs are creating major planning opportunities in 2026, including expanded R&D credits, workforce development credits, and new energy-related incentives. Recent legislation has broadened eligibility and increased credit amounts, giving more small businesses access to dollar-for-dollar reductions in their federal tax liability.
Read article →MCA Legislation 2026: New Commercial Lending Protections Every Business Owner Must Know
Five major legislative events in 2025–2026 have shifted the MCA enforcement landscape: New York's FAIR Business Practices Act (effective Feb 17, 2026) extends unfair-practice protections to small businesses, while Texas HB 700 voided confession-of-judgment clauses in all new MCA contracts and required funder registration. Business owners in regulated states now hold legal leverage they did not have in 2024.
Read article →New Business Tax Credits for 2026: Complete Guide
The 2026 tax year brings expanded federal business tax credits, including enhanced R&D credits that now let startups offset payroll taxes directly and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit providing up to $9,600 per qualifying new hire. Recent legislative changes have broadened eligibility and raised credit amounts across R&D, energy, healthcare, and workforce development programs.
Read article →One Big Beautiful Bill Act: 2026 Small Business Tax Deductions & Credits Checklist
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), passed in July 2025, permanently restored 100% bonus depreciation for capital expenses and significantly expanded the Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) exclusion under Section 1202. However, the law also eliminated or severely restricted most clean energy tax credits—including EV credits and Section 179D—changing the calculus for businesses that had planned green investments.
Read article →Best Federal Grants for Small Businesses 2026: SBIR/STTR, CDFI, EDA & SBA Programs
SBIR/STTR remains the largest federal cash grant channel for small businesses at $150K–$2M per award, while Treasury's CDFI Fund distributed roughly $300M in FY2024 to community lenders serving underserved markets. For most businesses outside R&D and agriculture, SBA's 7(a) loan guarantee program—which backed $27B in loans in FY2024—remains the primary federal financing vehicle.
Read article →SBA Launches Empower to Grow (E2G) Manufacturing Grant for Small Manufacturers
The SBA's new Empower to Grow (E2G) Manufacturing in America grant program funds organizations that provide hands-on training and workforce development to small manufacturers as part of the Made in America Manufacturing Initiative. The latest application round has closed and awards are pending, targeting groups capable of delivering manufacturing-related technical assistance directly to small business concerns.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
Effective July 4, 2026, the SBA doubled its cumulative loan limit by allowing borrowers to combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing — the highest in agency history. The policy decouples both programs so each carries an independent $5M ceiling, unlocking major new capital for manufacturers, commercial real estate buyers, and expanding businesses.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens the FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program Funding Round
Treasury's CDFI Fund opened its FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program on June 30, 2026, making up to $9 million in grants available to certified CDFIs for loan loss reserves and technical assistance. The program is designed to expand affordable credit access for unbanked and underbanked populations through small-dollar loans up to $2,500, with final application deadlines closing July 30, 2026.
Read article →One Big Beautiful Bill: Key Tax Changes for Small Business Owners in 2026
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025, permanently restores 100% bonus depreciation for assets acquired after January 19, 2025, makes the 20% QBI deduction permanent with no sunset date, and raises the Section 179 expensing cap to $2.56 million for 2026. Small business owners with equipment purchases in 2025–2026 should revisit their depreciation and tax strategies immediately to maximize these expanded deductions.
Read article →NIH Opens SBIR/STTR Grant Applications Through April 2027 — Up to $2.09M Per Award
The NIH opened new SBIR and STTR Phase I and Phase II grant solicitations with applications accepted from August 5, 2026 through April 6, 2027. Eligible small businesses can access up to $314,363 for Phase I feasibility research and up to $2.09 million for Phase II R&D development — all non-dilutive funding requiring no equity stake from investors.
Read article →EPA Awards $3.6 Million to Nine Small Businesses Through SBIR Phase II Program
The EPA announced $3.6 million in SBIR Phase II awards to nine U.S. small businesses to further develop and commercialize environmental technologies, including innovations in PFAS destruction and circular economy solutions in Alaska. These non-dilutive grants reinforce SBIR's status as America's premier seed fund for tech-driven small businesses, with the broader federal SBIR/STTR pool awarding approximately $4 billion per year across 11 agencies.
Read article →SBA Raises Loan Limit to $10 Million — Highest in Agency History
Effective July 4, 2026, small businesses can now combine SBA 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing, doubling the previous $5 million cumulative cap. SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler called it the highest financing ceiling in SBA history, designed to close a decade-old funding gap for growing businesses.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Signed Into Law — $6B in R&D Grants Restored
President Trump signed S.3971, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, on April 13, 2026, restoring over $6 billion in annual federal R&D grant funding after a six-month lapse. The law extends SBIR and STTR programs through September 30, 2031, and creates a new $30 million Strategic Breakthrough Awards track for commercialization-ready small businesses.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY 2026 Bond Guarantee, Small Dollar Loan & Bank Enterprise Award Programs
The U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund opened three major FY 2026 funding rounds simultaneously on June 30, 2026: the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, the Small Dollar Loan Program, and the Bank Enterprise Award Program. Application deadlines are approaching, and CDFIs use these programs to channel affordable capital directly to small businesses in low-income and underserved communities.
Read article →2026 Tax Overhaul: QBI Deduction Made Permanent, 100% Bonus Depreciation Restored
The One Big Beautiful Budget Act (OBBBA) permanently extended the 20% Qualified Business Income deduction for pass-through entities and restored 100% bonus depreciation for qualifying property, reversing prior phase-downs. Section 179 expensing also climbs to $2.5 million (phasing out at $4 million), creating substantial tax planning opportunities especially for equipment-intensive small businesses.
Read article →Congress Reauthorizes SBIR/STTR: Bipartisan 345-41 House Vote Unlocks New $30M Strategic Breakthrough Awards
The House passed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act 345-41 on March 17, 2026, extending SBIR and STTR programs through 2031 after a five-month freeze that had halted new awards at NIH, DOD, and other agencies. The legislation also introduces Strategic Breakthrough Awards — up to $30 million per project for Phase II graduates — and mandates tighter foreign-ownership due diligence on all applicants.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced that borrowers can now combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing—double the previous $5 million cumulative limit, effective July 4, 2026. This marks the highest SBA financing cap in agency history and expands capital access for growing businesses across all industries.
Read article →Investing in All of America Act Expands SBIC Leverage and Institutional Capital
President Trump signed the Investing in All of America Act on May 19, 2026, expanding leverage limits and broadening the eligible investor base for Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs). The law gives private capital funds a government-backed, low-cost path to deploy more capital into small businesses through asset-backed financing structures.
Read article →One Big Beautiful Bill: Key Tax Changes for Small Business Owners in 2026
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act permanently restores 100% bonus depreciation, makes the 20% QBI deduction permanent, raises the Section 179 expensing cap to $2.56M for 2026, and reverts business interest deductions to the more favorable EBITDA-based calculation. Together, these four changes significantly reduce taxable income for small business owners investing in equipment or operating as pass-through entities.
Read article →Best Federal Grants for Small Businesses 2026: SBIR/STTR, EDA Build to Scale, and CDFI Programs
SBIR/STTR remains the largest federal cash grant program for small businesses, distributing over $4 billion annually across 11 agencies with awards from $150K to $2M for R&D-focused firms. The CDFI Fund provides $1M–$10M grants to CDFIs serving underserved markets, while EDA's Build to Scale program offers $500K–$2M to entrepreneurship ecosystems—forming the core non-dilutive federal funding landscape for 2026.
Read article →MCA Legislation 2026: New State Laws Close the Regulatory Gap for Small Business Borrowers
New York's FAIR Business Practices Act, Texas HB 700, and California DFPI commercial financing disclosure rules enacted in 2025–2026 are directly curtailing the historically unregulated merchant cash advance industry. These laws target confession-of-judgment clauses, mandate APR-equivalent disclosures, and establish state attorney general enforcement authority—giving small businesses new legal defenses against predatory MCA contracts.
Read article →Congress Passes SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Bill, Sent to President Trump
After SBIR and STTR programs lapsed on September 30, 2025 due to Congressional inaction, Congress passed a reauthorization bill sent to President Trump on April 2, 2026. The reauthorization restores America's Seed Fund — over $4 billion annually in non-dilutive R&D grants — enabling federal agencies to resume new solicitations for small business innovators.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program Funding Round
The U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund opened the FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program on June 30, 2026, providing capital to community lenders offering affordable alternatives to high-cost small dollar financing. Updated application support materials were released in July 2026, with the program targeting underserved small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Read article →FY 2026 CDFI Bond Guarantee Program Application Period Now Open
The Treasury's CDFI Fund announced the opening of the FY 2026 CDFI Bond Guarantee Program on June 30, 2026, allowing qualified issuers to access long-term, low-cost capital at favorable rates to fund community development lending. This program is a major mechanism for CDFIs to finance small businesses and affordable housing in distressed markets.
Read article →NIH Launches New FY2027 SBIR/STTR Funding Opportunities for Small Businesses
The NIH released a new wave of SBIR and STTR funding opportunities on May 28, 2026, including Parent SBIR/STTR grants open through April 2027 and the Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough Award for advanced-stage small businesses. Applications officially open August 5, 2026, targeting healthcare, biotech, and life sciences small companies.
Read article →2026 MCA Regulatory Crackdown: Courts Re-Label Merchant Cash Advances as Loans
Courts and state regulators are increasingly re-labeling aggressive merchant cash advances as usurious loans, with New York's Yellowstone Capital settlement cancelling over $534 million in MCA-style debt and California's SB 362 mandating APR disclosures. The 2026 regulatory shift gives struggling small business owners new legal leverage to challenge stacked MCA positions and vacate judgments.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorization 2026: What Changed and What Small Businesses Should Do Next
The Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act was signed into law on April 13, 2026, reauthorizing SBIR and STTR programs through September 30, 2031 — ending a 195-day freeze that had halted $4B+ in annual funding. The legislation introduces a new Strategic Breakthrough Award pathway, tightens foreign-ownership screening, and imposes per-agency proposal limits to curb high-volume repeat submissions.
Read article →The 2026 SBA Rule Changes Every Small Business Needs to Know
SBA's SOP 50 10 8 overhaul — the biggest underwriting rewrite in five years — now bans using SBA loan proceeds to refinance merchant cash advance debt and requires collateral on nearly all loans over $50,000. The one upside: effective July 4, 2026, the combined 7(a) + 504 borrowing cap doubled to $10M, unlocking larger acquisition and real estate deal structures for growing businesses.
Read article →SBIR Reauthorization Passes House Vote 345-41 in Bipartisan Show of Support
The House of Representatives passed S. 3971, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, on March 17, 2026 by a 345-41 bipartisan vote, following Senate passage on March 3. The bill restores and extends SBIR and STTR programs through 2031, ending a nearly six-month funding freeze that had blocked new solicitations across 11 federal agencies and left ~6,000 small businesses in limbo.
Read article →What's New With Merchant Cash Advances in 2026 — And How Business Owners Can Benefit
Multiple states including New York, California, and Utah now enforce mandatory commercial financing disclosure laws for MCAs, requiring APR, total cost, and payment breakdowns before signing — the most significant regulatory shift in the industry in a decade. The MCA market remains the fastest-growing small business funding source, projected to hit $26 billion globally by 2029, though new stacking restrictions and stricter underwriting are reshaping deal structures.
Read article →Best Federal Grants for Small Businesses 2026: SBIR, CDFI, EDA & SBA Guide
Federal cash grants for small businesses remain narrowly concentrated: SBIR/STTR offers $150K–$2M for R&D companies while USDA Value-Added Producer Grants provide $75K–$250K for agricultural businesses. CDFI Fund Financial Assistance grants ($1M–$10M to CDFIs) and EDA Build to Scale awards ($500K–$2M) channel capital through intermediaries, with most non-R&D small businesses better served by SBA loan guarantees, microloans, or state-level economic development programs.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorized Through 2031: Programs Back With Major Changes
President Trump signed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act on April 13, 2026, ending the longest lapse in SBIR/STTR history and restoring over $4 billion in annual R&D funding for small businesses. The law extends both programs through September 30, 2031 and introduces new national security reviews, annual proposal caps, and a Strategic Breakthrough Allocation program allowing awards up to $30 million per project.
Read article →Congress Reauthorizes SBIR and STTR: What Small Businesses Need to Know
The Senate passed S.3971 by voice vote on March 3, 2026, and the House approved it 345-41 on March 17, ending a 6-month program lapse that froze roughly 6,000 small businesses from their next R&D award. Key changes include stricter due diligence requirements, mandatory 90-day award decision timelines, and expanded technical and business assistance allowances of up to $50,000 per Phase II award.
Read article →Playbook for 2026: Tax Overhaul Will Shake Up Credits for Businesses This Year
The passage of a major tax-and-spending bill on July 3, 2026 has expanded and restructured a broad range of tax credits that small business owners rely on, including energy, retirement plan, and workforce incentive credits. Business owners are advised to review all available credits with a tax professional and document eligible expenses throughout the year to maximize their bill reductions.
Read article →What's New With Merchant Cash Advances in 2026 — And How Business Owners Can Benefit
The MCA industry has seen more regulatory change in the past 24 months than in the previous decade, with California and New York disclosure laws now in effect and a major regulatory shakeup in Texas under HB700. MCA approval rates reached nearly 90% in 2023 — the highest of any small business financing product — as the global MCA market is projected to hit $26 billion by 2029.
Read article →Small Business Grants 2026: SBIR, SBA, EDA & State Guide — Complete Breakdown
Federal small business grants are almost entirely concentrated in two lanes: R&D through SBIR/STTR (over $4 billion annually) and economic development in distressed regions via EDA and USDA rural business programs. The guide covers active NSF SBIR deadlines on July 27, 2026, DoD cohorts open July 22–August 19, and USDA rural grants up to $1 million for qualifying businesses.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
The SBA announced a landmark policy change allowing small businesses to combine 7(a) and 504 loans, effectively doubling available capital to $10 million per borrower. Small manufacturers can now access an unlimited number of 504 loans per distinct project plus up to $5 million through the 7(a) program, supporting expansion and job creation.
Read article →Congress Passes Small Business Research Reauthorization (SBIR/STTR)
Congress passed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (S. 3971), reauthorizing SBIR and STTR programs for five years through September 30, 2031, ending a six-month funding lapse. The bipartisan compromise distributes $4–6 billion annually across 11 federal agencies for small business R&D and includes new anti-foreign-risk requirements.
Read article →One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Permanent Tax Relief for Small Businesses
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made permanent the 20% Qualified Business Income (QBI) pass-through deduction and raised the Section 1202 QSBS capital gains exclusion cap from $10M to $15M for small business stock acquired after July 4, 2025. The law also expanded the employer-provided child care credit and reduced IRS reporting burdens for gig economy businesses.
Read article →MCA Regulatory Shake-Up: What Small Businesses Need to Know in 2026
In 2026, states like California and New York have enacted MCA disclosure laws requiring transparent cost-of-capital reporting, with more states expected to follow as federal regulators focus on fairness in small business lending. Despite tightening oversight, MCAs remain the fastest-growing funding source with approval rates near 90% as the global MCA market projects to reach $26 billion by 2029.
Read article →Best Federal Grants for Small Businesses 2026: SBIR, CDFI, EDA & USDA Guide
Federal small business funding in 2026 is concentrated in SBIR/STTR ($150K–$2M+ for R&D), USDA Value-Added Producer Grants ($75K–$250K for agricultural businesses), and EDA Build to Scale grants ($500K–$2M for entrepreneurship ecosystems), with CDFI Fund channeling $1M–$10M to CDFIs that serve underserved communities. Most federal programs are structured as guaranteed loans, tax credits, or contracting set-asides rather than direct cash grants.
Read article →Important Reminders for FY 2026 Bank Enterprise Award Program Round Applicants
The CDFI Fund issued urgent deadline reminders for two major FY 2026 funding rounds — the Bank Enterprise Award (BEA) Program (up to $40 million for institutions supporting CDFIs in distressed communities) and the Small Dollar Loan (SDL) Program (affordable credit alternatives to high-cost lending). All applications must be submitted via Grants.gov and AMIS by July 31, 2026 — hard cutoffs with no exceptions.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced that small businesses can now combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing — the highest loan limit in agency history, doubled from the prior $5 million cumulative cap — effective July 4, 2026. The new rule decouples 7(a) balances from the 504 program, giving capital-intensive businesses flexibility to pair long-term real estate/equipment financing with working capital simultaneously.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorized Through 2031: The Programs Are Back and Here Is What Is Open
The Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (S.3971), signed April 13, 2026, ended the longest SBIR/STTR lapse in history (frozen since September 30, 2025), restoring over $4 billion in annual R&D grant authority through September 30, 2031. The reauthorization introduced a new Strategic Breakthrough Award pathway, tighter foreign-ownership due diligence, and agency-level caps — NSF, DoD, and HHS now have active 2026 application windows open.
Read article →Navigating the New Tax Law: What Small Businesses Need to Know
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed July 4, 2025, delivers permanent and expanded tax relief for small businesses — including a permanent 20% Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction, 100% bonus depreciation restored, a doubled Section 179 expensing limit ($2.5 million), and a new employer childcare credit worth up to $600,000. Business owners can apply new deductions retroactively to expenses dating back to January 20, 2025, making both 2025 and 2026 tax returns eligible for dramatically expanded benefits.
Read article →Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) Guide: How It Works, Requirements & Costs (July 2026)
As of mid-2026, MCA funders typically require $15,000+/month in deposits, 6+ months in business, and a 500+ FICO, with funded amounts running 0.75–1.5x average monthly deposits and underwriting driven primarily by deposit consistency. Following a landmark $1 billion judgment against the Yellowstone family of MCA lenders in 2025, the industry is undergoing a major transparency overhaul — new state disclosure laws now mandate APR-equivalent fee disclosure, pushing out opaque factor-rate structures.
Read article →SBA Announces $9 Million in Grants for Supply Chain Acceleration (SCALE) Program
The SBA launched the SCALE Program on July 23, 2026, offering 20 grants of up to $500,000 each to organizations helping small businesses overcome supply chain barriers across advanced manufacturing, biotech, defense, food systems, and transportation. Eligible applicants -- public, private, or nonprofit -- must submit proposals via Grants.gov by August 7, 2026.
Read article →Congress Passes Five-Year SBIR/STTR Reauthorization, Ending Six-Month Funding Lapse
The House passed S. 3971, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, by a 345-41 vote in March 2026, reauthorizing SBIR and STTR programs through September 2031 and ending a six-month freeze on new awards across agencies like DoD, DOE, and NSF. The compromise bill adds national security reviews, foreign-risk due diligence requirements, and a new Strategic Breakthrough Allocation allowing awards up to $30 million for high-priority innovations.
Read article →SBA Launches 90% Made in America Loan Guarantee for Small Manufacturers
Effective May 1, 2026, the SBA expanded its International Trade Loan program to give all manufacturers in NAICS sectors 31-33 a 90% federal loan guarantee on loans up to $5 million, far above the standard 75%, removing the prior requirement to prove export activity or import competition. The program coincides with SBA guarantee-fee waivers running through September 2026, potentially saving manufacturers up to $135,000 in fees on a $5M loan.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY 2026 Rounds for Bond Guarantee, Bank Enterprise Award, and Small Dollar Loan Programs
The U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund opened three major FY 2026 funding rounds in late June 2026 -- the Bank Enterprise Award Program, the Small Dollar Loan Program, and the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program -- all designed to channel affordable capital into underserved communities and small businesses that cannot access conventional financing. Application deadlines are clustered in late July 2026, with the SDL Program closing July 30 and the BEA Program closing July 31.
Read article →Merchant Cash Advance Industry Faces New Disclosure Laws and Growing Regulatory Pressure in 2026
Illinois and New Jersey enacted MCA disclosure laws in 2026 requiring funders to show APR-equivalent costs upfront, while the FTC continued cracking down on lenders using confessions of judgment to seize funds without standard court proceedings. Restaurant and retail bankruptcy filings listing multiple MCAs rose in Q1 2026, with stacking of three or four advances -- sometimes pushing blended APRs above 200% -- drawing increasing scrutiny from regulators, bankruptcy courts, and state attorneys general.
Read article →Attorney General James Announces $1 Billion Settlement with Predatory Lender Yellowstone Capital for Harming Small Businesses
New York AG Letitia James reached a landmark $1 billion judgment with Yellowstone Capital — a network of 25 MCA companies — for disguising usurious high-interest loans as merchant cash advances and targeting over 18,000 small businesses nationwide. The settlement cancels $534 million in outstanding merchant debts, permanently bars Yellowstone from the MCA industry, and includes an immediate $16.1 million cash payment distributed directly to impacted small businesses.
Read article →Tax Overhaul Will Shake Up Credits for Businesses. Here's What's Changing.
A sweeping tax-and-spending bill passed on July 3, 2025 introduced 15 major changes to tax credits and deductions that small business owners rely on, including new and expanded incentives tied to the Republican tax plan. Business owners are advised to review changes to credits for operations, investment, and workforce to strategically leverage the updated tax landscape for growth.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorization: What's at Stake and What Comes Next
Congressional authority for the SBIR and STTR programs expired on October 1, 2025, halting award announcements and creating significant uncertainty for thousands of small businesses in federally funded R&D pipelines. Two competing legislative paths were under consideration before the programs were ultimately reauthorized on April 13, 2026, restoring critical innovation funding for small business innovators.
Read article →CDFI Fund Announces 2026 Funding Opportunities
The CDFI Fund opened its 2026 funding round for the Bank Enterprise Award (BEA) Program and the Small Dollar Loan (SDL) Program, with final application deadlines falling in late July 2026. The SDL Program supports certified CDFIs in offering affordable small-dollar loan alternatives to underserved businesses that lack access to conventional capital, while the BEA Program rewards FDIC-insured banks that increase investment in economically distressed communities.
Read article →SOUP Raises $90.5 Million from SBA Small Business Loans
A pool of SBA 7(a) small business loans was securitized into $90.5 million in asset-backed securities through the SOUP 7(a) Trust 2025-FBC1 transaction, earning a BBB rating from Morningstar DBRS and set to mature in June 2050. Three lenders — Lendistry SBLC, Community Bank & Trust, and Millennium Bank — partnered with the SBA to originate the underlying loans, which fund working capital, commercial real estate, and equipment purchases for small businesses across sectors including hospitality, restaurants, and trucking.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
Effective July 4, 2026, SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced that small businesses may now combine their 7(a) and 504 loans to access up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing — double the previous $5 million cumulative limit and the highest in agency history. The policy change decouples 7(a) loan balances from the 504 program, giving capital-intensive businesses greater flexibility to pair long-term real estate or equipment financing with working capital.
Read article →Tax Bill Delivers Permanent Relief for Small Businesses
The 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' signed into law on July 4, 2025, delivers sweeping permanent tax reforms for small businesses, including a permanent 20% Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction, immediate expensing of domestic R&E costs, and repeal of burdensome IRS gig-worker reporting requirements. The legislation also introduces a no-tax-on-tips provision and raises the 1099-MISC filing threshold, reducing administrative burden for millions of small businesses and self-employed workers.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Program 2025 News and Updates
The SBIR/STTR programs faced significant disruption in 2025 as the new federal administration implemented widespread agency changes, causing funding freezes, halted grant reviews, and multi-month delays in Phase II solicitations at DOE and USDA, while NIH study sections and NSF award processing were temporarily suspended. With program reauthorization due in September 2025, small businesses relying on R&D grants were urged to closely monitor each agency's evolving policies and prepare for continued uncertainty in award timelines.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY 2025 CDFI Program and NACA Program Application Round
The U.S. Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) opened its FY 2025 funding round with approximately $348 million available across multiple award categories, including $155 million for CDFI Program Financial and Technical Assistance, $100 million for Housing Production, $24 million for Healthy Food Financing, and $20 million for Disability Funds. These awards support CDFIs that provide affordable financing and capital access to low-income communities, underserved populations, and businesses that lack traditional access to credit.
Read article →Merchant Cash Advance Regulation: 2026 Compliance Guide
The merchant cash advance (MCA) industry is facing a rapidly tightening regulatory environment in 2026, as states including Texas (HB 700), Louisiana, and others have enacted new commercial financing disclosure laws requiring MCA providers to clearly disclose total repayment amounts, annualized cost metrics, and payment schedules before contract execution. Federal scrutiny from the FTC and CFPB has intensified alongside state enforcement actions, signaling an end to the loosely regulated era of MCA funding and raising compliance stakes for providers and business borrowers alike.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
The SBA announced that borrowers can now combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in total SBA-backed financing — double the previous $5 million cumulative limit — effective July 4, 2026. This historic policy change gives capital-intensive businesses, especially small manufacturers, greater flexibility to fund real estate, equipment, and working capital simultaneously.
Read article →One Big Beautiful Bill Act Delivers Permanent Tax Relief for Small Businesses
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025, permanently extends the 20% Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction for pass-through entities and restores 100% bonus depreciation for equipment purchased after January 19, 2025. For 2026, small businesses also benefit from a Section 179 cap raised to $2.56M and a more favorable EBITDA-based business interest deduction — changes that unlock significant cash flow and long-range planning certainty.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorization 2026: What Changed and What Small Businesses Should Do Next
After a nearly four-month lapse that froze over $4 billion in annual R&D funding for roughly 6,000 small businesses, Congress passed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act on April 13, 2026, reauthorizing SBIR and STTR through September 30, 2031. The new law introduces a Strategic Breakthrough Award pathway, tighter foreign-risk screening, and agency-level proposal limits — making the commercialization path more structured but also more competitive for applicants.
Read article →What's New With Merchant Cash Advances in 2026 — And How Business Owners Can Benefit
The MCA market has grown to $20.99 billion in 2026, with new state-level disclosure rules now requiring funders to reveal total repayment costs and estimated APR — giving business owners unprecedented ability to compare offers side by side. Modern MCA structures increasingly offer revenue-based repayment tied to actual deposit volume, making them more cash-flow-friendly for seasonal businesses than the older fixed-holdback models.
Read article →USDA Rural Development Business Funding Status — July 2026
USDA Rural Development's Business & Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program remains open as of July 2026, offering loan guarantees up to $25 million for rural small businesses, while REAP energy grants have been paused since March 31, 2026 — though REAP guaranteed loans remain available. Rural business owners should act now via the B&I program as the VAPG and Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) application windows have both closed for FY2026, making B&I the primary active capital pathway.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Program 2025 News and Updates
The 2025 federal administration changes caused widespread funding freezes, halted grant portals, and over $2.9 billion in grant cancellations that disrupted SBIR/STTR pipelines at NIH, NSF, DOE, and USDA. Despite the turbulence, SBIR/STTR awards for small businesses remained largely protected, with Congress now debating two competing reauthorization bills that could significantly reshape the programs.
Read article →NSF Turns SBIR/STTR Back On with $250M, a July 27 Deadline, and a New Instrumentation Lane
The National Science Foundation relaunched its SBIR/STTR small business grant program with $250 million in total funding and a July 27, 2026 deadline, ending months of uncertainty for small tech companies. The relaunch also introduced a new $40 million pilot track exclusively targeting next-generation scientific instrumentation — a category typically underserved by venture capital.
Read article →Small Business Deductions and Limits You Need to Know in 2025 and 2026
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) introduced sweeping small-business tax relief, permanently restoring 100% bonus depreciation, raising the Section 179 expensing limit to $2.5M, and expanding the QBI pass-through deduction to 23% in 2026. Business owners are advised to revisit capital expenditure plans, R&D expense elections, and QBI eligibility to take full advantage of the new provisions.
Read article →NY Attorney General Wins $1B Settlement to Aid Small Businesses
New York Attorney General Letitia James secured a landmark $1.065 billion judgment against Yellowstone Capital, which charged small businesses interest rates up to 820% per year through predatory merchant cash advances (MCAs). As part of the settlement, Yellowstone was permanently barred from the MCA industry and $534 million in outstanding merchant debt was automatically canceled for over 18,000 affected businesses.
Read article →Treasury Pairs New Markets Tax Credit Awards with Program Reforms
On December 23, 2025, the U.S. Treasury announced New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) awards designed to promote economic growth in underserved communities across the country. Alongside the awards, Treasury introduced program reforms to focus NMTC funding on community revitalization and ensure all awardees comply with federal anti-discrimination laws.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
The SBA announced small businesses can now combine 7(a) and 504 loans to access up to $10 million in total SBA-backed financing — doubling the previous $5 million cumulative cap — effective July 4, 2026. This historic policy change allows capital-intensive businesses to pair long-term real estate and equipment financing with working capital simultaneously for the first time.
Read article →7 Small Business Grants Entrepreneurs Can Apply for This July
GrantWatch has compiled seven actively open, non-repayable small business grant opportunities for July 2026, ranging from $500 to $5,000, covering community-impact grants, emergency relief for BIPOC-owned businesses, disaster preparedness funding, and grants for women and Black-owned businesses. All grants are U.S.-based, require no equity surrender, and can be explored directly through GrantWatch.com, where over 9,600 grants are currently listed.
Read article →CDFI Fund Announces 2026 Funding Opportunities
The U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund opened its 2026 application rounds for three programs — the Bank Enterprise Award, Small Dollar Loan, and CDFI Bond Guarantee Programs — with application deadlines falling between July 2 and July 31, 2026. These programs reward FDIC-insured banks investing in CDFIs and underserved communities, help CDFIs provide affordable small-dollar loans as alternatives to high-cost lenders, and channel long-term federal capital to CDFIs.
Read article →Vermont Follows Texas on Merchant Cash Advance Regulations
Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed H.648 (Act 142) into law on June 16, 2026, making Vermont the latest state to impose comprehensive licensing, disclosure, and restriction rules on merchant cash advance providers and revenue-based financing — effective July 1, 2027. The law bans automatic ACH debits without a first-priority security interest, prohibits confessions of judgment in contracts, and requires MCA providers to disclose APR and total cost of capital to businesses before any deal is signed.
Read article →California Wants to Cap Business Tax Credits, Alarming Life Sciences and Tech Industries
California lawmakers are proposing to place an annual cap on the business tax credits companies can claim in a given year, primarily targeting the state's research and development (R&D) credit, with the measure expected to affect fewer than 100 of the largest corporate taxpayers according to the Legislative Analyst's Office. The proposal has alarmed life sciences and tech industries that rely heavily on these credits to offset the high costs of innovation, raising concerns about California's competitiveness as a hub for R&D-intensive businesses.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
Effective July 4, 2026, the SBA doubled the combined 7(a) and 504 loan limit to $10 million — the largest expansion of SBA-backed financing capacity in agency history. Eligible borrowers can now stack a $5M 7(a) loan with a $5M 504 loan, and small manufacturers gain access to the full $5M 7(a) program on top of unlimited 504 project loans.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens the FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program Funding Round
The U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund launched the FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program round on June 30, 2026, with up to $9 million in awards available for certified CDFIs. Grants cover Loan Loss Reserves and Technical Assistance to help CDFIs expand small dollar lending (loans ≤$2,500) to unbanked and underbanked communities.
Read article →CFPB Equivocates on Whether Merchant Cash Advances Are "Credit" Under ECOA
On May 1, 2026, the CFPB issued an amended final rule on small business data collection under Section 1071 of Dodd-Frank, walking back its prior position on whether merchant cash advances qualify as "credit." The reversal creates regulatory uncertainty for MCA funders and comes amid heightened court scrutiny — including a $1B+ 2025 judgment against Yellowstone Capital for predatory MCA practices.
Read article →NFIB Urges Congress to Advance Small Business Financial Priorities in 2026
NFIB released its 2026 legislative priorities calling on Congress to permanently exempt American-owned small businesses from Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting, inject competition into credit card swipe fees, and build on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act's tax cuts. The organization — representing 33+ million small business owners — also pushed for lower healthcare costs, reduced labor mandates, and meaningful regulatory reform.
Read article →Small Business Tax Cut Act (H.R. 8415) Introduced to Boost QBI Deduction
Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN) introduced H.R. 8415 on April 21, 2026, proposing to increase the qualified business income (QBI) deduction for pass-through small businesses above its current 20% level. The bill — with 8 Republican cosponsors — is in committee review and represents a push for additional tax relief following the permanent extension of the Small Business Deduction achieved in 2025.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
The SBA announced that small business borrowers may now combine their 7(a) and 504 loans for a combined total of up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing — double the previous $5 million cumulative cap — marking the highest financing level in the agency's history. The policy, which took effect on July 4, decouples the 7(a) loan balance from the 504 program, giving capital-intensive businesses the flexibility to pair long-term CRE/equipment financing with working capital for operations and expansion.
Read article →SBA Announces 10 Semifinalists in Freedom 250 Patriot Pitch Competition
The SBA revealed the 10 semifinalists advancing in its Freedom 250 Patriot Pitch Competition, a $1 million prize pool competition open to small businesses that have used qualifying SBA capital products such as 7(a), 504, Microloan, or SBIR/STTR financing. Selected from 1,182 national applicants, the semifinalists will compete for cash prizes ranging from $75,000 to $400,000 at a live finale in Washington, D.C., in September 2026.
Read article →Vermont Commercial Financing Law: The One-Year Clock for MCA, RBF, and Factoring
Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed H.648 (Act 142) on June 16, 2026, becoming the latest state to subject sales-based financing (including merchant cash advances), revenue-based financing, and factoring to a full lender licensing and disclosure regime — following heavily in the footsteps of Texas's HB 700 from 2025. Key provisions include a ban on confessions of judgment, restrictions on automatic ACH debits, mandatory APR disclosure on every specific offer, and a requirement for MCA and factoring funders to obtain a Vermont lender license before the law takes effect July 1, 2027.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens 2026 Funding Rounds
The U.S. Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund opened three major FY 2026 funding programs: the $40 million Bank Enterprise Award Program, the $9 million Small Dollar Loan Program, and the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program offering up to $500 million in federal bond guarantees to expand CDFI capital. The move follows the Consolidated Appropriations Act allocating $324 million to the CDFI Fund for 2026, amid a Treasury review of CDFI certification compliance.
Read article →Small Business Loans Tied to CRE Support ReadyCap's Latest ABS
ReadyCap Lending priced its fourth 2026 asset-backed securities deal — the ReadyCap Lending Small Business Loan Trust 2026-4 — a $145.2 million transaction backed by a pool of adjustable-rate, first-lien SBA 7(a) small business loans, each secured by commercial real estate. The Class A tranche of $111.6 million received a provisional A (low) rating from Morningstar DBRS, supported by strong borrower credit quality (745 weighted-average FICO), with hotel/motel and gas/convenience store properties accounting for 46.8% of collateral.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
The SBA announced that small business borrowers may now combine their 7(a) and 504 loans for a combined total of up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing — doubling the previous $5 million cumulative limit, which had not been raised in over a decade. The policy, effective July 4, 2026, is the largest financing opportunity in SBA history, with special provisions allowing small manufacturers to access up to $5 million through 7(a) on top of unlimited 504 project loans.
Read article →SBIR and STTR Reauthorization and the Future of Small Business Innovation
The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act on March 3, 2026, reauthorizing SBIR and STTR programs through FY 2031 — ending a six-month lapse that had frozen new solicitations and awards since programs expired September 30, 2025. The bipartisan legislation introduces a new Strategic Breakthrough Award of up to $30 million, tightens foreign investment security reviews, and mandates improved data collection across the ~$6 billion annually distributed across 11 federal agencies.
Read article →Merchant Cash Advances Piling Up in Small Business Bankruptcies
MCA funders are increasingly appearing as major creditors in small business bankruptcy filings, with cases in Florida and Texas surging past 230 filings in 2024, as businesses stack multiple advances at effective APRs of 100%–200% as a "final Hail Mary" before collapse. Courts are increasingly reclassifying MCAs as loans subject to usury laws, with a February 2026 Houston ruling allowing a trustee to pursue usury violations against an MCA funder — creating unfavorable precedent for the largely unregulated industry.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens the FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program Funding Round
The U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund launched three major FY 2026 funding rounds on June 30, 2026, including the Small Dollar Loan Program — designed to expand small business access to financial institutions as alternatives to high-cost predatory lending — along with the Bank Enterprise Award and CDFI Bond Guarantee Programs. These programs collectively channel hundreds of millions of dollars through certified CDFIs to underserved communities and small businesses that lack access to conventional credit markets.
Read article →Business Tax Relief: Credits, Deductions, and Debt Options Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21), signed July 4, 2025, represents the most consequential business tax overhaul since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — permanently restoring 100% bonus depreciation, making the 20% QBI pass-through deduction permanent, reinstating immediate domestic R&D expensing, and raising Section 179 expensing limits to $2.5 million for 2025. Two additional pending bills — H.R. 3275 proposing an 18% corporate rate for small businesses and H.R. 8415 raising the QBI deduction to 23% — are also advancing through the 119th Congress.
Read article →SBA Opens $50M Manufacturing Grant and Adds 90% Made In America Loan Guarantee
The SBA launched a $50 million Entrepreneurship to Growth (E2G) manufacturing grant alongside a 90% loan guarantee for businesses with eligible manufacturing NAICS codes. Fee waivers and the enhanced guarantees run through fiscal year-end September 30, giving small manufacturers a narrow window to lock in savings.
Read article →Tax Overhaul Will Shake Up Credits for Businesses in 2026
Following a major 2025 tax-and-spending bill, small business owners face a broad set of new and expanded tax credits in 2026, including enhanced R&D incentives, energy provisions, and workforce programs. These dollar-for-dollar credits directly reduce federal tax liability and apply across industries from tech to manufacturing.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens $9M Small Dollar Loan Program Round for Community Lenders
The CDFI Fund opened its FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program funding round on June 30, making up to $9 million available to community-based lenders serving rural, tribal, and faith-rooted communities. Eligible lenders have until July 30 to apply, with the program aimed at expanding access to affordable alternatives to high-cost small dollar lending.
Read article →7 New MCA Regulations Small Businesses Need to Know in 2026
Merchant cash advance (MCA) regulation has expanded significantly in 2026, with New York's Commercial Financing Disclosure Law now fully enforced alongside California's SB 1235 and ongoing FTC industry scrutiny. Multiple additional states are passing similar merchant-protective frameworks, raising compliance costs for funders and giving business owners stronger legal footing to challenge abusive MCA terms.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Adds Mandatory Foreign Ownership Disclosure for All Applicants
The April 2026 reauthorization of the SBIR/STTR programs introduced mandatory foreign ownership, control, and influence (FOCI) disclosure for all applicants — affecting any small business with foreign investors, board members, or significant foreign-national employees. Phase I award amounts remain unchanged (up to $323,090 at NIH), with the program collectively representing over $4 billion annually in non-dilutive R&D funding for small businesses.
Read article →How S.3971 Changes SBIR and STTR in 2026
President Trump signed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (S.3971) on April 13, 2026, reauthorizing the SBIR and STTR programs through September 30, 2031 after a six-month funding lapse. The sweeping overhaul expands national security screening, creates a new class of large-scale Phase II awards, and introduces proposal submission limits — the most significant structural reforms to the $4B+ annual R&D grant programs in over a decade.
Read article →Small Business Grants 2026: SBIR, SBA, EDA & State Guide
Updated June 2026, this guide confirms the primary federal grant pathways for small businesses are SBIR/STTR (over $4B annually in R&D funding), EDA grants ($100K–$10M for businesses in economically distressed areas), and USDA Rural Business Development Grants (up to $1M for rural businesses under 50 employees). CDFI Fund grants also provide financial assistance to Community Development Financial Institutions that in turn serve minority and underserved small businesses.
Read article →SBA Loan Rules Change June 1 - Strong Business Credit Now Non-Negotiable
The SBA announced sweeping updates to its 7(a) and 504 loan programs via the new SOP 50 10 8, raising the minimum FICO SBSS score from 155 to 165 for loans under $350,000 and tightening underwriting standards. The updated rules also impose new citizenship eligibility requirements and a personal resources test for applicants, shifting more verification responsibility onto participating lenders.
Read article →House Small Business Leaders Eye Short-Term Fix to Fund Tech Programs
House Small Business Committee Chair Roger Williams introduced a bipartisan bill to extend the SBIR and STTR programs for one year, as both were set to expire on September 30, 2025. The one-year extension is a stopgap while Congress works toward long-term reauthorization of programs that distribute over $4 billion annually to small R&D-focused businesses.
Read article →Navigating the New Tax Law: What Small Businesses Need to Know
The newly enacted "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" permanently extends the 20% Qualified Business Income deduction for pass-through entities, doubles the Section 179 expensing limit to $2.5 million, and allows immediate domestic R&E expense deductions for smaller businesses. Small business owners can apply many of these enhanced deductions retroactively to expenses dating back to January 20, 2025, representing the most significant small business tax reform in years.
Read article →Texas Enacts New Commercial Sales-Based Financing Bill Restricting Automatic Debits
Texas H.B. 700 imposes new regulatory requirements on providers and brokers of commercial sales-based financing including merchant cash advances, with strict restrictions on automatic debit practices. The law is part of a growing national trend - alongside Louisiana's new MCA disclosure law - of states moving to regulate the previously unregulated MCA sector to protect small businesses from predatory practices.
Read article →CDFI Fund Announces First Awards for 2025: 56 Organizations to Receive $8.8 Million
The U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund distributed nearly $8.8 million in Technical Assistance grants to 56 CDFIs across the country to strengthen their capacity to serve low-income communities and underserved markets. This follows the FY 2025 CDFI Program funding round, which planned approximately $348 million in total awards including $155M in Financial and TA Awards, $100M for housing production, and $24M for healthy food financing initiatives.
Read article →Agencies Award $179B to Small Firms in 2025, Down From 2024
Federal agencies awarded 28% of all prime contracts — totaling $179 billion — to small businesses in FY2025, surpassing the 23% governmentwide goal. However, that figure represents a dip from the record $183.5 billion awarded in 2024, even as total federal procurement spending rose to $793 billion.
Read article →SBA Delivers First MARC Loans to Support Manufacturers
The SBA approved its first round of 7(a) Manufacturers' Access to Revolving Credit (MARC) Loans, delivering $3.5 million in working capital to four small manufacturers across the country. The MARC program — launched October 2025 — is the SBA's first-ever loan product built exclusively for manufacturers, offering revolving credit lines and term loans up to $5 million.
Read article →Navigating the New Tax Law: What Small Businesses Need to Know
The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" signed into law on July 4, 2025 introduced sweeping tax reforms benefiting small businesses, including making the 20% QBI deduction permanent (raised to 23% in 2026) and restoring 100% bonus depreciation on qualifying assets. The law also increases the Section 179 expensing cap to $2.5 million and allows immediate full deduction of domestic R&E expenses.
Read article →Merchant Cash Advance News: What's Happening in 2026
The MCA market faces intensified regulatory scrutiny in 2026, with Illinois and New Jersey joining six other states in requiring MCA funders to disclose a standardized APR-equivalent and total repayment amount before signing. The FTC and multiple state attorneys general are also pressing legal action against MCA funders that use confessions of judgment for aggressive collections.
Read article →Congress Revives SBIR/STTR Programs, Rewriting the Rules for Small Business Innovation Funding
President Trump signed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act on April 13, 2026, reauthorizing the SBIR and STTR programs through September 30, 2031 and ending a six-month funding lapse that had frozen approximately $6 billion in federal R&D dollars for small businesses. The new law introduces caps on "SBIR mill" companies, a new Strategic Breakthrough Allocation allowing single awards up to $30 million, and strengthened foreign ownership scrutiny.
Read article →7 Grants For Small Businesses You Can Apply For Today
This Forbes article highlights seven actively open grant opportunities that small business owners — particularly entrepreneurs of color — can apply for immediately, covering programs with imminent deadlines. It serves as a practical, time-sensitive funding guide navigating government and private grant programs available in mid-2025.
Read article →New Bill Brings Major Incentives for Innovation: R&D Tax Credit Updates
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed July 4, 2025, restores full immediate expensing of domestic R&D costs and adds flexible 5- or 10-year amortization options for businesses. Small businesses under $31M in revenue can retroactively amend 2022–2024 tax returns to reclaim deductions — but must act before July 4, 2026.
Read article →Stripe Capital Originated 81,000 MCAs and Business Loans in 2025
Stripe Capital originated 81,000 merchant cash advances and business loans throughout 2025, with total funding estimated at $800M–$1.2B based on comparable industry data. A Stripe-commissioned study found businesses receiving Capital financing grew 27 percentage points faster over the following year than those that did not.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Program 2025 News and Updates
A comprehensive recap of turbulent disruptions to SBIR/STTR programs in 2025: federal funding freeze, mass grant terminations at NIH and NSF, delayed solicitations, and a proposed 15% indirect cost rate cap temporarily blocked by federal courts. The article also covers two competing reauthorization bills — the INNOVATE Act and the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act — with guidance for small businesses on applying competitively despite uncertainty.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens 2026 Funding Rounds
The CDFI Fund opened 2026 application rounds for multiple programs including the Bank Enterprise Award Program ($40M), Small Dollar Loan Program ($9M), and CDFI Bond Guarantee Program (up to $500M), with deadlines running through late July. The announcement comes amid broader turbulence: a Treasury review of certified institutions, delayed 2025 fund releases, and a presidential budget proposing $204.5M in cuts to the program.
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