Industry News
Curated articles on business financing and entrepreneurship.
SBA Announces $50 Million Grant for Made in America Manufacturing
The SBA launched a $50 million grant opportunity for organizations providing training and technical assistance to small U.S. manufacturers through its Empower to Grow (E2G) Program. Grantees will deliver free business courses, hands-on training, and one-on-one consulting to help manufacturers grow, hire, and win government contracts.
Read article →California Signs AB 2116: MCA Providers Must Be Licensed by 2028
Governor Newsom signed AB 2116 on September 30, 2026, requiring all merchant cash advance providers and brokers offering financing of $500,000 or less to California small businesses to obtain a DFPI license by July 1, 2028. Any MCA agreement from an unlicensed provider will be unenforceable — a major consumer protection shift for small businesses.
Read article →Congress Passes H.R. 7730: Subchapter V Bankruptcy Limit Set to Double to $7.5M
The U.S. Senate passed H.R. 7730 by unanimous consent on September 28, 2026, proposing to more than double the Subchapter V small business bankruptcy debt ceiling from $3.4M to $7.5M with no sunset — a potential lifeline for businesses trapped in stacked MCA debt. The bill now awaits presidential signature before taking effect.
Read article →Senate Leaders Demand SBA Action on Predatory MCA Lending Targeting Small Businesses
Senators Wyden and Markey sent a formal letter to the SBA warning that merchant cash advances — with average effective APRs of 94% — are aggressively targeting tariff-stressed small businesses through nonstop calls and same-day cash pitches. The SBA's SOP 50 10 8 now bars using 7(a) or 504 loans to refinance MCA debt, closing a key escape route for trapped business owners.
Read article →USDA Opens $27.7 Million in Rural Business Development Grants for FY 2026
USDA Rural Development posted the FY 2026 Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) Program, making $27.7 million available to public bodies, tribes, and nonprofits that serve rural small businesses — with no cost-share requirement. Eligible uses span feasibility studies, revolving loan funds, workforce training, and equipment acquisition for businesses with under 50 employees and under $1M in revenue.
Read article →SBA Launches $50M Manufacturing Grant Initiative for Small Businesses
The SBA's new Manufacturing in America E2G Grant Initiative (MAGI) will award up to 10 grants of $5 million each in FY2026 to organizations delivering hands-on management and technical assistance to small manufacturers. The program aligns with the Administration's push to restore domestic manufacturing and is paired with a full-year waiver of SBA loan fees for qualifying small manufacturers.
Read article →Congress Approves $1.3B SBA Budget, Adds $10B in 7(a) Manufacturing Loans
Congress appropriated $1.3 billion to the SBA for FY2026, including an expanded 7(a) loan authorization that carves out an additional $10 billion exclusively for manufacturing businesses on top of the $32.5 billion general business cap. Key programs — SBDCs ($150M), SCORE, Women's Business Centers, and Veterans Outreach — were preserved despite the Administration's push to cut 15 of 16 entrepreneurial development programs.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens $9M Small Dollar Loan Program for FY2026
The CDFI Fund's FY2026 Small Dollar Loan Program is offering $9 million in grants to certified CDFIs to establish or expand small-dollar consumer loan programs serving underbanked businesses and communities. Awards range from $20,000 to $350,000 for loan loss reserves and technical assistance, with applications due by June 30, 2026 via grants.gov.
Read article →Texas HB700 MCA Regulations Expected to Set National Lending Precedent
Texas House Bill 700, effective September 1, 2025, imposes registration requirements, mandatory cost disclosures, and bans predatory contract terms — including pre-made confessions of judgment — on merchant cash advance providers operating in the state. Industry insiders predict the Texas framework will become a national model as other states escalate scrutiny of high-cost MCA lending targeting small businesses.
Read article →One Big Beautiful Bill Permanently Restores 100% Bonus Expensing for Business Assets
The One Big Beautiful Bill, signed in July 2025, permanently restores 100% bonus expensing for new and used business assets placed in service after January 19, 2025 — reversing the phase-down that had cut the deduction to 60% in 2024. Small business owners can now immediately expense the full cost of qualifying equipment, delivering a significant cash-flow and tax-reduction advantage.
Read article →SBA Launches $50M Manufacturing in America Grant Initiative
The SBA announced up to $50M in grants through the Manufacturing in America E2G Grant Initiative (MAGI) in May 2026, making up to 10 awards of $5M each to organizations providing management and technical assistance to small manufacturers. The program is part of SBA's broader push to restore U.S. manufacturing dominance, which also includes new loan guarantees and FY2026 fee waivers for small manufacturers.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Programs Reauthorized After October 2025 Lapse
Congress passed S. 3971, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, signed into law April 13, 2026, reauthorizing SBIR and STTR programs for five years after they lapsed on October 1, 2025. The reauthorization preserves over $4 billion annually in non-dilutive R&D grants for small tech companies across 11 federal agencies and adds new research-security and accountability reforms.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program with $9M Available
The CDFI Fund published a Notice of Funds Availability on June 30, 2026 for its FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program, offering $9M in grants to Community Development Financial Institutions expanding affordable small-dollar consumer lending. Awards from $40,000 to $500,000 cover loan loss reserves and technical assistance, targeting underserved rural and urban communities lacking access to conventional credit.
Read article →504 Modernization and Small Manufacturer Enhancement Act Introduced in Congress
Rep. Velázquez and Rep. Williams of Texas introduced H.R. 10375 on September 14, 2026, which would raise SBA 504 loan limits for small manufacturers from $5M to $10M and increase 7(a) loan caps to $7.5M for manufacturers. The bill also mandates enhanced SBA marketing and outreach requirements to ensure more small manufacturing businesses can access guaranteed capital.
Read article →USDA NIFA Opens SBIR/STTR Phase II with $24.75M for Agricultural Small Businesses
USDA's NIFA opened its FY2026 SBIR/STTR Phase II funding round on October 1, 2026, with $24.75M available for small businesses that previously won Phase I awards in agricultural R&D. Awards ranging from $600,000 to $650,000 support continued innovation in food and agriculture technology, with applications closing November 17, 2026.
Read article →SBA Awards $8M+ in FAST Grants to Fuel Next-Gen SBIR/STTR Innovators
The SBA awarded over $8 million to 50 organizations through the FAST Partnership Program, expanding SBIR/STTR support to 49 states and Puerto Rico. This follows President Trump's five-year reauthorization of SBIR/STTR through 2031, with Phase I awards now reaching up to $323,090 and Phase II up to $2.15 million.
Read article →SBA FY2026 Budget: $1.3B Appropriated but 15 of 16 Entrepreneurial Programs Proposed for Elimination
Congress appropriated $1.3 billion to the SBA for FY2026, but the Administration proposed cutting 15 of 16 entrepreneurial development programs — keeping only SBDCs — while pushing lender participation fees to offset administrative costs. The 7(a) loan cap was restructured to allow up to $42.5B in guarantees, including a new $10B manufacturing set-aside.
Read article →Senate Leaders Demand SBA Answer for MCA Predatory Lending Surge Tied to Tariff Crisis
Senate Ranking Members Wyden and Markey sent a formal letter to SBA Administrator Loeffler demanding accountability after tariff-driven cash crunches pushed thousands of small businesses into merchant cash advances averaging 94% APR. The senators flagged that a 2025 SBA policy change now blocks 7(a)/504 loans from refinancing MCA debt, trapping businesses in predatory debt spirals.
Read article →Connecticut Moves to Ban Predatory MCA Tactics Allowing Bank Account Freezes Without Court Order
Connecticut lawmakers are voting on bipartisan legislation to ban prejudgment remedy waivers in merchant cash advance contracts — a legal maneuver that allowed MCA lenders to freeze business bank accounts without judicial review. The bill would also make Connecticut the third state, after New York and California, to require MCA lenders to disclose APR rates similar to traditional credit products.
Read article →New SBA Rules Create a Structured Pathway from Merchant Cash Advances to SBA-Backed Loans
Under SBA SOP 50 10 8.1 effective October 1, businesses trapped in merchant cash advance agreements can eventually qualify for SBA refinancing — but only after converting the MCA to a term loan amortized for at least 24 months with no new MCAs taken during that period. The rule highlights a persistent gap in small business finance and opens a door for CDFIs and community banks to bridge distressed borrowers toward sustainable capital.
Read article →SBIR & STTR Reauthorized After Six-Month Lapse
Congress reauthorized the SBIR and STTR programs on April 13, 2026 via the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (P.L. 119-83), ending a six-month gap that had frozen new solicitations across 11 federal agencies. The law extends both programs through 2031 and adds mandatory foreign ownership disclosure requirements for all applicants — with $4.4 billion in annual awards back on the table.
Read article →SBA SOP 50 10 8.1: New 24-Month Path From MCA to SBA Loan
The SBA's revised lending rulebook SOP 50 10 8.1, effective October 1, 2026, defines for the first time the narrow conditions under which MCA debt can be refinanced with an SBA-guaranteed loan — only after the MCA converts to a term loan and amortizes for at least 24 consecutive months with no new advances. Businesses trapped in active MCAs have no SBA escape hatch until late 2028 at the earliest; asset-based lending and bank lines remain the only near-term alternatives.
Read article →California Enacts Sweeping Licensing Law for MCAs and Commercial Lenders
Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2116 on September 30, 2026, bringing merchant cash advance providers, factors, asset-based lenders, and equipment finance companies under state licensing and DFPI regulatory oversight for transactions under $500,000 involving small businesses with under $16M in gross receipts. The law takes effect January 1, 2028, giving alternative lenders roughly 15 months to build compliance programs before California's new rules go live.
Read article →Senate Demands SBA Accountability on MCA Predatory Lending Crisis
Senators Wyden and Markey sent a formal letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler on May 14, 2026, pressing the agency on whether tariff-driven liquidity crunches and SBA refinancing bans left small businesses cornered in high-cost MCA debt with no viable exit. MCA defaults from major providers jumped 59% — from $1.4 billion in 2023 to $2.2 billion in 2024 — and the senators are demanding the SBA restore structured relief pathways.
Read article →CFPB Drops Merchant Cash Advances From Small Business Data Reporting Rules
The CFPB's amended final rule issued May 1, 2026 reversed its 2023 position and excluded merchant cash advances from Section 1071 small business data collection and reporting requirements, sparing MCA providers from costly compliance buildout. The agency stopped short of declaring MCAs non-credit under ECOA, leaving fair lending and adverse action obligations in legal limbo as regulators pledge continued monitoring.
Read article →SBA Awards $8M+ in FAST Grants to Fuel SBIR/STTR Innovators
The SBA awarded over $8 million to 50 organizations through the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program, helping small businesses and startups compete for SBIR/STTR R&D funding with grants up to $180,000 each. The program now spans 49 states and Puerto Rico, following the five-year reauthorization of SBIR and STTR programs through September 2031.
Read article →Congress Appropriates $1.3 Billion to SBA for FY2026 Small Business Programs
Congress approved $1.3 billion for the SBA in FY2026, allocating $330M for 16 entrepreneurial development programs including SBDCs, Women's Business Centers, and SCORE — largely rejecting the Administration's proposal to cut all but one program. The 7(a) loan guarantee program retains up to $32.5B in authority for general industry, plus an additional $10B ring-fenced for manufacturing businesses.
Read article →Small Business Tax Credits You Could Qualify for in 2026 (OBBBA Updates)
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) boosted the employer-provided childcare credit to 50% of costs for eligible small businesses in 2026, capped at $600,000 — a significant jump from prior law. Other key credits include the Work Opportunity Tax Credit ($2,400–$9,600 per qualifying hire) and enhanced Retirement Plan Startup Cost credits, all reportable on IRS Form 3800.
Read article →USDA & EDA Rural Business Grants and Loan Guarantees: FY2026 Funding Overview
USDA's Business & Industry Loan Guarantee program carries $1.75 billion in FY2026 authority to back rural business loans, while Value-Added Producer Grants fund up to $200,000 for agricultural businesses adding processing or marketing operations. EDA's revolving loan fund grants ($500K–$2M each) fuel approximately 400 programs nationwide, targeting expansion and startup capital in economically distressed communities.
Read article →MCA Market Hits $21B in 2026: Regulatory Crackdown and Lower-Cost Alternatives
The global merchant cash advance market reached $20.99 billion in 2026 and is projected to hit $26.87 billion by 2030, fueled by 34.75 million U.S. small businesses chasing fast capital — despite effective APRs commonly exceeding 100%. Federal and state regulators are tightening oversight, and advisors are steering distressed borrowers toward asset-based lending and revenue-based financing at 15–40% effective cost as viable exits from the MCA cycle.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
The SBA now allows borrowers to combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing — the highest cumulative limit in agency history — effective July 4, 2026. The policy doubles the previous $5 million cap, giving capital-intensive businesses greater flexibility to fund real estate, equipment, and working capital simultaneously.
Read article →SBA Announces $9 Million in Grant Funding via SCALE Supply Chain Program
The SBA's new SCALE (Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement) Program will award 20 grants of up to $500,000 each to help small businesses address supply chain constraints and expand into strategically important industries. Priority sectors include agriculture, energy, and defense manufacturing, with an emphasis on reshoring production and supporting Made in America objectives.
Read article →CFPB Retracts Prior Position on Merchant Cash Advances Under ECOA
The CFPB's May 2026 final rule formally excludes merchant cash advances (MCAs) from its small business data collection requirements under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, reversing its 2023 position that MCAs constitute "credit." The rule clarifies that MCAs — structured as sales of future revenue rather than traditional loans — are exempt from Section 1071 reporting, though several states still mandate disclosure of total cost of capital.
Read article →FY2026 SBA Funding: House Bill Proposes $1 Billion With Key Program Shifts
The House Financial Services bill for FY2026 proposes $1.0 billion in total SBA funding, with cuts to most programs but notable increases for Native American outreach, veterans' programs, and Small Business Development Centers. The SBA's noncredit grant portfolio — including SBIR/STTR support, STEP export grants, and the Growth Accelerator Fund — remains active, having assisted approximately 644,000 small business owners in FY2024.
Read article →Best USDA Grants for Rural Businesses in 2026: Complete Guide
USDA Rural Development offers a suite of non-repayable grants for rural small businesses, including the REAP energy-efficiency grant, the Rural Business Development Grant (up to $500K), and SBIR/STTR awards for agricultural innovation. Unlike USDA guaranteed loans that can exceed $25 million, these grants require no repayment and are ideal for energy upgrades, planning projects, and R&D commercialization.
Read article →SBA Launches $9M SCALE Grants for Small Manufacturers and Supply Chain Businesses
The SBA announced $9 million in competitive grants through its new Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement (SCALE) Program, awarding 20 grants of up to $500,000 each for supply chain innovation. Priority sectors include advanced manufacturing, defense industrial base, energy, biotech, food supply, and transportation logistics — applications due Aug. 7, 2026.
Read article →CFPB Rewrites Small Business Lending Rules and Equivocates on MCA Classification
On May 1, 2026, the CFPB issued an amended final rule under Section 1071 of Dodd-Frank, formally defining merchant cash advances (MCAs) as agreements where businesses receive a lump sum in exchange for a percentage of future sales — but stopped short of classifying them as "credit" under ECOA. The rule significantly reshapes MCA reporting requirements and could affect how lenders structure and disclose small business advances.
Read article →Michigan Awards $10M to CDFI Coalition to Expand Small Business Lending Statewide
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation approved a $10 million loan to the Michigan CDFI Coalition to launch the state's first pooled loan fund for non-depository CDFIs, expanding flexible capital to small businesses, affordable housing, and community spaces. The 18 eligible CDFIs will use the fund to reach underserved entrepreneurs who cannot access traditional bank financing.
Read article →Urban Strategies CDFI Receives $1.5M Truist Grant, Expanding Loans to 5 New Cities
Urban Strategies, Inc. received a $1.5 million grant from Truist Foundation to expand its CDFI small business loan fund into Memphis, Fort Worth, Houston, Jacksonville, and Philadelphia, providing capital, credit-building tools, and technical assistance to entrepreneurs blocked from traditional financing. Since 2018, USI's CDFI has deployed nearly $12 million in financing, supporting 3,820 jobs and more than 250 entrepreneurs.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program with $9M in Available Grants
The U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund opened the FY 2026 funding round for the Small Dollar Loan Program, making up to $9 million available to certified CDFIs to expand affordable small-dollar lending as an alternative to predatory high-cost products. Grants cover loan loss reserves and technical assistance, helping unbanked and underbanked small business owners build credit and access mainstream capital.
Read article →SBA Raises Max Financing to $10 Million — Highest in Agency History
As of July 4, 2026, SBA borrowers can now combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in backed financing, doubling the previous $5M cap. The change gives capital-intensive businesses — especially manufacturers — greater flexibility to pair real estate and equipment loans with working capital.
Read article →Treasury Releases $289M in Withheld CDFI Funds After Legal Challenge
The Treasury Department announced on September 24 it will release approximately $289 million in congressionally appropriated CDFI funds it had withheld, averting the expiration of a critical small business lending program. CDFIs use this capital to make affordable loans to underserved entrepreneurs who cannot access traditional bank financing.
Read article →CFPB Finalizes Revised Small Business Lending Rule — MCAs Carved Out
The CFPB raised the Section 1071 reporting threshold tenfold to 2,500 covered loans, exempting most community banks and non-bank lenders from small business lending data rules. Merchant cash advances, factoring, and agricultural lending were explicitly classified as non-core products and excluded from reporting requirements entirely.
Read article →Wells Fargo Foundation Awards $200K to Expand Capital Access for Small Businesses
The Wells Fargo Foundation granted $200,000 to the Business Consortium Fund to help small businesses escape predatory merchant cash advances — which currently carry effective rates of 70% to over 350% APR. The grant highlights the capital access crisis: only 42% of small business loan applicants received full funding in 2025, driving owners toward high-cost alternatives.
Read article →Tax Overhaul Shakes Up Small Business Credits for 2026
Following a major tax-and-spending bill signed July 3, 2026, small business owners face a mix of new and expanded tax credits — including enhanced 401(k) startup credits, auto-enrollment credits, and expanded childcare facility deductions up to $600,000 for eligible small businesses. Business owners should review their 2026 tax strategy now, as several credits require action before December 31.
Read article →SBA Doubles Loan Cap: Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10M in SBA Financing
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced that qualified borrowers can now combine a 7(a) loan and a 504 loan for a combined total of $10 million in SBA-backed financing — double the previous $5M cap. The policy decouples the two programs, giving capital-intensive businesses greater flexibility to pair long-term real estate/equipment financing with working capital.
Read article →SBA Launches $9M SCALE Grant Program to Rebuild Critical 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 industries from agriculture and energy to defense. Eligible applicants include public/private entities and nonprofits delivering accelerator programming or technical assistance to domestic small business suppliers.
Read article →New SBA Rule SOP 50 10 8.1: The 24-Month Path From MCA Debt to an SBA Loan
Effective October 1, 2026, SBA's updated lending rulebook (SOP 50 10 8.1) establishes the first clear conditions under which merchant cash advance debt can be refinanced with an SBA-guaranteed loan — requiring conversion to a term loan and 24 months of amortization with no new MCA agreements. Businesses carrying active MCA debt remain ineligible for SBA refinancing; their near-term options are bank lines of credit, equipment loans, and asset-based lending.
Read article →CFPB Final Rule Exempts MCAs from Small Business Lending Data Collection
The CFPB's revised Regulation B (effective June 30, 2026; compliance by Jan 1, 2028) excludes merchant cash advances from the definition of "covered credit transactions" under the small business lending data rule, citing the evolving state-law landscape and structural differences from traditional loans. The rule also narrows the small business definition to firms with $1M or less in gross annual revenue, focusing initial data collection on core lending products like loans, lines of credit, and credit cards.
Read article →504 Modernization and Small Manufacturer Enhancement Act of 2026 Introduced in Congress
New legislation introduced in the House would modernize the SBA 504 loan program by streamlining closing procedures, expanding leasing flexibility for small manufacturers, and exempting certain loans from the "credit elsewhere" test. The bill also requires the SBA to develop a marketing and outreach plan to boost awareness of 504 loan availability among underserved small manufacturers.
Read article →SBA Launches $50M Empower to Grow Manufacturing Grant Initiative
The SBA announced a $50 million grant opportunity under its Empower to Grow (E2G) program, targeting small U.S. manufacturers in sectors like aerospace, metal fabrication, and food processing. The initiative pairs free business training and consulting with a new 90% Made-in-America loan guarantee and waived loan fees for manufacturing NAICS codes in FY2026.
Read article →504 Modernization and Small Manufacturer Enhancement Act of 2026 Advances
New legislation introduced in September 2026 would streamline SBA 504 loan closings, allowing certified lenders to reallocate project costs, add guarantors, and make corrections without full re-approval. The bill also expands leasing flexibility for small manufacturers — enabling them to lease a larger share of new facilities — a significant capital access improvement for asset-heavy businesses.
Read article →CFPB Removes MCAs from Section 1071 Reporting — Fair Lending Uncertainty Remains
The CFPB's May 2026 amended rule formally excludes merchant cash advances from Section 1071 small business data collection, relieving MCA providers of complex reporting burdens effective June 30, 2026. However, the agency declined to rule categorically on whether MCAs constitute 'credit' under ECOA, leaving fair lending compliance obligations unresolved and creating ongoing uncertainty for providers.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Award Ceilings Raised for 2026 — Phase II Now Up to $2.15M
As of April 2026, the SBA raised the threshold for SBIR Phase I awards to $323,090 and Phase II to $2,153,927 without requiring agency waivers, expanding non-dilutive R&D funding access for small innovation-focused businesses. The SBIR/STTR programs, coordinated across 11 federal agencies, remain the primary source of equity-free early-stage capital for tech-driven small businesses.
Read article →2026 Small Business Grants Guide: SBIR, SBA, EDA & State Programs Mapped
A comprehensive 2026 guide maps every major federal grant channel available to small businesses — including SBIR/STTR R&D grants, EDA economic development funds, USDA Rural Business Development grants, and CDFIs for underserved communities. The resource is especially useful for business owners exploring capital beyond traditional bank loans, outlining eligibility requirements, timelines, and how federal and state programs can stack together.
Read article →SBA Launches $50M "Empower to Grow" Manufacturing Grant Initiative
The SBA unveiled its $50 million E2G Manufacturing in America grant program, providing small manufacturers with free training, hands-on courses, and 1-on-1 consulting to boost competitiveness. The initiative is paired with a new 90% Made in America loan guarantee and waived fees for manufacturing businesses in FY2026.
Read article →NY AG Sues Sham MCA Arbitration Service That Defrauded Small Businesses
Attorney General Letitia James sued Rapid Ruling for secretly colluding with MCA companies to rig arbitration outcomes against small businesses — resulting in thousands of wage garnishments and asset seizures. MCA interest rates in the scheme exceeded 50 times the legal rate, targeting businesses already struggling with crushing debt.
Read article →White House Moves to Zero Out USDA Business & Industry Guaranteed Loan Program
The FY2027 White House budget proposes eliminating the USDA B&I guaranteed loan program, which had $1.43 billion in loan authority in FY2026 — a major blow to rural business financing. B&I default rates have climbed to 7.91%, and subsidy rates are projected to nearly triple, signaling sharply tightening rural credit conditions.
Read article →Vermont Becomes First State to Enact Comprehensive MCA Licensing Law
Vermont enacted H. 648 in June 2026, creating the first statewide licensing and regulatory framework for MCA providers, revenue-based financing firms, and factoring companies — effective July 1, 2027. The law signals growing legislative momentum to rein in an industry long criticized for predatory terms targeting capital-starved small businesses.
Read article →SDNY Bankruptcy Court Drops $14M Cautionary Ruling on MCA Provider
On July 27, 2026, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York issued a $14 million adverse ruling against an MCA provider, continuing a trend of courts scrutinizing whether MCA agreements are disguised loans subject to usury laws. The ruling puts billions in MCA receivables at risk of reclassification as debt, with serious implications for MCA lenders nationwide.
Read article →SBA Announces $50 Million E2G Manufacturing Grant Opportunity
The SBA launched a $50 million grant initiative through its Empower to Grow (E2G) program, targeting small manufacturers in critical industries such as aerospace, robotics, food processing, and advanced manufacturing. Up to 10 organizations will receive awards to provide free training, hands-on instruction, and one-on-one consulting to help small manufacturers compete and grow.
Read article →Tax Overhaul Will Shake Up Credits for Small Businesses in 2026
A sweeping federal tax bill creates new business tax credits, including a separate credit of up to $600,000 with 50% of qualifying expenses covered for eligible small businesses. The legislation is expected to significantly reshape how businesses plan and reduce their tax burden throughout 2026.
Read article →Small-Business Tax Credits Not to Miss in 2026
NerdWallet outlines key 2026 small-business tax credits, including childcare facility credits worth up to $600,000 for qualifying small businesses and a range of employer incentives that deliver dollar-for-dollar tax bill reductions. Business owners are advised to track qualifying expenses before year-end to maximize their claims.
Read article →Manufacturing Investment Credit Jumps to 35% Under New Tax Law
Grant Thornton's 2026 business tax planning guide reports that the advanced manufacturing investment credit (Section 48D) increases from 25% to 35% for property placed in service after December 31, 2025, a major boost for capital-intensive manufacturers. State-level low-income housing tax credit allocations also rise 12% in 2026, expanding additional financing tools for business owners.
Read article →Small Business Grants 2026: SBIR, SBA, EDA & State Funding Guide
A comprehensive 2026 guide covers federal grant programs for small businesses, including SBIR/STTR R&D grants, Economic Development Administration (EDA) funding, and USDA rural business programs across multiple phases and agencies. The guide explains how founders and small business owners can stack federal and state-level funding sources to maximize available capital.
Read article →CFPB Retracts Position That Merchant Cash Advances Are "Credit" Under ECOA
On May 1, 2026, the CFPB issued a final rule amending its small business data collection requirements, walking back its 2023 stance that merchant cash advances (MCAs) constitute "credit" under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. The agency stopped short of declaring MCAs are definitively not credit, leaving ongoing regulatory ambiguity for MCA providers and the distressed businesses that rely on this fast-capital tool.
Read article →SBA Launches FY2026 Manufacturing in America E2G Grant — Up to $5M Per Award
The SBA announced up to 10 grant awards of up to $5 million each through its Manufacturing in America E2G (Empower to Grow) Grant Initiative, targeting organizations that provide hands-on training to small manufacturers in aerospace, metal fabrication, food processing, and robotics. The 2026 round is paired with new SBA loan guarantees and a one-year waiver of loan fees for qualifying small manufacturers.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY2026 Application Rounds for Bond Guarantee, BEA, and Small Dollar Loan Programs
The U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund opened three FY2026 funding rounds on June 30: the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program (long-term capital for CDFI lenders), the Bank Enterprise Award Program (rewards to banks investing in distressed communities), and the Small Dollar Loan Program (grants funding alternatives to high-cost loans). Application deadlines began July 24, making this a critical window for community lenders serving underserved small businesses.
Read article →CDFI Fund Releases $5 Billion New Markets Tax Credit Allocation Under One Big Beautiful Bill Act
The CDFI Fund released a $5 billion Notice of Allocation Availability for the CY2026 round of the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program, authorized under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025. The NMTC directs equity investment into businesses and real estate projects in low-income census tracts, giving community lenders and CDFIs a powerful tool to support small business expansion in distressed markets.
Read article →USDA SBIR/STTR Phase II FY2026 Now Accepting Applications — Awards Up to $650K
The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is accepting Phase II SBIR/STTR applications for small businesses that completed a Phase I award, with individual grants up to $650,000 over 24 months and $24.75 million in total program funding. NIFA expects to approve roughly half of all eligible applicants, making this one of the most accessible federal non-dilutive funding opportunities for ag-tech and food innovation businesses.
Read article →CFPB Retracts Position: Merchant Cash Advances No Longer "Credit" Under ECOA
On May 1, 2026, the CFPB issued an amended final rule under Section 1071 of Dodd-Frank that expressly excludes merchant cash advances from the definition of "credit" under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act — reversing a 2023 position that had threatened MCA providers with expanded compliance burdens. This regulatory retreat gives MCA funders more clarity and reduces the risk of ECOA-based liability for businesses using sales-based financing.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorized for 5 Years — Phase I Awards Now Up to $323,090
Congress signed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act into law in 2026, reauthorizing the SBIR and STTR programs through September 30, 2031 with updated accountability and research-security reforms. Phase I award ceilings have risen to $323,090 per agency, and roughly 30 states now offer supplemental $100K matching grants on top of federal awards — significantly expanding the non-dilutive funding pool for R&D-focused small businesses.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens $9M FY2026 Small Dollar Loan Program for Underserved Businesses
The Treasury Department's CDFI Fund launched its FY2026 Small Dollar Loan Program, making $9 million available to certified CDFIs to build affordable lending alternatives for underbanked small businesses and entrepreneurs. Eligible CDFIs can receive up to $350K in loan loss reserve grants and $150K in technical assistance grants, targeting rural and urban communities currently shut out of mainstream financial institutions.
Read article →USDA Expands Rural Business Lending to $1M Per Project for FY2026
The USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service raised its maximum individual project loan to $1 million for FY2026 under the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program, extending 0% interest capital to rural utilities that re-lend to job-creating businesses. Combined with the EDA Revolving Loan Fund and USDA Intermediary Relending Program, rural small businesses now have more paths to low-cost capital than at any point in recent years.
Read article →One Big Beautiful Bill Act: New Small Business Tax Credits Take Effect in 2026
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed in July 2025, permanently extended and expanded key small business tax credits that take full effect in 2026 — including a larger employer-provided childcare credit now capped at $150,000 annually and a permanently enhanced pass-through deduction. Small businesses should review updated IRS guidance to capture these credits before filing 2026 returns.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorized for Five Years Under New Federal Law
The Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer programs were reauthorized through September 2031 after a six-month lapse, under the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (Public Law 119-83). The new law introduces mandatory foreign ownership disclosure requirements for all applicants — a key change for any company with foreign investors, board members, or significant foreign-national employees.
Read article →504 Modernization and Small Manufacturer Enhancement Act of 2026 Introduced in Congress
New legislation introduced in Congress aims to modernize the SBA 504 loan guaranty program by streamlining closing procedures and expanding capital access for small manufacturers. The bill would give certified development companies greater flexibility in loan terms — including adding guarantors and reallocating project costs — making long-term, fixed-rate financing more accessible.
Read article →CFPB Finalizes Rule Excluding Merchant Cash Advances from Small Business Lending Data Requirements
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a final rule effective June 30, 2026, excluding merchant cash advances from Section 1071 data collection requirements under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, citing the evolving state regulatory landscape and structural differences between MCAs and traditional loans. The compliance date for remaining covered lenders has been extended to January 1, 2028, giving financial institutions more runway to build reporting infrastructure.
Read article →Small-Business Tax Credits Not to Miss in 2026: R&D, Retirement Plans, and More
Business owners have several key federal tax credits available for 2026 returns, including the R&D tax credit, retirement plan startup cost credit (up to $5,000/year for three years), and the auto-enrollment tax credit for new retirement plans established before year-end. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit has lapsed, but experts advise tracking eligible hires now in case Congress retroactively reinstates it — as it has done multiple times in the past.
Read article →660+ Small Business Grants, Loans & Tax Credits Tracked for 2026: SBIR, CDFI, and USDA Lead the Pack
A comprehensive catalog of 665 verified U.S. small business funding programs — including federal SBIR/STTR grants up to $2.15M, CDFI financial assistance awards, and USDA Rural Business Development Grants — has been updated through July 2026, with a median maximum award of $243K across federal, state, and private programs. USDA alone accounts for 22% of all tracked federal programs, making it the single largest source of direct small-business federal funding outside the SBA.
Read article →SBA Launches $50M Manufacturing Grant to Boost Small Manufacturers
The SBA announced up to $50 million in grant awards for organizations providing hands-on training and technical assistance to small manufacturers through its Empower to Grow (E2G) Program. Targeted industries include aerospace, shipbuilding, metal fabrication, and robotics — with proposals due June 15, 2026.
Read article →CFPB Reverses Course: Merchant Cash Advances No Longer Classified as "Credit" Under ECOA
The CFPB issued a final rule on May 1, 2026 reversing its 2023 position that merchant cash advances are "credit" under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, expressly excluding MCAs from ECOA data-reporting requirements. The shift significantly reduces compliance burden on MCA providers and reshapes the regulatory landscape for alternative business financing.
Read article →Treasury CDFI Fund Releases FY 2025–2026 Awards for Small Business and Community Lending
The U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund announced awards for the FY 2025 CDFI and Native American CDFI Assistance Programs, along with FY 2026 Bank Enterprise Award and Small Dollar Loan Programs — all before the September 30 deadline. The disbursements are designed to expand safe and affordable small business lending and community development investments across underserved markets nationwide.
Read article →Small Business Tax Relief Act Would Cut Corporate Rate to 18% for Qualifying Businesses
The Small Business Tax Relief Act (H.R. 3275) proposes reducing the federal corporate income tax rate to 18% on up to $400,000 in taxable income for businesses earning under $5 million — down from the current 21%. The bill also increases self-employment tax deductions, offering meaningful relief for small business owners still recovering from post-pandemic cost pressures.
Read article →USDA Rural Business Development Grants Open with June 2026 Deadline for Distressed Communities
USDA's Rural Business Development Grant program is accepting applications with a June 15, 2026 deadline for Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) projects, targeting rural small businesses locked out of conventional bank financing. The program funds technical assistance, equipment, and real estate for businesses in underserved rural areas — a critical lifeline for owners facing capital gaps.
Read article →SBA Launches $50 Million E2G Grant to Train Small American Manufacturers
The SBA is offering up to $50 million through its Empower to Grow (E2G) program, funding up to 10 organizations that provide free training and technical assistance to small manufacturers in sectors like aerospace, robotics, food processing, and advanced manufacturing. This Made in America initiative gives small manufacturers hands-on courses and one-on-one consulting to grow operations and compete for government contracts.
Read article →NSF Relaunches SBIR/STTR Programs with $210M — Up to $2M Per Company, No Equity Taken
Following the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, NSF relaunched its SBIR/STTR programs (America's Seed Fund), making $210 million available across Phase I, II, and Fast-Track awards for startups developing deep technologies across nearly every market sector. Companies retain full IP ownership and equity while accessing up to $2 million in non-dilutive R&D funding, with approximately 340 Phase I awards expected annually.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens $9M FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program for Community Lenders
The U.S. CDFI Fund is accepting applications for its FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program, making $9 million available to certified CDFIs to establish or expand affordable small-dollar consumer loan programs serving underserved rural and urban borrowers. Grants cover loan loss reserves and technical assistance, with priority given to applicants in persistent poverty communities offering fast approvals, no prepayment penalties, and built-in financial education.
Read article →NY FAIR Act + Texas HB 700: Landmark MCA Laws Give Distressed Business Owners New Legal Weapons
New York's FAIR Business Practices Act (effective February 17, 2026) extended unfair and abusive practice protections to small businesses, enabling the AG to scrutinize aggressive MCA collection tactics and confession-of-judgment enforcement that were previously in a legal gray zone. Texas HB 700 simultaneously voided all confession-of-judgment clauses in new MCA contracts and required funder registration — together marking the most significant shift in merchant cash advance protections in years.
Read article →S.3977 Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act Restores Subchapter V Limit to $7.5M, Reopening Relief Path for Struggling Businesses
The S.3977 Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act of 2026 restores the Subchapter V small business debt limit to $7.5 million, reopening an affordable, streamlined bankruptcy reorganization path for mid-sized businesses that had been cut off when the COVID-era elevated threshold expired. This change significantly expands the pool of distressed businesses that can restructure debt without going through a full Chapter 11 proceeding, offering a viable off-ramp for those carrying heavy MCA or asset-backed loan obligations.
Read article →SBA Launches $50 Million Empower to Grow Manufacturing Grants
The SBA announced up to $50 million in grants through its Empower to Grow (E2G) Manufacturing Initiative, funding up to 10 organizations that will train small manufacturers in industries like aerospace, robotics, and medical manufacturing. This is part of the Made in America Initiative targeting the 98% of U.S. manufacturers that are small businesses.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Programs Reauthorized 5 Years Under Public Law 119-83
After a six-month lapse, Congress signed S. 3971 — the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act — reauthorizing SBIR and STTR through September 30, 2031, preserving over $4 billion in annual R&D grant funding for small businesses. The law adds mandatory foreign ownership disclosure requirements for all applicants and keeps Phase I awards up to $323,090 and Phase II up to $2.15M.
Read article →504 Modernization and Small Manufacturer Enhancement Act of 2026 Introduced
A new House bill proposes to improve the SBA 504 loan guaranty program with streamlined closing procedures, expanded leasing options for new facilities, and a mandatory SBA marketing plan to boost 504 loan awareness among small businesses. The legislation specifically targets small manufacturers needing long-term, fixed-rate capital for equipment and real estate.
Read article →H.R. 9383: Small Business and Consumer Credit Act Expands NOL Rules for Lenders
The Small Business and Consumer Credit Act of 2026 proposes amendments to the Internal Revenue Code granting community banks and financial institutions expanded net operating loss carryback and carryover options, reducing tax burdens on lenders who serve small businesses. The move is designed to incentivize more credit flow to Main Street businesses facing tight lending conditions.
Read article →Top Small Business Federal Tax Credits Not to Miss in 2026
NerdWallet outlines key 2026 federal small business tax credits including the R&D Tax Credit, retirement plan startup costs credit (up to $5,000/year for 3 years for businesses with 50 or fewer employees), and the auto-enrollment and disabled access credits. Business owners are also advised to document new hires now in anticipation of the lapsed Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) being retroactively reinstated by Congress.
Read article →SBA Loan Overhaul Oct. 1: Citizens Only, More Paperwork, Investor Lockout
The Trump administration's new SOP 50 10 8.1, effective October 1, restricts SBA-guaranteed loans to U.S. citizens only, ends express processing for deals under $350K, and bars investors from recouping equity until the loan is fully repaid (up to 10 years). Experts warn of a rocky 6-8 weeks ahead as SBA 7(a) loan approvals have already dropped 30% in FY2026.
Read article →SBA Doubles Combined 7(a) + 504 Loan Limit to $10 Million
Effective July 4, 2026, the SBA decoupled its 7(a) and 504 loan programs, allowing qualified borrowers to access up to $5M per program -- a 100% increase from the prior $5M combined cap. The change enables business buyers to simultaneously finance a company acquisition and owner-occupied real estate with the highest SBA lending ceiling ever.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens $5 Billion New Markets Tax Credit Round for 2026
The Treasury's CDFI Fund released its CY 2026 New Markets Tax Credit Program notice, making $5 billion in allocation authority available to spur private capital into distressed communities and low-income businesses. Investors receive a 39% tax credit over seven years on qualified equity investments, with the NMTC application deadline set for November 10, 2026.
Read article →Michigan Approves $10M Loan to CDFI Coalition for Small Business Capital
Michigan's Economic Development Corporation approved a $10 million loan to the Michigan CDFI Coalition -- the largest state CDFI network in the country -- to build a statewide pooled lending fund serving 45 CDFIs. The capital targets small business owners, first-time homebuyers, and community revitalization projects across the state.
Read article →Vermont Mandates MCA Licensing -- Latest State to Regulate Cash Advances
Vermont's H.648 (Act 142), signed June 16, 2026, requires all merchant cash advance providers operating in the state to obtain a Department of Financial Regulation license, effective July 1, 2027. Vermont joins Texas in a growing wave of state-level MCA regulation focused on disclosure requirements and oversight of commercial financing.
Read article →NSF Relaunches SBIR/STTR: Up to $2M Per Company, No Equity Taken
NSF relaunched its SBIR/STTR programs on May 22, 2026 following passage of the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, offering up to $2 million per R&D award with full IP ownership retained and zero equity given up. Small tech businesses can apply for Phase I grants up to $305,000, Phase II up to $1.25 million, and Fast-Track awards up to $1.55 million across nearly all technology sectors.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY2026 $9M Small Dollar Loan Program for Underserved Communities
The CDFI Fund published its FY2026 Notice of Funds Availability on June 30, 2026, making $9 million available to Community Development Financial Institutions to expand small dollar consumer loan programs serving unbanked and underbanked small business owners. CDFIs can apply for Loan Loss Reserve grants up to $350,000 and Technical Assistance grants up to $150,000 to establish affordable lending alternatives to high-cost financing.
Read article →SBA's FY2026 Overhaul: $50M Manufacturing Grants and $10M Loan Ceiling Doubles
The SBA launched a $50 million Manufacturing in America E2G grant initiative in May 2026, funding training organizations to deliver free courses and technical assistance to small manufacturers in aerospace, shipbuilding, food processing, and advanced manufacturing. Congress simultaneously doubled the combined SBA 7(a) and 504 loan ceiling to $10 million effective July 4, 2026—the largest SBA lending expansion in recent memory for capital-intensive businesses.
Read article →Small Business Tax Credits 2026: R&D, WOTC, and Section 179 Breaks Many Owners Miss
The 2026 federal tax credit lineup includes the R&D Tax Credit (up to 20% of qualifying expenses), Work Opportunity Tax Credit ($2,400–$9,600 per eligible new hire), and Section 179 equipment deductions up to $1.16 million—powerful breaks that many small businesses fail to claim. Startups with under $5M in revenue can now apply the R&D credit directly against payroll taxes up to $500,000 per year, making it valuable even before a business turns a profit.
Read article →New U.S. Tax Law: Step-by-Step Guide to Small Business Savings
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a comprehensive guide covering the most impactful provisions of the new tax law for small businesses, including permanent deductions, enhanced credits, and expanded eligibility criteria that took effect in 2026. The guide walks business owners through optimizing their tax strategy under the updated rules, covering key credits and deductions that can meaningfully reduce federal tax liability.
Read article →Small Businesses Now Eligible for $10 Million in SBA Financing
The SBA now allows borrowers to combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in total SBA-backed financing, doubling the previous $5 million cap effective July 4, 2026. Capital-intensive businesses gain greater flexibility to simultaneously fund real estate, equipment, and working capital needs at record-high SBA financing levels.
Read article →SBA Announces $50 Million Grant for Made in America Manufacturing Workforce Training
The SBA launched the Manufacturing in America E2G Grant Initiative, offering up to $50 million across up to 10 awardee organizations that will deliver training and technical assistance to small manufacturers in critical industries including aerospace, robotics, and advanced manufacturing. The program pairs free business courses and one-on-one consulting with the SBA's broader effort to rebuild domestic supply chains.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Phase I Awards Jump to $225K for FY2026; DoE Opens $10M Genesis Mission Program
Federal SBIR/STTR Phase I award amounts increased from $150,000 to $225,000 for FY2026, with Phase II rising from $850,000 to $1.275 million, significantly expanding R&D funding access for small businesses. The Department of Energy also opened a new $10M Genesis Mission SBIR/STTR opportunity supporting AI, quantum information science, biotechnology, and advanced materials.
Read article →USDA Announces Grants to Boost Rural Business Innovation Through Value-Added Producer Program
USDA announced funding availability under the Value-Added Producer Grants program, helping agricultural producers convert raw commodities into higher-value products to expand markets and strengthen rural economies. The program supports projects ranging from winemaking to dairy processing and aligns with President Trump's America First agenda to grow rural business competitiveness.
Read article →How Small Businesses Can Save Under the New Tax Law: Key Credits and Deductions for 2026
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a comprehensive guide to the most impactful provisions of the new tax law for small businesses, including permanent deductions, enhanced credits such as the R&D Tax Credit (up to 20% of qualifying expenses) and WOTC ($2,400–$9,600 per eligible hire), and expanded eligibility criteria. Business owners can also benefit from the Section 179 deduction of up to $1.16 million in equipment and the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit covering up to 50% of premiums paid.
Read article →SBA Doubles Loan Limit to $10 Million for Small Businesses
The SBA announced that qualified small businesses can now combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in government-backed financing — double the previous $5 million cap. Effective July 4, 2026, the policy gives capital-intensive businesses greater flexibility to pair real-estate and equipment financing with working capital for growth.
Read article →SBA Launches $50 Million Manufacturing Training Grant Program
The SBA opened applications for up to $50 million in Empower to Grow (E2G) grants, funding organizations that provide hands-on training and consulting to small manufacturers in aerospace, robotics, food processing, and advanced manufacturing. The initiative complements the agency's Made in America loan guarantees and fee waivers introduced in FY2026.
Read article →OBBBA Expands Small Business Tax Deductions Starting in 2026
The One Big Beautiful Budget Act (OBBBA) guarantees a minimum qualified business income deduction for any owner with at least $1,000 in QBI, broadening tax relief to smaller and early-stage operators who previously fell below thresholds. Combined with extended bonus depreciation and Section 179 limits, the legislation gives business owners more tools to reduce taxable income and reinvest capital.
Read article →Federal Rule Formally Excludes Merchant Cash Advances from Lending Data Reporting
A final rule under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B) officially exempts merchant cash advances from small business lending data collection requirements, recognizing MCAs as a distinct product — not a loan — given their revenue-share structure. The carve-out preserves the speed and flexibility of MCA financing while keeping compliance burdens off providers and business owners.
Read article →USDA NIFA SBIR/STTR Grants Updated for 2026: Non-Dilutive R&D Capital for Ag-Tech Businesses
USDA's NIFA has refreshed its SBIR and STTR programs, awarding competitive grants to small businesses tackling high-impact agricultural research with commercialization potential across food safety, advanced technologies, and natural resources. With over $4 billion in annual SBIR/STTR funding distributed government-wide, these awards remain one of the best non-dilutive capital paths for science-driven small businesses.
Read article →Vermont Act 142 Brings Licensing & APR Disclosure to MCA and Factoring
Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed H.648 (Act 142) on June 16, 2026, making Vermont the latest state to require MCA funders and factoring companies to obtain lender licenses and provide estimated APR disclosures before funding Vermont merchants. Effective July 1, 2027, the law also voids confessions of judgment in commercial financing contracts and mandates Vermont law and courts for all disputes.
Read article →SBA Opens PRIME FY2026 Grant: $10.8M for Organizations Serving Disadvantaged Entrepreneurs
The SBA launched its FY2026 Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs (PRIME), offering up to $10.8 million across approximately 27 awards to nonprofits and community organizations that train and support disadvantaged microentrepreneurs. Awards range from $75,000 to $400,000 with a 50% matching requirement, with the SBA giving additional consideration to applicants serving rural areas.
Read article →House Passes Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, Reauthorizing SBIR/STTR Through 2031
On March 17, 2026, the U.S. House passed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, reauthorizing the SBIR and STTR programs through 2031 and securing continued non-dilutive federal seed funding for small R&D-focused businesses. The legislation ensures America's pipeline of technology innovation remains funded across all 11 participating federal agencies for the next five years.
Read article →Pennsylvania's 2026-2027 Small Business Advantage Grant Now Accepting Applications
Pennsylvania opened its 2026-2027 Small Business Advantage Grant on September 11, 2026, offering reimbursement grants covering 50%–80% of eligible project costs for small businesses investing in energy efficiency upgrades or pollution and waste reduction improvements. The program helps businesses cut operating costs while meeting state environmental standards.
Read article →CFPB Amends Section 1071 Small Business Data Rule, Updating Reporting Requirements for Lenders
On May 1, 2026, the CFPB issued an amended final rule revising small business data collection and reporting requirements under Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act, affecting banks, CDFIs, and alternative lenders including MCA providers. The change comes amid heightened regulatory scrutiny of small business lending markets and is aimed at improving transparency and accountability in how credit flows to small businesses.
Read article →CFPB Retracts Position: Merchant Cash Advances Excluded from Small Business Lending Rule
On May 1, 2026, the CFPB issued a final rule amending its Section 1071 small business data collection requirements, explicitly excluding merchant cash advances (MCAs) from reporting obligations. The CFPB stopped short of a blanket ruling on whether MCAs constitute "credit" under ECOA, signaling continued regulatory monitoring of the space.
Read article →SBA Opens FY2026 PRIME Grants: Up to $400K for Microentrepreneur Development Organizations
The SBA launched its FY2026 Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs (PRIME), offering up to $400,000 in grants across two tracks: technical assistance for disadvantaged entrepreneurs and capacity building for microenterprise development organizations. Applications are open through August 12, 2026, with $10.8 million total in expected awards.
Read article →Tax Overhaul Will Shake Up Credits for Small Businesses in 2026
A sweeping tax overhaul set to take effect in 2026 creates a new business credit of up to $600,000, covering 50% of qualifying expenses for small business owners. The legislation represents one of the most significant changes to small business tax incentives in years, offering meaningful relief heading into the new fiscal year.
Read article →USDA Expands Rural Business Lending to $1M Per Project for FY2026
The USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service raised its maximum loan per individual rural project to $1 million for FY2026, while Congress maintained $75 million in Cushion of Credit subaccount spending for rural economic development programs. Combined with the EDA Revolving Loan Fund and USDA Intermediary Relending Program, rural businesses now have expanded access to low-cost capital.
Read article →OBBBA Delivers Guaranteed Minimum QBI Deduction and New Small Business Relief Starting 2026
The One Big Beautiful Business Act (OBBBA) guarantees a minimum qualified business income (QBI) deduction of $1,000 for any eligible business owner starting in 2026, simplifying access to tax relief for the smallest firms. The act also layers additional deductions and limits that business owners need to factor into 2026 tax planning immediately.
Read article →SBA Announces $50 Million E2G Manufacturing Grant Initiative
The SBA launched its Empower to Grow (E2G) Manufacturing in America Grant Initiative, offering $50 million to support small U.S. manufacturers with free training, consulting, and government contracting preparation. The program pairs a new 90% Made-in-America loan guarantee with waived loan fees for manufacturing businesses in FY 2026.
Read article →CFPB Retracts Prior Position on Merchant Cash Advances Under ECOA
The CFPB reversed its stance on whether merchant cash advances qualify as credit under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, creating significant compliance uncertainty for MCA providers nationwide. The agency simultaneously amended small business data reporting rules, further complicating the regulatory landscape for alternative lenders.
Read article →CFPB Final Rule Excludes MCAs from Small Business Lending Reporting Requirements
The CFPB issued a final rule under ECOA Section 1071 officially excluding merchant cash advances from the definition of "covered credit transactions," narrowing mandatory small business lending data collection. The Bureau determined that focusing on core lending products would better serve the purposes of small business financial data transparency.
Read article →Best Federal Grants for Small Businesses 2026: SBIR, EDA, USDA & CDFI Guide
A comprehensive breakdown of top federal grant programs in 2026 covers SBA SBIR/STTR innovation funding, EDA economic development grants, USDA rural business programs, and CDFI community lending initiatives with real FY2024 award data. The guide details eligibility requirements and award ranges to help small businesses navigate the federal funding landscape.
Read article →America's Seed Fund (SBIR/STTR) Issues New Phase Award Policy in April 2026
As of April 2026, the SBA's America's Seed Fund updated how participating agencies may issue Phase awards under the SBIR and STTR programs, which provide non-dilutive, equity-free funding to small innovative businesses across 11 federal agencies. The programs have fueled breakthrough technologies since 1982 and remain a critical early-stage capital source for R&D-focused entrepreneurs.
Read article →SBA Launches $9M SCALE Grant Program for Small Business Supply Chains
The SBA announced $9 million in competitive grant funding through the 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. Priority industries include advanced manufacturing, biotech, defense, energy, food systems, and transportation logistics.
Read article →SBA Opens $50M "Empower to Grow" Manufacturing Grant for Small Firms
The SBA unveiled a $50 million grant initiative under its Empower to Grow (E2G) program, funding up to 10 organizations to deliver hands-on training and technical assistance to small manufacturers in sectors like aerospace, medical manufacturing, robotics, and food processing. This expands on the agency's 90% Made in America loan guarantee and waived loan fees for manufacturing NAICS codes in FY2026.
Read article →Vermont Enacts First-of-Its-Kind MCA Licensing & Disclosure Law
Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed H.648 (Act 142) on June 16, 2026, establishing a comprehensive licensing and regulatory framework for merchant cash advance providers, revenue-based financing, and factoring transactions — effective July 1, 2027. Vermont joins a growing list of states pulling commercial finance into disclosure regimes that began in consumer credit law, signaling tighter MCA oversight nationwide.
Read article →CFPB Issues Amended Small Business Lending Data Rule Affecting MCA Reporting
On May 1, 2026, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a final amended rule modifying its small business data collection requirements under Section 1071 of Dodd-Frank, directly impacting how MCA and alternative lenders report financing activity. The rule survived a federal court challenge, cementing expanded transparency obligations for non-bank small business lenders.
Read article →USDA & NSF SBIR/STTR Awards Now Up to $323K — Rolling Applications Open
Federal SBIR and STTR Phase I awards have reached a new ceiling of $323,090 per agency (as of April 2026 per SBIR.gov), with USDA offering $125,000–$175,000 for agricultural and rural innovation and NSF offering up to $305,000 for deep-tech R&D. Approximately 30 states also offer supplemental SBIR/STTR matching grants of $25,000–$100,000 on top of federal awards — businesses can apply through their state SBDC.
Read article →CFPB Retracts 2023 Stance on Merchant Cash Advances, Leaves Fair Lending Rules in Limbo
On May 1, 2026, the CFPB amended its Section 1071 rule to formally exclude merchant cash advances from small-business data collection and reporting requirements, reversing its 2023 position that all MCAs constituted "credit" under ECOA. The agency stopped short of a categorical ruling, leaving MCA providers in a compliance gray zone on fair lending and adverse action obligations until further monitoring concludes.
Read article →Senate Lawmakers Demand SBA Account for Surge of Predatory MCAs Targeting Tariff-Hit Small Businesses
Senators Wyden and Markey sent a formal letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler demanding answers on how the agency is protecting small businesses from predatory merchant cash advances — products averaging 94% annual rates — that flooded the market after 2025 tariffs created urgent cash needs. The senators also flagged an SBA policy change (SOP50108, June 2025) that banned 7(a) and 504 loans from refinancing MCA debt, calling it "an essential escape route closed" for businesses trapped in debt spirals.
Read article →Texas Finalizes HB 700 Rules: MCA Funders and Brokers Must Register by December 31, 2026
Texas finalized new regulations under HB 700 requiring all merchant cash advance providers and brokers to register through NMLS by December 31, 2026, and to deliver mandatory cost disclosures before any transaction closes. Critically, automatic ACH debits are now restricted unless the funder holds a first-priority perfected security interest — a requirement that upends how most multi-position MCA stacks operate in the state.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorized Under Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act
The SBA announced on April 13, 2026 that S. 3971 — the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act — reauthorized and reformed the SBIR/STTR program following a program lapse, preserving over $4 billion in annual R&D funding distributed across 11 federal agencies. The reauthorization includes reforms aimed at strengthening commercialization pathways, protecting data rights, and expanding access for early-stage small businesses competing for Phase I awards up to $305K (NSF) and $2M at Phase II.
Read article →MCA Disclosure Laws Now Active in 11+ States as Regulatory Crackdown Accelerates in 2026
A wave of state-level commercial financing disclosure laws — now in effect across California, New York, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Utah, Virginia, Connecticut, Kansas, Missouri, and Louisiana — is forcing MCA providers to show merchants estimated APRs, finance charges, and full repayment amounts before funding, a sharp departure from the industry's historically opaque practices. The shift follows a landmark $1.065 billion New York judgment against Yellowstone Capital in January 2025, which cancelled $534 million in MCA debt for over 18,000 small businesses and permanently banned the firm from the industry.
Read article →CFPB Section 1071 Final Rule: Merchant Cash Advances Are Officially Exempt
On May 1, 2026, the CFPB finalized its revised Section 1071 rule explicitly excluding merchant cash advances from small business lending data collection and reporting requirements. MCA funders and brokers are now clear of this compliance burden, though the CFPB stopped short of declaring all MCAs categorically exempt from ECOA's definition of "credit."
Read article →SBA FY2026 Budget: $50M Manufacturing Grant, New Loan Caps, and SBIC Modernization
The SBA's FY2026 budget introduced a $50M Manufacturing in America E2G grant initiative and a $10M combined 7(a)+504 loan ceiling effective July 4, 2026. Congress also passed an SBIC modernization bill, expanding investment vehicles available to small businesses seeking growth capital.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens $9M FY2026 Small Dollar Loan Program for Underserved Businesses
The CDFI Fund published a Notice of Funds Availability for its FY2026 Small Dollar Loan Program, offering $9M in grants to certified CDFIs to establish affordable small-dollar consumer loan programs. Grants cover loan loss reserves (up to $350K) and technical assistance (up to $150K) targeting rural and urban communities lacking access to mainstream financial institutions.
Read article →Congress Passes SBIR/STTR Reauthorization, Reviving $4B+ in Annual R&D Grants
After SBIR and STTR programs expired on September 30, 2025 due to Congressional inaction, a reauthorization bill was sent to President Trump on April 2, 2026. The programs — representing over $4 billion annually across 11 federal agencies — are set to resume new solicitations and awards upon enactment, a critical lifeline for tech-driven small businesses.
Read article →MCA Litigation Surge 2026: State Disclosure Laws, NY FAIR Act, and Bankruptcy Court Rulings Hit Funders
Roughly ten states now have MCA-specific disclosure laws on the books — including California, New York, Texas, and Virginia — and New York's FAIR Business Practices Act (effective February 2026) lets the AG pursue "unfair and abusive" practices targeting small businesses without prior consumer-orientation requirements. Bankruptcy courts are increasingly permitting disguised-loan claims against MCA providers, with a February 2026 SDNY ruling denying motions to dismiss in a major adversary proceeding.
Read article →SBA 7(a) Small Loans Disappearing: Approvals Down 21% in FY 2026
SBA 7(a) loan approvals are down 21% year-to-date in FY 2026 and loan counts have dropped 30%, with the average loan ballooning to $535K — effectively squeezing out small-dollar Main Street borrowers. New restrictions also bar using SBA proceeds to refinance MCA debt, cutting off a key escape route for distressed businesses.
Read article →MCA Legislation 2026: New York FAIR Act and Texas HB 700 Reshape Merchant Cash Advance Rules
New York's FAIR Business Practices Act (effective February 17, 2026) extended unfair and abusive practice protections to small businesses, while Texas HB 700 voided confession-of-judgment clauses in all new MCA contracts and required funder registration. These state-level moves mark a fundamental shift in MCA enforcement, giving distressed business owners stronger legal ground to push back against aggressive funders.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program Funding Round
The Treasury's CDFI Fund launched its FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program, making up to $9 million available to certified CDFIs to expand affordable lending alternatives for underbanked small businesses. Eligible CDFIs can apply for loan loss reserve grants and technical assistance grants to establish or maintain safe, affordable small dollar consumer loan programs.
Read article →SBA FY2026 Budget Brings $10M Loan Cap, New Manufacturing Grants, and SBIC Modernization
FY2026 brought major SBA changes: a combined $10 million ceiling on 7(a) and 504 loans effective July 4, a new $50 million 'Manufacturing in America' E2G grant initiative, and a signed SBIC modernization bill opening new avenues for growth capital. Real direct grants for small businesses remain concentrated at USDA Rural Business, DOE manufacturing, and EPA pollution prevention programs.
Read article →Senate Passes Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act of 2026, Restoring $7.5M Subchapter V Debt Limit
The U.S. Senate passed S.3977, the Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act of 2026, by unanimous consent on August 3, 2026, restoring the Subchapter V small-business bankruptcy debt limit to $7.5 million — a critical lifeline for distressed businesses with overleveraged capital stacks. Subchapter V filings rose 50% year-over-year in H1 2026, and this track lets owners retain 100% equity even in a nonconsensual cramdown plan.
Read article →Senate Demands SBA Act on Predatory MCAs Trapping Small Businesses in Debt Spirals
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Members Wyden and Markey sent a formal letter to SBA Administrator Loeffler demanding answers about the surge in predatory merchant cash advances — averaging 94% APR — following tariff-driven liquidity crises that pushed desperate small businesses into MCA debt stacks. The letter also flags that SBA's own June 2025 policy now prohibits 7(a) loans from refinancing MCA debt, closing the last practical escape route for trapped business owners.
Read article →CFPB's 2026 Final Rule Excludes Merchant Cash Advances from Small Business Data Reporting
The CFPB's May 2026 amended rule under Section 1071 of Dodd-Frank officially excludes merchant cash advances from small business data collection and reporting requirements, effective June 30, 2026. However, the bureau stopped short of ruling MCAs are not "credit" under ECOA, leaving MCA providers in regulatory limbo on fair lending and adverse action compliance obligations.
Read article →Texas HB 700: America's Toughest MCA Law Mandates Registration and Restricts ACH Collection
Texas House Bill 700 — the Commercial Sales-Based Financing Act — is now in effect, restricting ACH auto-debits from merchant accounts unless funders hold a first-priority perfected security interest, mandating OCCC registration by December 31, 2026, and requiring full cost disclosures on deals under $1 million. Non-compliant funders and brokers face penalties up to $10,000 per violation, making Texas the most regulated MCA market in the U.S.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorized: $4B+ Annual R&D Grant Program for Small Businesses Restored by Congress
Congress passed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (S. 3971) in April 2026, reauthorizing the SBIR and STTR programs after a program lapse that threatened billions in annual R&D funding for small businesses. The programs award over $4 billion per year across 11 federal agencies, with Phase I grants up to $300K and Phase II awards up to $2 million for technology-focused small businesses.
Read article →652 Active Federal Funding Programs for Small Businesses in 2026: CDFI, USDA & SBIR Lead
A comprehensive 2026 federal funding catalog tracks 652 currently active programs for small businesses, headlined by CDFI Program Financial Assistance awards up to $2M, USDA's 36 rural business programs, and SBIR Phase I grants across multiple agencies — with SBA 7(a)/504 loans capped at $5M as the largest federal capital backstop. The catalog confirms that true cash grants outside SBIR and agriculture remain rare, making CDFI certification and SBIR eligibility the two highest-value pursuits for qualifying businesses.
Read article →SBA Launches $50M Empower to Grow Manufacturing Grant Initiative
The SBA announced up to $50 million in grant awards to support small manufacturers through its Empower to Grow (E2G) program, funding regional training and technical assistance in critical industries like aerospace, robotics, and food processing. Eligible organizations can apply via Grants.gov to deliver hands-on manufacturing support that helps rebuild domestic supply chains and create American jobs.
Read article →504 Modernization and Small Manufacturer Enhancement Act of 2026 Introduced in Congress
H.R. 10375, introduced September 14, 2026, would overhaul the SBA's 504 loan program to make financing faster and more accessible — especially for small manufacturers and businesses in disaster-affected areas. Key changes include streamlined loan closings, expanded leasing rules, disaster recovery eligibility, and a new exemption from the "credit elsewhere" requirement for certain SBA loans.
Read article →One Big Beautiful Bill Act Makes Key Business Tax Breaks Permanent for 2026 and Beyond
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) permanently restored 100% bonus depreciation, reinstated immediate expensing of domestic R&D costs under new Section 174A, and locked in the 20% Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction — reversing provisions that were set to expire after 2025. Small businesses with gross receipts under $31 million can even apply Section 174A retroactively to 2022–2024 R&D costs via amended returns.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorized by Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act
Congress passed S. 3971, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, reauthorizing and reforming the SBIR/STTR program after a lapse — restoring over $4 billion in annual R&D grant funding for small businesses. Phase I awards reach up to $305K (NSF) and Phase II up to $1.65M (DOE), providing a critical non-dilutive capital path for technology-focused small businesses.
Read article →IRA Clean Energy Tax Credits Now Transferable: Small Businesses Can Sell Credits for Cash
Under the Inflation Reduction Act's §48E Investment Tax Credit, small businesses installing solar, storage, EV charging, or doing efficiency retrofits can claim a 30–50% ITC — and even sell the credit to a third party for immediate cash under §6418 if they have no tax liability to absorb it. The §179D commercial building deduction also hits $5.81 per square foot in 2026, while the EPA's $27B Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund continues flowing through CDFIs and green banks to small business projects.
Read article →SBA Launches $9M SCALE Grant Program for Small Business Supply Chains
The SBA announced the Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement (SCALE) Program, awarding 20 competitive grants of up to $500,000 each — $9 million total — to organizations helping small businesses address supply chain constraints. Priority sectors include advanced manufacturing, biotech, defense technologies, energy, food supply, and transportation, with proposals due August 7, 2026.
Read article →SBA PRIME FY2026: $10.8M Available for Microentrepreneur Training Programs
The SBA's Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs (PRIME) is accepting proposals through August 12, 2026, offering up to $400,000 per award across 27 anticipated grants totaling $10.8 million. The program funds nonprofits and community organizations delivering training and technical assistance to disadvantaged small business owners, with extra consideration given to rural applicants this funding cycle.
Read article →Senate Introduces "Investing in the American Dream Act" to Expand SBA Loan Access
Fourteen senators introduced S. 4411, the "Investing in the American Dream Act," to broaden SBA loan eligibility — including 7(a) loans, microloans, and 504 loans — to small businesses at least 51% owned by lawfully present immigrants. The bill would open federal capital programs to a significant segment of U.S. small business owners currently excluded from SBA financing.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Programs Reauthorized: $4B+ in Annual R&D Grants Restored for Small Businesses
The Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (S. 3971) reauthorized and reformed the SBIR and STTR programs following a damaging funding lapse, restoring over $4 billion per year in early-stage R&D grants for innovation-driven small firms. The programs fund companies across three competitive phases without taking equity, with open solicitations now active on SBIR.gov across 11 participating federal agencies.
Read article →SBA Manufacturing E2G Grant: Up to $50M for Small Business Training & Technical Assistance
The SBA's Empower to Grow (E2G) Manufacturing Grant Initiative is offering up to $50 million across ten grants of $5 million each for organizations providing hands-on manufacturing training and technical assistance to small production businesses. The initiative aligns with the America First reshoring agenda and requires grantees to coordinate with SBA district offices, SBDCs, and other federal economic development partners.
Read article →SBA Launches $50 Million E2G Manufacturing Grant Initiative
The SBA announced up to $50 million in grants for organizations that train and support small manufacturers under the Empower to Grow (E2G) program. Up to 10 awardees will provide free hands-on training in industries like aerospace, robotics, food processing, and advanced manufacturing.
Read article →Senate Demands SBA Answer for MCA Debt Trap Driven by Tariff Crisis
Senators Wyden and Markey sent a formal letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler demanding answers on whether tariff shocks funneled small businesses into predatory merchant cash advances with no exit. A June 2025 SBA policy change (SOP 50-10-8) banned using 7(a) and 504 loans to refinance MCA debt, closing what had been a primary escape route for distressed businesses.
Read article →CFPB Reverses Course: Merchant Cash Advances Excluded from Small Business Data Rule
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a May 2026 amended rule explicitly excluding merchant cash advances from Section 1071 data collection and reporting requirements — reversing its 2023 position. The CFPB stopped short of ruling MCAs are not "credit" under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, leaving fair lending compliance obligations in legal limbo for MCA providers.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Reauthorized: Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act Signed
Congress passed S. 3971, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, reauthorizing and reforming the SBIR/STTR program following a funding lapse. The program channels over $4 billion annually to R&D-focused small businesses, with Phase I awards up to $300K and Phase II awards up to $2 million across 11 federal agencies.
Read article →MCA Litigation Surges in 2026: 10 States Now Enforce Disclosure Laws
Merchant cash advance litigation has exploded, anchored by New York's 2025 Yellowstone Capital settlement — a $1.065 billion judgment that canceled over $534 million in outstanding merchant debt. By 2026, roughly 10 states including California, New York, Texas, and Maryland have enacted MCA-specific disclosure laws, while New York's FAIR Business Practices Act (effective February 17, 2026) extended unfair business practice protections directly to small businesses.
Read article →SBA Launches $50M Manufacturing Grant to Boost Small U.S. Makers
The SBA announced a $50 million grant opportunity under its Manufacturing in America E2G (Empower to Grow) initiative, providing free training, consulting, and courses to small U.S. manufacturers across aerospace, food processing, metal fabrication, and more. The program is paired with a new 90% Made-in-America loan guarantee and waived loan fees for FY2026, creating a powerful capital-plus-support stack for growth-focused manufacturers.
Read article →SBA Awards $9M to SCALE Program to Strengthen Small Business Supply Chains
The SBA released $9 million in grant funding for its Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement (SCALE) Program, targeting small firms ready to scale production and support domestic strategic supply chain priorities. This initiative directly connects small businesses with opportunities to compete for federal supply chain contracts while accessing capital and operational support.
Read article →Congress Reauthorizes SBIR/STTR Program, Keeping $4B+ in R&D Funding Alive
Congress passed S. 3971, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, reauthorizing and reforming the SBIR/STTR program after a program lapse, preserving more than $4 billion in annual federal R&D grant funding for small businesses. The reauthorization strengthens the public-private innovation pipeline and keeps R&D-focused small businesses competitive for agency contracts across defense, health, and energy sectors.
Read article →Tax Overhaul Delivers Sweeping Business Credit Cuts Under OBBBA in 2026
The Republican-led tax overhaul — the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) — became law, bringing major changes to business tax credits and deductions effective 2026, with most small and mid-sized businesses expected to see meaningfully lower tax burdens. Revived provisions include expanded equipment deductions and other credits that free up cash flow for businesses looking to invest, hire, or service debt.
Read article →CFPB Updates Small Business Lending Rules, Reshaping Access to Alternative Capital
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized revisions to Regulation B under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, updating small business lending data collection and reporting standards that directly affect banks, CDFIs, and alternative lenders including MCA providers. The rule increases market transparency and is expected to influence how underserved businesses — including those denied bank loans — access asset-backed loans and non-traditional capital.
Read article →SBA Launches $50M E2G Manufacturing Grant for Small Businesses
The SBA unveiled its $50 million Empower to Grow (E2G) Manufacturing in America grant initiative, pairing free training and consulting with a new 90% Made in America loan guarantee for small manufacturers. The program waives loan fees for manufacturing NAICS codes in FY2026 and targets sectors including aerospace, metal fabrication, food processing, and medical equipment.
Read article →SBA 7(a) Lending Down 21% in FY2026 — Small Loans Disappearing
SBA 7(a) loan approvals have dropped 21% year-to-date in FY2026 with loan count falling 30%, meaning fewer Main Street businesses are getting funded at all. The average loan has swelled to $535,034 as small working-capital loans under $250K vanish, pushing owners toward CDFIs, community banks, and private credit as realistic alternatives.
Read article →MCA Legislation 2026: New State Protections Every Business Owner Must Know
New York's FAIR Business Practices Act (effective February 17, 2026) now shields small businesses from unfair and abusive lending practices — not just deceptive ones — marking the most consequential MCA reform since commercial financing disclosure laws. Texas HB 700 also voided confession-of-judgment clauses in all new MCA contracts and required funder registration statewide.
Read article →Senate Unanimously Passes S.3977, Restoring $7.5M Subchapter V Bankruptcy Limit
The U.S. Senate passed S.3977, the Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act of 2026, on August 3, 2026, restoring the Subchapter V small-business bankruptcy debt ceiling to $7.5 million — allowing distressed owners to restructure while retaining 100% equity. Subchapter V filings surged 50% year-over-year in H1 2026, largely driven by businesses overwhelmed by stacked MCA debt.
Read article →USDA NIFA Opens SBIR/STTR Phase II Grants for Agricultural Small Businesses
The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has opened competitive SBIR/STTR Phase II funding for small businesses conducting high-impact agricultural research with significant public benefit potential. Awards span 10 broad topic areas, bridging scientific innovation with commercial application for qualified small agri-tech businesses.
Read article →SBA Doubles Cumulative 7(a) and 504 Loan Limit to $10 Million
Effective July 4, 2026, eligible small businesses can now combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing — double the previous $5 million cap. The change gives capital-intensive businesses in construction, logistics, energy, and manufacturing greater flexibility to pair long-term fixed-asset financing with working capital.
Read article →CFPB Final Rule Narrows Small Business Lending Data Collection Requirements
The CFPB issued a final rule that significantly narrows Section 1071 small business lending data requirements, raising the coverage threshold from 100 to 1,000 annual originations and explicitly excluding merchant cash advances from covered transactions. The rule takes effect June 30, 2026, with a full compliance date of January 1, 2028, reducing reporting burdens on most lenders.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY 2026 Bond Guarantee, Bank Enterprise Award & Small Dollar Loan Programs
The CDFI Fund launched FY 2026 application rounds for three key programs — the Bond Guarantee Program, the Bank Enterprise Award Program, and the Small Dollar Loan Program — designed to direct capital to underserved small businesses and communities. These programs incentivize banks to invest in low-income areas and fund alternatives to high-cost lending.
Read article →CFPB Retracts Prior Position on Whether Merchant Cash Advances Are Subject to ECOA
The CFPB reversed its longstanding stance on whether merchant cash advances fall under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, creating fresh compliance uncertainty for MCA providers and the small businesses that rely on them. The reversal arrives alongside broader regulatory changes that now formally exclude MCAs from Section 1071 small business lending data collection.
Read article →Star Mountain Capital Closes Second Oversubscribed SBIC Fund at $286 Million
Star Mountain Capital closed its second Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) fund at $286 million — oversubscribed — signaling strong institutional demand for SBA-leveraged private credit targeting the lower middle market. SBIC funds use government-backed leverage to amplify private capital and funnel it toward small businesses that cannot access conventional financing.
Read article →SBA Announces $50 Million E2G Grant for Made in America Manufacturing
The SBA launched the Empower to Grow (E2G) Manufacturing in America grant initiative, providing $50 million to support small manufacturers through free training, consulting, and a new 90% Made in America loan guarantee. The program also waives loan fees for manufacturing businesses in FY2026, lowering borrowing costs across aerospace, food processing, metal fabrication, and other key industries.
Read article →MCA Legislation 2026: New Commercial Lending Protections Business Owners Must Know
Five major legal developments in 2025–2026 have reshaped merchant cash advance enforcement, including New York's FAIR Business Practices Act (effective February 17, 2026) and Texas HB 700, which voided confession of judgment clauses in all new MCA contracts and required funder registration. Business owners now have significantly stronger legal protections against abusive MCA practices, with New York's AG securing a $1 billion settlement against a fraudulent MCA operation in early 2025.
Read article →USDA Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant Program: Up to $1M Available Through September 2026
The USDA's Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant Program is providing up to $1 million in funding for rural business projects through local utility organizations, with the current quarter running through September 30, 2026. The program targets rural economic growth and is one of the USDA's most accessible capital sources for businesses operating outside major metro areas.
Read article →USDA NIFA Opens Phase II SBIR/STTR Grants for Small Business Agricultural Innovation
The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has posted Phase II funding opportunities for its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, offering competitive grants to small businesses advancing agricultural R&D across 10 broad topic areas. These grants are exclusively for qualifying small businesses conducting high-quality research tied to scientific problems with significant potential public benefit.
Read article →2026 Small Business Tax Guide: Section 179 Limit Reaches $1.22M as Bonus Depreciation Falls to 40%
The 2026 Section 179 deduction cap has risen to $1.22 million, letting business owners immediately expense qualifying equipment purchases and eliminate taxable income in the purchase year — a critical year-end planning tool. Meanwhile, bonus depreciation continues its TCJA phase-down to 40% in 2026, making strategic Section 179 elections and MCA factor-cost deductions under IRC §163 increasingly valuable for capital-intensive businesses.
Read article →SBA Unlocks Up to $10M by Combining 504 and 7(a) Loan Programs
The SBA announced small businesses can now stack its two most popular loan programs — the 504 and 7(a) — to access up to $10 million in combined financing for equipment, property, and growth. Specialists say this is a major unlock for capital-intensive projects that previously hit the $5M per-program ceiling.
Read article →SBA 7(a) Small Loans Disappearing: Approvals Down 21% in FY 2026
SBA 7(a) loan approvals are down 21% year-to-date in FY 2026 and loan counts have dropped 30%, with the average loan ballooning to $535K — effectively squeezing out small-dollar Main Street borrowers. New restrictions also bar using SBA proceeds to refinance MCA debt, cutting off a key escape route for distressed businesses.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program Applications
The CDFI Fund released its FY 2026 Notice of Funds Availability for the Small Dollar Loan Program, offering grants for loan loss reserves (up to $350K) and technical assistance (up to $150K) to certified CDFIs building affordable consumer lending alternatives. Priority goes to applicants serving persistent poverty counties and unbanked populations locked out of traditional credit.
Read article →MCA Legislation 2026: New York FAIR Act and Texas HB 700 Reshape Merchant Cash Advance Rules
New York's FAIR Business Practices Act (effective February 17, 2026) extended unfair and abusive practice protections to small businesses, while Texas HB 700 voided confession-of-judgment clauses in all new MCA contracts and required funder registration. These state-level moves mark a fundamental shift in MCA enforcement, giving distressed business owners stronger legal ground to push back against aggressive funders.
Read article →Senate Passes Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act, Restores $7.5M Subchapter V Limit
The U.S. Senate unanimously passed S.3977 on August 3, 2026, restoring the Subchapter V small-business bankruptcy debt ceiling to $7.5 million — a critical lifeline for owners buried under stacked MCA debt who need restructuring without losing their equity. Subchapter V filings had already surged 50% year-over-year in H1 2026, signaling massive pent-up demand for this relief path.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program Funding Round
The Treasury's CDFI Fund launched its FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program, making up to $9 million available to certified CDFIs to expand affordable lending alternatives for underbanked small businesses. Eligible CDFIs can apply for loan loss reserve grants and technical assistance grants — applications were due July 30, 2026.
Read article →CFPB Retracts Position on Merchant Cash Advances Under ECOA — Status Remains Uncertain
The CFPB's May 2026 amended rule removed merchant cash advances from Section 1071 data collection requirements, walking back its 2023 position that all MCAs constitute "credit" under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. However, the agency stopped short of declaring MCAs are not credit, leaving MCA providers in regulatory limbo on fair lending and adverse action compliance.
Read article →Senate Leaders Demand SBA Explain Why Businesses Are Being Pushed Into Predatory MCAs
Senate Ranking Members Wyden and Markey sent a formal letter to SBA Administrator Loeffler demanding answers on how tariff-driven liquidity crises funneled small businesses into high-cost merchant cash advances averaging 94% annual interest. The senators also flagged that SBA Policy SOP50108 (effective June 2025) now bars 7(a) and 504 loans from refinancing MCA debt — eliminating a critical escape route for trapped businesses.
Read article →SBA FY2026 Budget Brings $10M Loan Cap, New Manufacturing Grants, and SBIC Modernization
FY2026 brought major SBA changes: a combined $10 million ceiling on 7(a) and 504 loans (effective July 4), a new $50 million "Manufacturing in America" E2G grant initiative, and a signed SBIC modernization bill opening new avenues for growth capital. Real direct grants for small businesses remain concentrated at USDA Rural Business, DOE manufacturing, and EPA pollution prevention programs.
Read article →Ten States Now Force MCA Providers to Disclose Real Costs — More Coming
As of 2026, California, New York, Texas, Florida, Connecticut, Virginia, Utah, Georgia, Kansas, and Missouri all require commercial financing providers — including MCA companies — to disclose APR, total repayment amounts, and all fees before a business signs. California's updated SB 362 (effective January 1, 2026) further bans misleading use of the words "interest" or "rate" and expands state enforcement authority.
Read article →SBA Announces $9 Million in Grant Funding for Supply Chain Acceleration (SCALE) Program
The SBA is awarding 20 grants of up to $500,000 each to help small businesses address supply chain constraints and expand in strategic sectors like advanced manufacturing, biotech, and defense. Eligible applicants include public and private entities offering accelerator programming or technical assistance in priority supply chains — proposals were due August 7, 2026.
Read article →SBA Launches $50 Million Empower to Grow Grant for Small Manufacturers
The SBA announced up to $50 million in awards to fund free hands-on manufacturing training and technical assistance for small businesses in critical industries including aerospace, robotics, food processing, and advanced manufacturing. The initiative pairs grant support with the agency's new 90% Made in America Loan Guarantee to help small manufacturers invest and grow domestically.
Read article →Vermont Becomes Latest State to Regulate MCAs With New Commercial Finance Disclosure Law
On June 16, 2026, Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed H.648 (Act 142), bringing merchant cash advances and other commercial financing products under a state licensing-and-disclosure framework modeled after consumer credit laws. Vermont joins a growing wave of states tightening MCA oversight, signaling increased compliance requirements and regulatory scrutiny for alternative business lenders nationwide.
Read article →CFPB Issues Amended Final Rule on Small Business Lending Data Under Dodd-Frank Section 1071
On May 1, 2026, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized amendments to its small business data collection and reporting requirements under Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act, affecting banks, CDFIs, and alternative lenders including MCA providers. The rule requires covered lenders to collect and report demographic and credit data for small business applicants, expanding transparency obligations across the lending ecosystem.
Read article →Congress Advances SBIR/STTR Reauthorization With Key Research Security and Accountability Reforms
Congress is pushing forward reauthorization of the SBIR and STTR programs — which together channel over $4 billion annually in non-dilutive R&D grants to small businesses — with new provisions targeting research security, foreign influence, and agency-level accountability. The reauthorization would preserve a vital funding path for tech-focused small businesses seeking federal innovation capital without surrendering equity.
Read article →SBA FY2026: $50M Manufacturing Grant, New Loan Cap & SBIC Reform
The SBA's FY2026 budget introduces a combined $10M 7(a)+504 loan ceiling effective July 4 and a new $50M Manufacturing in America E2G grant initiative for small manufacturers, alongside a signed SBIC modernization bill. Business owners should also note the six noncredit SBA grant programs totaling ~$57M that flow through state agencies and nonprofit intermediaries.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY2026 Small Dollar Loan Program Applications
The U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund has published its FY2026 Notice of Funds Availability for the Small Dollar Loan Program, offering grants for loan loss reserves ($200K–$350K) and technical assistance to certified CDFIs serving unbanked and underbanked communities. CDFIs awarded funds must expand affordable consumer lending alternatives to high-cost small dollar lenders in rural and urban markets.
Read article →Republican Tax Overhaul Reshapes Business Credits and Deductions for 2026
The Republican tax overhaul brings significant changes to business tax credits for 2026, expanding benefits and new deductions designed to incentivize small business investment, R&D, and hiring. Business owners should review updated eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), and energy-related deductions to maximize their 2026 tax savings.
Read article →Congress Funds $82M in USDA Rural Business Programs Despite White House Elimination Bid
Congress appropriated $82 million in FY2026 grants and loan subsidies for USDA rural business programs, overriding the White House's proposal to eliminate them as duplicative of private markets. The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program continues offering zero-interest loans up to $1M and revolving loan fund grants up to $300K for rural businesses creating or retaining jobs.
Read article →USDA NIFA Updates SBIR/STTR Funding Opportunities for Small Ag-Tech Businesses
The USDA NIFA refreshed its SBIR/STTR program as of August 4, 2026, with new Notices of Funding Opportunities for small businesses conducting agriculture-related R&D — Phase I awards cover feasibility studies up to $275K and Phase II provides up to $2M for full R&D development. This remains one of the most accessible non-dilutive grant pathways for small food and ag-tech companies, with awards based solely on scientific merit.
Read article →CDFI Fund Opens FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program
The U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund opened its FY 2026 Small Dollar Loan Program on June 30, making up to $9 million available to certified CDFIs serving underbanked and unbanked communities. CDFIs can apply for loan loss reserve grants and technical assistance awards, with the Grants.gov deadline set for July 23 and full applications due July 30, 2026.
Read article →Small Business Grants 2026: The Complete Funding Map
A new $50 million SBA grant for Made-in-America manufacturing workforce training headlines a 2026 landscape where billions flow through SSBCI state programs — New York alone holds over $500 million for small business capital. The guide maps all three funding tiers (federal, state, and private), explaining which businesses qualify and how to maximize application success.
Read article →Tax Overhaul Will Shake Up Credits for Businesses in 2026
New legislation raises the business expensing cap to $2.5 million per taxable year, delivering meaningful relief for small and mid-sized companies investing in equipment and capital assets. The One Big Beautiful Budget Act (OBBBA) also bumps the advanced manufacturing investment credit from 25% to 35% for qualifying property placed in service after December 31, 2025.
Read article →USDA Opens FY 2026 Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant Program
USDA's Rural Business-Cooperative Service is accepting FY 2026 applications for up to $50 million in zero-interest business loans and $10 million in grants to spur job creation in rural and tribal areas. Maximum awards are $1 million per loan and $300,000 per grant, targeting businesses in persistent poverty counties and underserved rural communities.
Read article →Best Federal Grants for Small Businesses 2026: SBIR, EDA, CDFI, and USDA
SBIR and STTR remain the largest federal cash grant programs for small businesses in 2026, awarding $150K–$2M to R&D-focused companies, while EDA's Build to Scale program offers $500K–$2M for entrepreneurship ecosystem development. USDA Value-Added Producer Grants ($75K–$250K) and CDFI Fund financing round out a diverse federal funding landscape for businesses that can't access conventional capital.
Read article →SBA Announces $50 Million Grant to Support Made in America Manufacturing
The SBA launched a new $50 million Empower to Grow (E2G) grant initiative offering awards to organizations that provide training and technical assistance to small manufacturers in critical industries like aerospace, robotics, and food processing. Small manufacturers can receive free business courses, hands-on training, and one-on-one consulting to compete for government contracts and grow operations.
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 round on June 30, 2026, making up to $9 million available to certified CDFIs to expand affordable lending alternatives for underbanked small businesses and consumers. CDFIs can apply for loan loss reserve grants and technical assistance grants to launch or grow small dollar loan programs capped at $2,500 per loan.
Read article →Senate Passes Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act of 2026 — Restores $7.5M Subchapter V Debt Limit
The U.S. Senate passed S.3977 by unanimous consent on August 3, 2026, restoring the Subchapter V small-business bankruptcy debt limit back to $7.5 million, giving distressed businesses a critical restructuring tool that had lapsed. Subchapter V of Chapter 11 is particularly relevant for businesses trapped in MCA debt stacks, offering a streamlined path to reorganization without losing the business.
Read article →MCA Trap 2026: Why Merchant Cash Advances Now Block SBA Loans and How to Escape
SBA Standard Operating Procedure 50 10 8, effective June 1, 2025, permanently banned SBA 7(a) and 504 loans from being used to refinance merchant cash advances — meaning any business carrying MCA debt is locked out of SBA programs until every dollar is retired. Businesses that clear MCA obligations and season into 2027 will have access to up to $10 million in combined SBA borrowing capacity under a new combined cap effective July 4, 2026.
Read article →USDA Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant Program: $50M in Loans, $10M in Grants for FY 2026
USDA's Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant Program is offering approximately $50 million in zero-interest loans and $10 million in grants to rural utilities and businesses in fiscal year 2026, supporting startup costs, business expansion, incubators, and job creation in rural and tribal communities. Loans of up to $1 million and grants of up to $300,000 are available, with a 20% matching requirement and application deadlines at each quarter through August 2026.
Read article →SBA 7(a) Lending Falls 21% in FY2026 as Small Loans Disappear
SBA 7(a) loan approvals have dropped 21% year-to-date in FY2026 with loan count down 30%, meaning fewer small businesses are getting funded at all. The average loan size has swelled to $535,034 — up 12% — as working capital loans under $250K vanish from the program, pushing owners toward CDFIs and private credit alternatives.
Read article →SBA Launches $50 Million E2G Grant for Small Manufacturers
The SBA announced a $50 million Manufacturing in America Empower to Grow (E2G) Grant Initiative offering free training, consulting, and a new 90% Made-in-America loan guarantee for small manufacturers. The program pairs stronger credit support with waived loan fees for manufacturing NAICS codes in FY2026, targeting sectors like aerospace, food processing, and metal fabrication.
Read article →Senate Unanimously Passes S.3977, Restoring $7.5M Subchapter V Bankruptcy Limit
The U.S. Senate passed S.3977, the Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act of 2026, by unanimous consent on August 3, 2026, restoring the Subchapter V small-business bankruptcy debt ceiling to $7.5 million. Subchapter V filings surged 50% year-over-year in H1 2026 — a strong signal of pent-up demand from distressed businesses, many trapped in MCA debt stacks, for this owner-equity-preserving restructuring path.
Read article →2026 MCA Legislation Wave Gives Small Businesses Stronger Legal Protections
Five new laws in 2025–2026 have reshaped the MCA enforcement landscape: New York's FAIR Business Practices Act (effective February 17, 2026) extends unfair-and-abusive-practice protections to small businesses, while Texas HB 700 voids confession of judgment clauses in all new MCA contracts. California's DFPI anti-abuse rules have also reached full enforcement maturity, marking the most significant shift in merchant cash advance protections for business owners in years.
Read article →USDA NIFA Advances SBIR/STTR Phase II Funding for Agri-Tech Small Businesses
USDA's NIFA updated its SBIR/STTR Phase II program on August 4, 2026, continuing to award competitive grants to small businesses conducting high-impact agricultural R&D across 10 broad topic areas including food systems, rural communities, and biotechnology. Phase II awards can reach up to $2 million, making this one of the most accessible non-dilutive capital sources for innovation-stage rural and agricultural firms.
Read article →Senate Demands SBA Explain How Tariff Policy Funneled Small Businesses Into Predatory MCAs
Senators Wyden and Markey wrote to SBA Administrator Loeffler demanding records on how tariff-driven liquidity crises pushed small businesses into merchant cash advances averaging 94% annual interest. They also questioned SBA's June 2025 policy barring 7(a)/504 loans from refinancing MCA debt, effectively cutting off the main escape route for trapped business owners.
Read article →CFPB Drops MCAs from Small Business Data Rule, But Leaves Their Legal Status Unresolved
In May 2026, the CFPB amended its Section 1071 small business data collection rule to exclude merchant cash advances, reversing its 2023 position that MCAs are "credit" under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. The agency stopped short of declaring MCAs non-credit instruments, leaving MCA providers in a compliance gray zone on fair lending and adverse action obligations.
Read article →CDFI Fund Releases 20 Years of NMTC Investment Data and Launches New Mapping System CIMS5
The U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund published a comprehensive report covering all New Markets Tax Credit investments from FY2003 to FY2023, and launched CIMS5, an upgraded CDFI Information Mapping System through the AMIS platform. These tools help small businesses and investors pinpoint CDFI lenders offering capital in underserved and low-income communities.
Read article →FY2026 SBA Budget: $50M Manufacturing Grant Initiative, Tighter Loan Caps, and SBIC Overhaul
Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2026 (P.L. 119-75), the SBA's $1.3B budget includes a new $50M Manufacturing in America E2G grant initiative and a combined $10M ceiling on 7(a) and 504 loans effective July 4. Congress also passed an SBIC modernization bill, though true direct grants to small businesses remain capped at roughly $57M across six noncredit programs.
Read article →MCA Litigation Surges in 2026: NY's FAIR Act and $1B Yellowstone Judgment Reshape the Industry
New York's FAIR Business Practices Act (effective February 2026) empowers the Attorney General to pursue "unfair and abusive" MCA practices against small business funders without needing to prove consumer-oriented harm — a major enforcement expansion following the 2025 $1.065B Yellowstone Capital judgment. About ten states now impose commercial-financing disclosure requirements on MCA providers, creating a growing patchwork of compliance rules that is accelerating litigation.
Read article →Senate Demands SBA Explain Tariff-Driven MCA Debt Crisis
Senate ranking members Wyden and Markey sent a letter to SBA Administrator Loeffler demanding answers on why tariff-stressed small businesses were driven into merchant cash advances averaging 94% APR. The letter flags a June 2025 SBA policy that banned using 7(a) or 504 loans to refinance MCA debt — effectively closing off the main escape route for trapped businesses.
Read article →CFPB Drops MCAs from Small Business Data Rule, Leaves Lending Status Unresolved
The CFPB's May 1, 2026 amended rule under Dodd-Frank Section 1071 removed merchant cash advances from mandatory small business data collection and reporting, reversing its 2023 position that all MCAs constitute "credit." The agency stopped short of ruling MCAs are not credit under ECOA, leaving MCA providers in a compliance gray zone with fair lending exposure still on the table.
Read article →SBIR/STTR Small Business R&D Grants Reauthorized for Five Years
Congress signed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (P.L. 119-83) into law, reauthorizing SBIR and STTR programs for five years after their October 2025 expiration. The programs distribute over $4 billion annually across 11 federal agencies in non-dilutive R&D grants ranging from $50,000 to $2 million per award — the largest direct grant source for small businesses.
Read article →SBA FY2026 Budget: New Loan Ceilings, $50M Manufacturing Grant & SBIC Reform
SBA's FY2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 119-75) set a $10 million combined ceiling on 7(a) and 504 loans effective July 4, launched a $50 million Manufacturing in America E2G grant initiative, and passed an SBIC modernization bill expanding capital access. Of the agency's $1.3 billion total budget, roughly $57 million flows through six noncredit grant programs for exports, trade, and microenterprise development.
Read article →Texas HB 700: States Set MCA Compliance Deadlines as Federal Rules Stall
Texas enacted the Commercial Sales-Based Financing Act (HB 700), the most sweeping state MCA regulation to date, requiring all MCA funders and brokers to register with the Texas OCCC by December 31, 2026 or face $10,000-per-violation penalties. The law restricts ACH auto-debits and mandates full cost disclosures, part of a nationwide trend with roughly 10 states now regulating commercial financing products.
Read article →SBA Launches $9M SCALE Grant Program for Small Business Supply Chains
The SBA is awarding 20 grants of up to $500,000 each to help small businesses tackle supply chain constraints in sectors like advanced manufacturing, biotech, defense, and food systems. Proposals are due August 7, 2026 via Grants.gov — organizations delivering accelerator programs and technical assistance should apply now.
Read article →SBA Opens $50 Million "Empower to Grow" Manufacturing Grant for Small Firms
The SBA's E2G Manufacturing Initiative is offering up to $50 million across 10 awards to organizations that provide hands-on training and technical assistance to small manufacturers in aerospace, robotics, food processing, and defense. This pairs with the SBA's new 90% Made in America loan guarantee and waived manufacturing loan fees in FY2026.
Read article →Vermont Signs Act 142: State Extends Licensing and Disclosure Rules to Merchant Cash Advances
Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed H.648 (Act 142) on June 16, 2026, making Vermont the latest state to apply consumer-style licensing and disclosure requirements to commercial finance products, including MCAs. This follows a national trend of state-level MCA regulation that directly impacts small business borrowers and alternative lenders.
Read article →NASA Releases 2026 SBIR/STTR Broad Agency Announcement with Year-Round Funding Windows
NASA launched its 2026 SBIR/STTR Broad Agency Announcement on April 17, 2026, introducing a phased appendix model that opens new subtopics throughout the year — giving small R&D businesses more chances to compete for Phase I awards up to $275,000. The BAA runs through September 2027 and covers aerospace, technology, and mission-critical innovation.
Read article →CFPB Finalizes Small Business Lending Data Rule Under Dodd-Frank Section 1071
On May 1, 2026, the CFPB issued a final rule amending small business data collection and reporting requirements under Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act, adding new compliance obligations for lenders — including MCA providers and asset-backed lenders. The rule increases transparency for small business borrowers seeking capital across all loan types.
Read article →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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