SBA: Working Capital Pilot Program Delivers $150 Million to Support U.S. Manufacturing

Earlier this year, the SBA announced that its Surety Bond Guarantee (SBG) program delivered record results in FY25. With $10.6 billion in guarantees, this marked the strongest year in the program’s history, supporting over 2,200 small businesses, especially those within the construction, contracting, manufacturing, and fabricating sectors.

Now, the SBA has announced a major milestone for its 7(a) Working Capital Pilot (WCP) Program, which has delivered more than $150 million in new lending since its inception. Small manufacturers are largely driving the success of the program, making up 98 percent of all U.S. manufacturers.

The Administration describes the WCP as a complement to its core 7(a) and 504 loan programs, which were developed to help small businesses gain access to the working capital necessary to support their growth. Since the WCP’s launch, small manufacturers have been its largest beneficiary. These currently account for over 25 percent of the entire portfolio. The SBA says that, through the WCP, job creators are able to take advantage of both the asset-based and transaction-based financing options. This makes the program a potent tool within the Administration’s suite of loan offerings, alongside its new Manufacturers’ Access to Revolving Credit (MARC) program.

SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler commented, “Manufacturing is a growing but capital-intensive industry, which is why SBA’s Working Capital Pilot Program is playing a key role in empowering small firms to reshore their supply chains, hire American workers, and begin growing again after decades of bad trade deals that shipped U.S. jobs and industry overseas. The WCP is one of many SBA initiatives tailored to support America’s 600,000 small manufacturers amid the Trump Administration’s work to restore American industrial dominance. The SBA will continue to expand access to capital, support onshoring, and pursue deregulation to drive economic growth, job creation, innovation, and national security.”

Hon. Kelly Loeffler, SBA Administrator

The SBA says the WCP was built around the annual guarantee fee structure developed and launched during the first Trump administration to increase flexibility for small businesses and lenders, providing more options when structuring a line of credit. One option is asset-based WCP loans, which provide small businesses with a cost-effective way to access working capital against their assets, allowing them to procure inventory, manage expenses, and offer competitive sales terms. Another option is the transaction-based WCP, which empowers small businesses to fund individual projects or orders so working capital can be accessed earlier in the sales cycle, while supporting the ability to finance 100 percent of direct costs. For small businesses competing in the global marketplace, the WCP can also support both domestic and international orders under one facility, allowing firms to open new markets.

Businesses can find complete details on the WCP program, including updates to the FY26 Program Guide and the list of delegated lenders, on the SBA’s website. ¹