CDFIs and SBA lenders are different labels that often overlap. CDFI is a Treasury certification; “SBA lender” means a lender making loans under a Small Business Administration programme.
The SBA programmes in one table
| Programme | What the SBA says |
|---|---|
| Microloans | Loans up to $50,000 through intermediary lenders, “nonprofit community-based organizations”; the SBA puts the average at about $13,000, maximum term seven years, rates generally 8%–13%. [1] |
| 7(a) | The SBA's primary business loan programme; the maximum 7(a) loan is $5 million. [2] |
| 504 | Long-term fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets, originated by Certified Development Companies; the page states a maximum of $5.5 million (its heading says “up to $5 million”). [3] |
Where they overlap
Some certified CDFIs also make SBA loans: 139 describe them on their own websites, and 257 appear in SBA's 7(a)/504 loan data (298 together; see CDFIs that make SBA loans). Examples, quoted from their own websites:
- LiftFund, Inc.:
Loan Products SBA 7(a) Community Advantage
- Accion Opportunity Fund Community Development:
Business Acquisition Financing SBA 7(a) Loan
- B:Side Fund:
Loans SBA 504 Loans
- B.S.D. Capital, Inc. dba Lendistry:
- Minimum FICO of 620 #### SBA 7(a) Business Term Loan
Many other CDFIs — credit unions, Native CDFIs, housing lenders — make no SBA loans at all, and many SBA lenders are not CDFIs.
How to find each
- CDFIs: the CDFI Fund points borrowers to its list of certified CDFIs and its awards database. [4] This site is built on that list.
- SBA lenders: the SBA's Lender Match tool and its list of microlenders. [5][6]
Which to try first
If a bank has turned you down, both routes are worth asking about. The SBA notes that its lenders “make all credit decisions and set all terms” for microloans [1]; CDFIs likewise set their own criteria and service areas — see each lender's page here.
How many CDFIs make SBA loans
257 certified CDFIs appear in the SBA's 7(a) and 504 loan files for fiscal years 2020–2026: 87 loan funds, 95 banks and bank holding companies, and 75 credit unions. Together they have 7,680 7(a) approvals (at least $3.9 billion), 2,209 504 loans as the Certified Development Company and 736 as the 504 third-party lender. SBA Microloans are not in these files, so microlenders show up only through their 7(a) or 504 lending.
Source: SBA 7(a) & 504 FOIA loan data, files as of 30 Sep 2026, downloaded 3 Nov 2026; approvals in fiscal years 2020–2026, cancelled loans left out. Aggregates only, no borrower is named. Banks and credit unions are matched by FDIC or NCUA number, other lenders by name, state and city. Method.
Sources
- SBA — Microloans — read 29 Oct 2026
- SBA — 7(a) loans — read 29 Oct 2026
- SBA — 504 loans — read 29 Oct 2026
- CDFI Fund — FAQ — read 29 Oct 2026
- SBA — Lender Match — read 29 Oct 2026
- SBA — List of microlenders — read 29 Oct 2026
Not financial advice. CDFI Atlas is not a lender.