Survey of Small Business Administration Microloan Program Participation

OMB Control Number: 3245-XXXX
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX
This information collection is necessary for SBA to meet requirements imposed by Section 853(c)
of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (NDAA 2019), Pub.
L.115-232 (8/13/2018). It requires the SBA to study the level of participation by intermediaries
that are eligible to participate in the Agency’s Microloan Program. Based on the survey
responses, SBA will deliver a report to Congress that includes:
1) the operations (including services provided, structure, size, and area of operation)
of a representative sample of—
(A) intermediaries that are eligible to participate in the microloan program and that
do participate; and
(B) intermediaries that are eligible to participate in the microloan program and that
do not participate;
2) the reasons why eligible intermediaries described in paragraph (1)(B) choose not to
participate in the microloan program;
3) recommendations on how to encourage increased participation in the microloan
program by eligible intermediaries described in paragraph (1)(B); and
4) recommendations on how to decrease the costs associated with participation in the
microloan program for eligible intermediaries.
Responses to this survey are strongly encouraged in order to gain valuable insights, but are
voluntary.
Paperwork Reduction Act: You are not required to respond to this survey unless it displays an
OMB Control Number that is current. The estimated time to complete this survey is 20
minutes. This estimate includes the time needed to collect the information. If you have any
questions or comments about this estimated time, or any other aspect of this survey, including
suggestions for how to reduce the time needed, you can send comments to the Director,
Records Management Division. Small Business Administration,409 Third Street, SW, Washington
DC 20146, and/or SBA Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office
Building, Rm. 10202, Washington DC 20503.
Thank you very much for your participation in this survey.
Survey Questions
1. Organization type:
My organization is:
•
•
•

A private, nonprofit community development corporation or other non-profit entity.
A consortium of private, nonprofit community development corporations or other entities.
A quasi-governmental economic development entity, other than a state, county, municipal
government or any agency thereof.

•
•

An agency of, or a nonprofit entity established by a Native American Tribal Government.
None of the above.

2. Organizational Experience:
My organization has made and serviced short-term fixed rate loans of not more than $50,000 to
newly established or growing small businesses for at least one year.
•
•

Yes
No

3. My organization has at least one year of experience providing in-house training and
technical assistance to microloan borrowers and prospective borrowers.
• Yes
• No
4. My organization currently participates in the SBA Microloan Program.
• Yes
• No
5. My organization participated in the SBA Microloan Program in the past, but currently does
not participate.
• Yes
• No
6. My organization applied to SBA to participate in the Microloan Program.
• Yes
• No
7. Please select the top 3 reasons your organization has not applied to participate in the SBA
Microloan Program.
• Lack of knowledge about the SBA Microloan Program
• I have access to all the funding sources I require
• Too many regulations / rules are too complicated
• Reporting requirements are too burdensome
• I don’t like the audit requirement
• I don’t like the uncertainty of annual funding level fluctuations
• I don’t like the 15% matching funds requirement
• I don’t like the 15% loan loss reserve requirement
• The maximum allowable interest rate does not allow me to cover my costs
• The application is too burdensome
• Other (please specify)_____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________
8. Please select the top 3 reasons your organization exited the Microloan Program.
• I have access to all the funding sources I require
• Too many regulations / rules are too complicated
• Reporting requirements are too burdensome
• I don’t like the audit requirement
• I don’t like the uncertainty of annual funding level fluctuations
• I don’t like the 15% matching funds requirement
• I don’t like the 15% loan loss reserve requirement
• The maximum allowable interest rate does not allow me to cover my costs
• Not enough training and technical assistance grant funding
• Other (please specify)__________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
9. Select the reasons your organization’s application to the SBA Microloan Program was turned
down (select all that apply)
• Insufficient organizational staffing
• Insufficient financial strength/stability
• Insufficient history of lending/technical assistance
• Poor historical loan performance
• SBA found my organization ineligible
• Other (please specify)___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
10. Please select the top 3 areas that you believe would improve the SBA Microloan Program
• Increase maximum microloan size above $50,000
• Improve reporting system / technology
• SBA to provide more frequent / more detailed training to intermediaries
• Reduce required production level to fewer than 10 microloans per year
• Allow intermediary to charge greater interest rate spread
• Allow intermediary to charge greater fees
• Provide more grant funding
• Eliminate geographic restriction on distribution of loans to Intermediaries (“1/55th rule”)
• Eliminate restrictions on maximum amount of pre-loan technical assistance (currently
limited to 50%
• Allow longer repayment term to SBA
• Simplify program-related interest rate rules
• Provide greater incentives for serving identified underserved markets
• Other (please specify)__________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
11. My organization has been making small business loans of $50,000 or less for _____ years.

•
•
•

1 to 5 years
6 to 10 years
More than 10 years

12. My organization made ______ small business loans of $50,000 or less in the most recent 12month period.
• 0
• 1 to 10
• 11 to 50
• more than 50
13. The total dollars lent by my organization to small businesses (loans of $50,000 or less) in the
most recent 12-month period is ______.
• $0 to $100,000
• $100,001 to $500,000
• $500,001 to $2,000,000
• More than $2,000,000
14. My organization has ______ years experience providing training and technical assistance to
small businesses.
• 1 to 5 years
• 6 to 10 years
• More than 10 years
15. My organization performed ______ hours of training and technical assistance in the most
recent 12-month period.
• 1 to 100
• 101 to 500
• 501 to 2000
• 201 to 5000
• more than 5000
16. My organization provides microloans ($50,000 or less) and training and technical assistance
services to the following markets (select all that apply)
• Minority-owned
• Low/Moderate Income
• Women-owned
• Veteran-owned
• Startup businesses (less than 2 years old)
• Businesses located in rural areas
• Other (please specify)___________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

17. The geographic territory my organization provided small business loans ($50,000 or less)
and training and technical assistance services in over the most recent 12-month period
is______.
• 1 to 5 counties
• 6 to 10 counties
• 11 to 20 counties
• More than 20 counties, but not statewide
• Statewide
• Multistate
• National
• My organization did not provide small business loans ($50,000 or less) and training
and technical assistance in the most recent 12-month period
18. My organization has ______ full-time employees (measured in full-time-equivalent – 40
hours per week)
• 0
• 1 to 5
• 6 to 10
• 11 to 20
• more than 20
19. Please recommend ways to encourage increased participation in the SBA Microloan
Program

20. Please recommend ways to reduce the costs associated with participation in the SBA
Microloan Program