The SBA announced two new loan programs in the last week that significantly increase the federal guarantee on certain business loans from 75% to 90%. Both programs take effect May 1, 2026, and they target two specific sectors: domestic manufacturing and the food supply chain.

Made in America Loan Guarantee (March 31)

This program uses the International Trade Loan (ITL) structure to offer a 90% federal guarantee on loans up to $5 million for manufacturers. Standard 7(a) loans carry a 75% guarantee, so this is a meaningful jump that makes lenders more willing to approve borderline applications.

Eligible businesses fall under NAICS codes 31-33 (manufacturing), with expanded eligibility for food production and logistics companies. The SBA has also waived upfront fees on 7(a) manufacturing loans up to $950,000 and eliminated both upfront and annual service fees on 504 manufacturing loans through September 30, 2026.

Approved uses include equipment upgrades, facility modernization, supply chain diversification, inventory expansion, and acquisitions. The SBA also launched a “Make Onshoring Great Again Portal” at sba.gov/onshoring with a searchable database of over 1 million verified U.S. suppliers through four partner platforms: IndustryNet, Thomasnet, CONNEX Marketplace, and IQS Directory.

Grocery Guarantee (March 27)

Same structure, different target. This program extends the 90% ITL guarantee to businesses across the food supply chain. That includes grain farming, cattle and poultry production, aquaculture, fishing, grocery wholesalers, supermarkets, farm suppliers, refrigerated warehousing, and specialized freight trucking. Loans go up to $5 million.

What This Means for Small Businesses

If you’re in manufacturing or the food supply chain and you’ve been turned down for financing (or haven’t applied because you assumed you wouldn’t qualify), these programs change the math. A 90% guarantee shifts most of the risk to the federal government, which means your lender has a lot less reason to say no. The fee waivers on manufacturing loans sweeten the deal further.

Both programs pair with existing SBA tools like MARC loans (Manufacturing Resilience Capital) and the Working Capital Pilot. Contact your SBA district office or an SBA Finance Manager to get started.

Also worth noting for tax planning: the 100% bonus depreciation on equipment acquired after January 19, 2025, and the now-permanent 20% QBI deduction both apply here. If you’re using an SBA loan to buy equipment, the tax benefits stack.

Sources: SBA Made in America Loan Guarantee | SBA Grocery Guarantee