Glossary
Each term has one meaning on this site. The first text is a plain explanation. The quotation is the text of SBA or the Census Bureau, with a link to the page.
Last checked against the SBA pages:
- Approval
One row of the SBA file: one loan that SBA approved. A later cancellation does not remove the row. The site counts approvals, not loans that paid out.
The agency's words:
Date the loan was approved
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field ApprovalDate- Gross approval amount
The total amount of a loan at approval. The tables call the sum of these amounts "Dollars". For a 504 approval the site uses the CDC loan only.
The agency's words:
Total loan amount
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field GrossApproval- 7(a)
The main SBA loan program. A lender makes the loan and SBA guarantees a part of it. SBA does not make the loan.
The agency's words:
The 7(a) loan program is SBA’s primary business loan program for providing financial assistance to small businesses.
SBA, 7(a) loans- 504
The SBA loan program for major fixed assets such as land and buildings. A CDC and a bank or credit union each make a loan in one project.
The agency's words:
The 504 loan program provides long-term, fixed rate financing for major fixed assets that promote business growth and job creation.
SBA, 504 loans- CDC (certified development company)
A non-profit company that SBA certifies to make 504 loans. In the 504 file, the CDC is the lender of the record.
The agency's words:
Certified Development Companies (CDCs) are authorized by SBA to originate in collaboration with a senior lender a 504 loan, SBA’s community-based nonprofit partners who promote economic development within their communities.
SBA, 504 loans- Lender
The bank, credit union, CDC or other company to which the SBA file assigns a loan today. After a sale of loans, the buyer is the lender.
The agency's words:
Name of the bank that the loan is currently assigned to
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field BankName- Third-party lender
In a 504 project, the bank or credit union that makes the larger loan beside the CDC loan. The site does not count its dollars.
The agency's words:
Name of third party lender
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field ThirdPartyLender_Name- Fiscal year (FY)
The federal year from 1 October to 30 September. FY2025 is 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025. The site writes the year as FY and four digits.
The agency's words:
Fiscal year the loan was approved
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field ApprovalFY- Five-year window
The five latest complete fiscal years. The page shows its dates. Most totals, medians and shares on the site use this window.
The agency has no entry for this term. The explanation is the site's own.
- Median approval
The middle gross approval amount when all approvals of a group are put in order. Half of the approvals are smaller and half are larger.
The agency has no entry for this term. The explanation is the site's own.
- Disbursed loan
An approval that is not cancelled and not undisbursed. The lender paid out the money. Charge-off shares use disbursed loans only.
The agency's words:
Date of first loan disbursement (if available)
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field FirstDisbursementDate- Paid in full
A status in the SBA file. The borrower repaid the loan.
The agency's words:
PIF = Paid In Full
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field LoanStatus- Charged off
A status in the SBA file. SBA records the loan as charged off. The status describes a loan. It does not say why the loan reached the status.
The agency's words:
CHGOFF = Charged Off
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field LoanStatusThe loans recorded as charged off, divided by the disbursed loans, for loans approved five fiscal years ago or more. The site shows it beside the share for the whole program.
The agency's words:
Total loan balance charged off (includes guaranteed and non-guaranteed portion of loan)
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field GrossChargeOffAmount- Cancelled
A status in the SBA file. The approval was cancelled. The approval stays in the count of approvals.
The agency's words:
CANCLD = Cancelled
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field LoanStatus- Not paid in full and not charged off
A disbursed loan that is neither paid in full, charged off nor cancelled. SBA does not disclose the status of such a loan, so the site cannot say more.
The agency's words:
EXEMPT = The status of loans that have been disbursed but have not been cancelled, paid in full, or charged off are exempt from disclosure under FOIA Exemption 4
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field LoanStatus- Jobs supported
The jobs created plus the jobs retained, as the lender reported them on the loan application. SBA does not check the numbers.
The agency's words:
Total Jobs Created + Jobs Retained as reported by lender on SBA Loan Application. SBA does not review, audit, or validate these numbers - they are simply self-reported, good faith estimates by the lender.
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field JobsSupported- Initial interest rate
The rate at the time of approval. A variable rate can change later. The 7(a) file has the rate. The 504 file does not.
The agency's words:
Initial interest rate - total interest rate (base rate plus spread) at time loan was approved
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field InitialInterestRate- Processing method
The SBA procedure that a lender used for an approval, for example the Preferred Lenders Program or SBA Express.
The agency's words:
Specific processing method loan was approved under. See SOP 50 10 5 for definitions and rules for each processing method.
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field ProcessingMethod- NAICS code
The code of the line of business of the borrower. It has 2 to 6 digits. The site uses the first 2, 3 or 4 digits.
The agency's words:
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field NaicsCode- Franchise code
The code that SBA gives to a franchise brand. SBA can use more than one code and more than one name for one brand. The site adds the codes of one name.
The agency's words:
Franchise Name (if applicable)
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field FranchiseName- Business establishment
A place of business with paid employees, as the Census Bureau counts it in County Business Patterns. The site uses the count to give approvals for each 1,000 establishments.
The agency's words:
County Business Patterns (CBP) is an annual series that provides subnational economic data for establishments with paid employees by industry and employment size.
Census Bureau, County Business Patterns- SBA file
One release of the 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan files. SBA publishes a release each quarter. The data date is the date to which the file gives approvals.
The agency's words:
Date when the data was recorded
SBA, 7(a) and 504 FOIA Data Dictionary, field AsOfDate
The site copied the agency texts on . A quotation keeps the spelling of the agency.