Lenders › Big Sky Economic Development Corporation
504 CDCBillings, Montanacertified development company101st of 182 by approvals
Big Sky Economic Development Corporation
SBA 504 loan approvals by fiscal year, where they went, how large they were, and how loans from earlier years turned out.
SBA approvals by fiscal year. The federal fiscal year runs 1 October to 30 September, so FY2025 is 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025. *FY2026 is open: approvals to 30 Jun 2026 only.
In FY2021 to FY2025 SBA approved 61 504 loans, worth $46.0M, through Big Sky Economic Development Corporation of Billings, Montana, a certified development company (CDC) that makes SBA 504 loans. By number of approvals that is 101st among 182 active CDCs.
In FY2025, the latest complete fiscal year, it had 15 approvals totalling $7.9M, up 25% on FY2024 (12). FY2026 to 30 Jun 2026 adds 7 more.
The median approval was $642K, against $657K for the 504 program as a whole; 6.6% of its approvals were for $150,000 or less (program: 4.6%).
Its loans went to businesses in 2 states and territories and 16 counties, led by Montana (98.4%) and Colorado (1.6%). The largest industry group was health care and social assistance at 23.0% of approvals, and 8.2% of approvals were to franchise businesses.
Of 211 disbursed loans approved in FY2010 to FY2021, SBA records 0 as charged off (0.0%), 119 as paid in full and 92 still outstanding; the 504 program figure for the same approval years is 1.2%, so the rate here is below it.
Loan status is as recorded by SBA at the data date; charge-off rates are computed on loans approved at least five fiscal years ago. Jobs supported are self-reported estimates from the SBA loan application, which SBA does not review, audit or validate. Loans appear under the lender they are assigned to today, so a lender's figures include loans it took over. Data through 30 Jun 2026.
Approvals by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Approvals | Dollars approved | Median approval | Average approval | Jobs supported, as reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026* | 7 | $4.0M | $284K | $569K | 26 |
| FY2025 | 15 | $7.9M | $374K | $524K | 64 |
| FY2024 | 12 | $12.4M | $795K | $1.0M | 63 |
| FY2023 | 9 | $5.4M | $551K | $597K | 89 |
| FY2022 | 13 | $13.7M | $897K | $1.1M | 114 |
| FY2021 | 12 | $6.7M | $432K | $557K | 62 |
| FY2020 | 6 | $2.9M | $580K | $483K | 19 |
| FY2019 | 16 | $14.6M | $725K | $914K | 112 |
| FY2018 | 10 | $9.9M | $737K | $991K | 47 |
| FY2017 | 13 | $8.5M | $528K | $654K | 103 |
| FY2016 | 26 | $20.4M | $414K | $785K | 429 |
Approvals are counted in the year SBA approved them and include approvals later cancelled. In the five fiscal years before the current window (FY2016–FY2020) the lender had 71 approvals. First approval on file: FY2010.
How earlier loans turned out
Only loans approved at least five fiscal years ago (FY2010–FY2021) are counted, because newer loans have had little time to be paid in full or charged off. "Charged off" is SBA's status for a loan on which it has written off the remaining balance.
| Loans approved FY2010–FY2021 | This lender | Montana | 504 program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals in these years | 249 | 342 | 85,591 |
| Cancelled or never disbursed | 38 | 50 | 12,514 |
| Disbursed loans | 211 | 292 | 73,077 |
| Paid in full | 119 | 137 | 35,491 |
| Charged off | 0 | 0 | 905 |
| Still outstanding (status exempt from disclosure) | 92 | 155 | 36,681 |
| Charged off, share of disbursed loans | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.2% |
| Dollars charged off, share of disbursed dollars | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.9% |
| Dollars charged off | $0 | $0 | $499M |
By approval year
| Approved in | Disbursed | Paid in full | Charged off | Charged off, share | 504 program, same year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2021 | 11 | 0 | 0 | — | 0.1% |
| FY2020 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 0.1% |
| FY2019 | 15 | 6 | 0 | — | 0.3% |
| FY2018 | 10 | 1 | 0 | — | 0.4% |
| FY2017 | 9 | 4 | 0 | — | 0.8% |
| FY2016 | 16 | 7 | 0 | — | 1.0% |
| FY2015 | 10 | 6 | 0 | — | 1.2% |
| FY2014 | 17 | 8 | 0 | — | 1.3% |
| FY2013 | 29 | 16 | 0 | — | 1.4% |
| FY2012 | 31 | 20 | 0 | 0.0% | 2.0% |
| FY2011 | 28 | 23 | 0 | — | 2.1% |
| FY2010 | 31 | 27 | 0 | 0.0% | 3.4% |
A share is shown only where at least 30 loans from that year were disbursed.
Against the 504 program
| FY2021–FY2025 | This lender | 504 program |
|---|---|---|
| Median approval | $642K | $657K |
| Average approval | $755K | $1.0M |
| Approvals of $150,000 or less | 6.6% | 4.6% |
| Approvals to startups and businesses 2 years old or less | 14.8% | 14.4% |
| Approvals to franchise businesses | 8.2% | 9.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 6.4 | 10.1 |
| Charged off, loans approved FY2010–FY2021 | 0.0% | 1.2% |
States served
| # | State of the business (2 in all) | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 60 | $44.9M | 98.4% | |
| 2 | Colorado | 1 | — | 1.6% |
In Montana the lender accounts for 25.5% of all 504 approvals in FY2021–FY2025.
Counties served
| # | County of the business (16 in all) | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yellowstone County, MT | 21 | $22.6M | 34.4% | |
| 2 | Missoula County, MT | 8 | $3.4M | 13.1% | |
| 3 | Flathead County, MT | 6 | $4.5M | 9.8% | |
| 4 | Lewis and Clark County, MT | 5 | $3.5M | 8.2% | |
| 5 | Cascade County, MT | 5 | $3.3M | 8.2% | |
| 6 | Gallatin County, MT | 3 | $2.7M | 4.9% | |
| 7 | Ravalli County, MT | 3 | $909K | 4.9% | |
| 8 | Lake County, MT | 2 | — | 3.3% | |
| 9 | Arapahoe County, CO | 1 | — | 1.6% | |
| 10 | Deer Lodge County, MT | 1 | — | 1.6% | |
| 11 | Richland County, MT | 1 | — | 1.6% | |
| 12 | Park County, MT | 1 | — | 1.6% |
Industry mix
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 14 | 23.0% | |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10 | 16.4% | |
| 3 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 8 | 13.1% | |
| 4 | Retail Trade | 7 | 11.5% | |
| 5 | Accommodation and Food Services | 6 | 9.8% | |
| 6 | Manufacturing | 5 | 8.2% | |
| 7 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 3 | 4.9% | |
| 8 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 3 | 4.9% |
| # | Industry group | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical ServicesNAICS 5419 | 7 | 11.5% | |
| 2 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 6 | 9.8% | |
| 3 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 5 | 8.2% | |
| 4 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 4 | 6.6% | |
| 5 | Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the ElderlyNAICS 6233 | 3 | 4.9% | |
| 6 | Offices of DentistsNAICS 6212 | 2 | 3.3% | |
| 7 | Building Material and Supplies DealersNAICS 4441 | 2 | 3.3% | |
| 8 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 2 | 3.3% | |
| 9 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 2 | 3.3% | |
| 10 | Automobile DealersNAICS 4411 | 1 | 1.6% |
Approval sizes
- $50,001 to $150,0006.6%4
- $150,001 to $350,00029.5%18
- $350,001 to $1 million39.3%24
- $1 million to $2 million21.3%13
- Over $2 million3.3%2
Loan terms
- Over 5 to 10 years1.6%1
- Over 10 to 20 years8.2%5
- Over 20 years90.2%55
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old83.6%51
- Startup, loan funds will open the business14.8%9
- Change of ownership1.6%1
SBA processing method
| # | Method | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accredited Lenders Program | 40 | 65.6% | |
| 2 | ALP Express | 17 | 27.9% | |
| 3 | 504 Refinancing Program | 4 | 6.6% |
Franchise share
5 of 61 approvals in FY2021–FY2025 (8.2%) carried an SBA franchise code; across the 504 program the share is 9.0%.
| # | Franchise brand | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Subaru Dealer Agreement | 1 | 1.6% | |
| 2 | Ace Hardware | 1 | 1.6% | |
| 3 | Spitz | 1 | 1.6% | |
| 4 | Windermere Real Estate | 1 | 1.6% | |
| 5 | Miracle-Ear | 1 | 1.6% |
Third-party lenders in its 504 projects
A 504 project pairs the CDC's loan with a larger loan from a bank or other lender. Banks and credit unions named on five or more of this CDC's projects in FY2021–FY2025:
| # | Third-party lender | Projects | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glacier Bank | 23 | 37.7% | |
| 2 | Stockman Bank of Montana | 13 | 21.3% | |
| 3 | First Interstate Bank | 6 | 9.8% |
Questions and answers
How many SBA loans does Big Sky Economic Development Corporation make?
SBA approved 15 504 loans through Big Sky Economic Development Corporation in FY2025, worth $7.9M, and 61 over FY2021 to FY2025. That ranks 101st of 182 active CDCs by number of approvals.
How large are Big Sky Economic Development Corporation's typical SBA loans?
The median 504 approval in FY2021 to FY2025 was $642K and the average $755K. The program-wide median was $657K.
What is Big Sky Economic Development Corporation's charge-off rate?
Of 211 disbursed loans approved in FY2010 to FY2021, SBA records 0 as charged off (0.0%), 119 as paid in full and 92 still outstanding; the 504 program figure for the same approval years is 1.2%, so the rate here is below it. Loans are listed under the lender that holds them today, so the figure includes loans taken over from other lenders. Status is as recorded by SBA on 30 Jun 2026.
Which industries does Big Sky Economic Development Corporation lend to most?
By number of approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: other professional, scientific, and technical services (7); offices of other health practitioners (6); restaurants and other eating places (5); automotive repair and maintenance (4).
Where does Big Sky Economic Development Corporation make SBA loans?
In 2 states and territories. Montana 60, Colorado 1. In Montana it accounts for 25.5% of all 504 approvals.
Is Big Sky Economic Development Corporation's SBA lending rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 36, against 31 in the three before: rising (+16%).
Where does this data come from?
From the Small Business Administration's 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan files, as of 30 Jun 2026. Borrower names and addresses in those files are discarded when the files are read and appear nowhere on this site.
About these figures
Figures are totals of the Small Business Administration's 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan files, data through 30 Jun 2026. SBA updates the files quarterly. Counts are loan approvals, including approvals later cancelled; the five-year window is FY2021–FY2025, the five latest complete fiscal years. Charge-off rates use only loans approved in FY2010–FY2021, at least five fiscal years ago, and count disbursed loans SBA records as charged off. Loans are listed under the lender they are assigned to today. Dollar figures behind fewer than three approvals are not shown, and no borrower is named anywhere on this site.Methodology · Report an error