Lenders › Brightbridge, Inc.
504 CDCChattanooga, Tennesseecertified development company79th of 182 by approvals
Brightbridge, Inc.
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.
Brightbridge, Inc., based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is a certified development company (CDC) that makes SBA 504 loans. SBA approved 93 of its 504 loans worth $136M in FY2021 to FY2025, which places it 79th of 182 active CDCs by number of approvals.
In FY2025, the latest complete fiscal year, it had 20 approvals totalling $36.5M, up 33% on FY2024 (15). FY2026 to 30 Jun 2026 adds 12 more.
The median approval was $856K, against $657K for the 504 program as a whole; 2.2% of its approvals were for $150,000 or less (program: 4.6%).
Its loans went to businesses in 4 states and territories and 29 counties, led by Tennessee (93.5%), Georgia (3.2%) and Kentucky (2.2%). The largest industry group was accommodation and food services at 32.3% of approvals, and 24.7% of approvals were to franchise businesses.
Of 226 disbursed loans approved in FY2010 to FY2021, SBA records 1 as charged off (0.4%), 145 as paid in full and 80 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* | 12 | $13.6M | $528K | $1.1M | 61 |
| FY2025 | 20 | $36.5M | $1.5M | $1.8M | 449 |
| FY2024 | 15 | $24.5M | $1.8M | $1.6M | 148 |
| FY2023 | 11 | $16.5M | $1.2M | $1.5M | 141 |
| FY2022 | 17 | $28.8M | $856K | $1.7M | 261 |
| FY2021 | 30 | $29.6M | $484K | $987K | 259 |
| FY2020 | 18 | $25.8M | $966K | $1.4M | 208 |
| FY2019 | 12 | $14.6M | $402K | $1.2M | 204 |
| FY2018 | 12 | $11.8M | $651K | $987K | 141 |
| FY2017 | 12 | $6.1M | $433K | $506K | 89 |
| FY2016 | 11 | $14.0M | $1.0M | $1.3M | 556 |
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 65 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 | Tennessee | 504 program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals in these years | 271 | 423 | 85,591 |
| Cancelled or never disbursed | 45 | 85 | 12,514 |
| Disbursed loans | 226 | 338 | 73,077 |
| Paid in full | 145 | 209 | 35,491 |
| Charged off | 1 | 6 | 905 |
| Still outstanding (status exempt from disclosure) | 80 | 123 | 36,681 |
| Charged off, share of disbursed loans | 0.4% | 1.8% | 1.2% |
| Dollars charged off, share of disbursed dollars | 0.1% | 0.7% | 0.9% |
| Dollars charged off | $239K | $2.1M | $499M |
By approval year
| Approved in | Disbursed | Paid in full | Charged off | Charged off, share | 504 program, same year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2021 | 26 | 6 | 0 | — | 0.1% |
| FY2020 | 14 | 2 | 0 | — | 0.1% |
| FY2019 | 11 | 3 | 0 | — | 0.3% |
| FY2018 | 11 | 2 | 0 | — | 0.4% |
| FY2017 | 10 | 6 | 0 | — | 0.8% |
| FY2016 | 10 | 7 | 0 | — | 1.0% |
| FY2015 | 13 | 9 | 0 | — | 1.2% |
| FY2014 | 14 | 11 | 0 | — | 1.3% |
| FY2013 | 14 | 12 | 0 | — | 1.4% |
| FY2012 | 32 | 27 | 0 | 0.0% | 2.0% |
| FY2011 | 37 | 31 | 1 | 2.7% | 2.1% |
| FY2010 | 34 | 29 | 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 | $856K | $657K |
| Average approval | $1.5M | $1.0M |
| Approvals of $150,000 or less | 2.2% | 4.6% |
| Approvals to startups and businesses 2 years old or less | 24.7% | 14.4% |
| Approvals to franchise businesses | 24.7% | 9.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 13.5 | 10.1 |
| Charged off, loans approved FY2010–FY2021 | 0.4% | 1.2% |
States served
| # | State of the business (4 in all) | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tennessee | 87 | $132M | 93.5% | |
| 2 | Georgia | 3 | $1.3M | 3.2% | |
| 3 | Kentucky | 2 | — | 2.2% | |
| 4 | Mississippi | 1 | — | 1.1% |
In Tennessee the lender accounts for 65.9% of all 504 approvals in FY2021–FY2025.
Counties served
| # | County of the business (29 in all) | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamilton County, TN | 16 | $17.5M | 17.2% | |
| 2 | Davidson County, TN | 13 | $24.3M | 14.0% | |
| 3 | Knox County, TN | 13 | $16.9M | 14.0% | |
| 4 | Montgomery County, TN | 6 | $8.8M | 6.5% | |
| 5 | Blount County, TN | 6 | $7.0M | 6.5% | |
| 6 | Maury County, TN | 4 | $5.7M | 4.3% | |
| 7 | Rutherford County, TN | 4 | $4.8M | 4.3% | |
| 8 | Madison County, TN | 3 | $10.6M | 3.2% | |
| 9 | Shelby County, TN | 3 | $8.7M | 3.2% | |
| 10 | Bradley County, TN | 2 | — | 2.2% | |
| 11 | Monroe County, TN | 2 | — | 2.2% | |
| 12 | Wilson County, TN | 2 | — | 2.2% |
Industry mix
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 30 | 32.3% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 16 | 17.2% | |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 10 | 10.8% | |
| 4 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 6 | 6.5% | |
| 5 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 6.5% | |
| 6 | Transportation and Warehousing | 5 | 5.4% | |
| 7 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 5.4% | |
| 8 | Construction | 4 | 4.3% |
| # | Industry group | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 20 | 21.5% | |
| 2 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 10 | 10.8% | |
| 3 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 3 | 3.2% | |
| 4 | Grocery StoresNAICS 4451 | 3 | 3.2% | |
| 5 | Beverage ManufacturingNAICS 3121 | 3 | 3.2% | |
| 6 | Other Motor Vehicle DealersNAICS 4412 | 3 | 3.2% | |
| 7 | Warehousing and StorageNAICS 4931 | 2 | 2.2% | |
| 8 | Building Finishing ContractorsNAICS 2383 | 2 | 2.2% | |
| 9 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 2 | 2.2% | |
| 10 | Printing and Related Support ActivitiesNAICS 3231 | 2 | 2.2% |
Approval sizes
- $50,001 to $150,0002.2%2
- $150,001 to $350,00019.4%18
- $350,001 to $1 million31.2%29
- $1 million to $2 million21.5%20
- Over $2 million25.8%24
Loan terms
- Over 5 to 10 years2.2%2
- Over 10 to 20 years9.7%9
- Over 20 years88.2%82
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old72.0%67
- New business, 2 years or less3.2%3
- Startup, loan funds will open the business21.5%20
- Change of ownership3.2%3
SBA processing method
| # | Method | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 504 Basic | 83 | 89.2% | |
| 2 | 504 Refinancing Program | 10 | 10.8% |
Franchise share
23 of 93 approvals in FY2021–FY2025 (24.7%) carried an SBA franchise code; across the 504 program the share is 9.0%.
| # | Franchise brand | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Holiday Inn Express | 2 | 2.2% | |
| 2 | Quality Inn | 2 | 2.2% | |
| 3 | DQ Grill & Chill Operating Agreement | 2 | 2.2% | |
| 4 | avid Hotels | 1 | 1.1% | |
| 5 | Home 2 Suites by Hilton | 1 | 1.1% | |
| 6 | WoodSpring Suites ES | 1 | 1.1% | |
| 7 | Tru by Hilton | 1 | 1.1% | |
| 8 | Courtyard by Marriott | 1 | 1.1% |
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 | Regions Bank | 9 | 9.7% | |
| 2 | SmartBank | 9 | 9.7% | |
| 3 | CBBC Bank | 7 | 7.5% | |
| 4 | U.S. Bank, National Association | 5 | 5.4% |
Questions and answers
How many SBA loans does Brightbridge, Inc. make?
SBA approved 20 504 loans through Brightbridge, Inc. in FY2025, worth $36.5M, and 93 over FY2021 to FY2025. That ranks 79th of 182 active CDCs by number of approvals.
How large are Brightbridge, Inc.'s typical SBA loans?
The median 504 approval in FY2021 to FY2025 was $856K and the average $1.5M. The program-wide median was $657K.
What is Brightbridge, Inc.'s charge-off rate?
Of 226 disbursed loans approved in FY2010 to FY2021, SBA records 1 as charged off (0.4%), 145 as paid in full and 80 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 Brightbridge, Inc. lend to most?
By number of approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: traveler accommodation (20); restaurants and other eating places (10); general freight trucking (3); grocery stores (3).
Where does Brightbridge, Inc. make SBA loans?
In 4 states and territories. Tennessee 87, Georgia 3, Kentucky 2, Mississippi 1. In Tennessee it accounts for 65.9% of all 504 approvals.
Is Brightbridge, Inc.'s SBA lending rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 46, against 65 in the three before: falling (-29%).
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