Need a Small Business Loan in 2026? Start Here

Maybe cash flow feels tight. Maybe you want to hire, buy equipment or stop putting things off. Whatever the motivation, a business loan may be your first stop. In fact, it’s where roughly 37% of business owners turned in 2024 (similar to the prior year), according to the Fed’s Small Business Credit Survey.

Finding a loan can be confusing and time consuming, but the U.S. Chamber of Commerce wants to help by pointing business owners toward current loan programs and financing resources through its CO— platform. Its “live list” includes federal programs and lenders in one place, making it easier to see what options exist as you plan the next steps for 2026.

Here are a few opportunities you may want to explore (read the complete list with links here): 

• Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) offer loans through certified lenders and may take a more flexible view of underwriting.

• Accion Opportunity Fund provides loans from $5,000 to $250,000 for growing businesses.

• SBA 7(a) loans support working capital, equipment and expansion through approved lenders.

• Community Advantage SBA loans focus on underserved businesses through mission-based lenders.

• USDA Rural Development loan programs support businesses operating in rural communities.

  
  

It’s important to note that loans aren’t about chasing capital; they’re about making deliberate decisions at the right moment. I cover how these decisions fit into the broader process of building a business in my books Your First Business Blueprint, written for first-time founders, and Blueprints Beat Cocktail Napkins, a practical guide to business planning. Both are available on Amazon.