active Federal Loan

SBA 7(a) Working Capital Pilot (WCP) Program

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

Up to $5,000,000

Visit official program ↗ See if you qualify — free

The short version

SBA-backed working-capital line

The 7(a) Working Capital Pilot (WCP) is an SBA loan program, launched August 1, 2024, that offers government-backed, monitored lines of credit within the 7(a) program — designed as SBA's modern working-capital line. It supports both asset-based lending (borrowing against accounts receivable and inventory) and transaction-based lending (project/order financing), and is the first SBA facility to cover domestic and international (export) orders under a single line. The maximum line is $5 million, with SBA guaranties of 85% on amounts up to $150,000 and 75% above that, and a maturity of up to 60 months. A WCP-specific annual guaranty fee (modeled on the Export Working Capital Program) replaces upfront fees. Businesses apply through approved SBA 7(a) lenders, not to SBA directly.

Funding type: Loan
Level: Federal
Amount range: $25,000 – $5,000,000
Realistic amount: WCP lines are sized to a borrower's collateral base (eligible accounts receivable and invent…
Deadline: Rolling — apply anytime through an SBA-approved 7(a) lender while the pilot is active.
Status: active
States: Nationwide
Payment model: loan

Who qualifies

Must meet general SBA 7(a) eligibility: a for-profit small business (per SBA size standards) operating in the U.S.
Must be unable to obtain the desired credit on reasonable terms from non-federal, non-state, non-local government sources (credit-elsewhere test)
Must be creditworthy and demonstrate a reasonable ability to repay
Generally must have operated for at least 12 full months before application
Must be able to produce timely, accurate financial statements, accounts-receivable and accounts-payable agings, and inventory reports (required for the monitored/asset-based structure)
Standard 7(a) ineligible-business and character/eligibility rules apply

What it covers

Eligible expenses

Working capital to support operations and growth
Financing of accounts receivable and inventory (asset-based use)
Project- or order-based financing, including domestic and export/international orders
Costs supporting acquisitions and project sales cycles (per SBA/lender terms)

Ineligible expenses

Uses prohibited under standard SBA 7(a) rules
Permanent financing of fixed assets/real estate (use 504 or term 7(a) instead)
Speculative activities or ineligible business types under 7(a)
Refinancing structured to evade 7(a) requirements

How to apply

1

Find a participating SBA 7(a) WCP lender

Identify an SBA-approved 7(a) lender that offers the Working Capital Pilot (use SBA Lender Match or your existing bank). SBA Finance Managers also offer one-on-one counseling on structuring WCP transactions.

~3 hrs
2

Assemble financials and collateral reporting

Prepare financial statements, AR/AP agings, inventory reports, and (for transaction-based use) details of the specific orders or projects to be financed. The line is monitored, so ongoing borrowing-base reporting is part of the deal.

~12 hrs
3

Lender underwrites and submits to SBA

The lender underwrites the line (borrowing base or project structure), sets the limit and rate, and obtains the SBA guaranty. The credit-elsewhere test and 7(a) eligibility are documented.

~6 hrs
4

Close the line and begin draws

Execute loan documents and begin drawing against the line as needed. Interest accrues only on the drawn balance; ongoing borrowing-base certificates and reporting maintain availability.

~4 hrs

Insider tip

Because WCP is a monitored, borrowing-base line, lenders weight the quality of your reporting heavily — businesses that already produce clean monthly AR/AP agings and inventory reports get approved and sized far faster. If you're an exporter (or sell to both domestic and international buyers), WCP is uniquely valuable: it's the only SBA line that covers domestic and international orders under one facility, so flag that to your lender to maximize the limit.

Deadline & timing

WCP is a pilot program that launched August 1, 2024 with no published end date as of mid-2026; SBA can modify or sunset a pilot. There is no application cycle — businesses apply through participating SBA 7(a) lenders on a rolling basis. Confirm a lender currently offers WCP before applying.

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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.