Florida Small Business Loan Program: Loan Guarantee Program
Gives a private lender a short-term, partial guarantee of up to 50 percent on a loan or line of credit to an eligible Florida small business. Proceeds can be used for most business purposes, including lines of credit, construction and working capital. It is administered by FloridaCommerce with Florida First Capital Finance Corporation.
- Last reviewed
Key terms
Borrower eligibility
- Florida-based small business. FloridaCommerce's August 2025 release sets the limit at fewer than 750 employees for this program; its January 2025 release and the SSBCI For Businesses page say fewer than 500. Confirm the current limit with FloridaCommerce.floridajobs.org
- Program funds may be used for start-up costs, business procurement, franchise fees, equipment, inventory, and the purchase, construction, renovation or tenant improvements of an eligible place of business.floridajobs.org
- Under federal SSBCI rules for credit support programs other than capital access, support cannot go to a borrower with more than 750 employees or to a transaction above $20 million, counting all loans for the same purpose that close at about the same time.home.treasury.gov
Lender requirements
What a lender must be or do to make these loans.
- Available to any insured depository institution, insured credit union, certified development company or community development financial institution. Other lenders must meet the definition of "financial institution" in section 655.005, Florida Statutes.floridajobs.org
- Lenders enroll by contacting FloridaCommerce's SSBCI office (SSBCI@commerce.fl.gov). FloridaCommerce publishes participating lenders, their contacts and the counties they serve.floridajobs.org
- Under federal SSBCI rules the lender gives the state assurances that the supported loan is not made to move the lender's prior uncovered debt into the program, is not a refinancing of the lender's or an affiliate's own earlier loan (except as the refinancing rules allow), and that no principal of the lender has been convicted of a sex offense against a minor.home.treasury.gov
- Under federal SSBCI rules the lender must obtain an assurance from the borrower that no principal of the borrowing business has been convicted of a sex offense against a minor.home.treasury.gov
Underwriting requirements
What the credit file has to show.
- The lender originates and underwrites the loan; the guarantee is partial, so the lender keeps the remaining risk.floridajobs.org
- Under federal SSBCI rules, refinancing debt originally made by an unaffiliated lender is allowed only if the new amount is at least 150 percent of the previous outstanding balance, the fee-adjusted APR falls by 30 percent, and proceeds do not fund an extraordinary dividend or distribution.home.treasury.gov
Governing documents
The rules a file is held to, with the version in force.
- Program pageTreasury SSBCI Capital Program Summaries: FloridaVersion Program information updated March 2026home.treasury.gov
- GuideFlorida's State Small Business Credit Initiative Lender ToolkitVersion February 2023floridajobs.org
- GuideSSBCI Capital Program Policy Guidelines (U.S. Treasury)Version November 2021home.treasury.gov
- GuideSSBCI Frequently Asked Questions (U.S. Treasury)Version Updated November 10, 2026home.treasury.gov
What changed
Published changes to this program, newest first.
- Guide
Treasury publishes SSBCI post-program FAQs
Treasury's authority to run the SSBCI Capital Program ends on March 11, 2028. SSBCI money already sent to a state stays with the state after that date, and from then on a state may end a program, add one, change its scope or move funds between programs without Treasury approval. States may submit material modification requests to Treasury until September 30, 2027.
What to do: Expect the state to be free to change or close this program after March 11, 2028. Confirm the current terms with the program office before relying on them for loans that will be enrolled or claimed after that date.
- Guide
Treasury sets the final SSBCI disbursement deadlines
Treasury cannot transfer SSBCI Capital Program funds to states after March 11, 2028, and states must submit final disbursement requests by December 31, 2027. Treasury expects to terminate a state's second and third tranches if, within three years of its allocation agreement, the state has not used at least 80 percent of its first tranche and asked for the next disbursement.
What to do: Program capacity beyond the tranches the state has already received depends on the state meeting these deadlines. Check with the program office that funds are available before committing a borrower to an SSBCI-supported structure.
- Program page
Florida receives its second SSBCI tranche of $167 million
FloridaCommerce announced that it received the second of three Treasury tranches, $167 million, making it available for Florida's SSBCI capital programs. The first tranche of $142 million was received in December 2022 out of a $488 million total allocation.
What to do: Program capacity was replenished. Lenders with deals in the pipeline can contact FloridaCommerce at SSBCI@commerce.fl.gov to enroll or confirm funding for a transaction.
How to participate
Contact FloridaCommerce's SSBCI office at SSBCI@commerce.fl.gov (the 2023 program webinar also lists 1-888-357-5053) to enroll as a participating lender. FloridaCommerce runs the program with Florida First Capital Finance Corporation as administrator. Borrowers apply through a participating lender, not through FloridaCommerce.
Last reviewed Nov 13, 2026. A summary of official sources, linked beside each fact, kept current by Kita each week. Program rules change: confirm against the current source before you rely on a figure. Not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@kita.ai.
Run FL SSBCI Loan Guarantee on Kita.
Kita underwrites the whole file, configured to your own credit policy and to the programs you run. Your underwriter keeps the decision.
Tax returns, bank statements and financials, as PDFs, scans or photos.
Period over period, with debt service coverage computed from the spread.
Tests the file against FL SSBCI Loan Guarantee requirements and flags what is missing before it reaches review.
Every figure links to the page it came from, so it can be checked.