Small Business lending

GRB is a leading Small Business Administration (SBA) lender in Western & Central New York, helping a wide range of businesses obtain the funding needed to grow and succeed.

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GRB is Committed to Supporting Local Small Businesses

The mission of GRB and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are very well aligned. Like the SBA, GRB wants to help local businesses grow and prosper. Together, we accomplish this goal by making low-interest loans available to new and growing businesses in the region.

The U.S. Small Business Administration provides a number of loans, grant and funding programs to small businesses. The SBA has microloan programs for financing up to $50,000 and works with designated financial institutions, like GRB, to access larger funding amounts.

An SBA loan is partially guaranteed by the government, which helps to eliminate some of the risk for the financial institution issuing the loan. The SBA also offers funding for disaster assistance. This was fundamental in keeping small businesses operating during the pandemic through Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.

GRB is committed to supporting the development of the region’s small business community.

Why GRB for SBA Loans?

It’s important to understand all of the opportunities related to SBA lending. GRB is:

  • A “Delegated Lender” with the SBA.
    This is the highest level of authority granted to process and close SBA loans.
  • An experienced SBA lender.
    Genesee Regional Bank is a top SBA Lender in the Rochester area, providing support for a wide range of new and growing businesses.
  • Provides personalized service.
    Our Commercial Banking team provides financial solutions to help businesses grow with a strong financial foundation.

SBA loans can be a great tool to help support business growth. Your GRB Commercial Banking representative will work closely with you to understand your business goals. Working together, we can help you make the right financial decisions for your business.

commonly asked questions

What are SBA loans?

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides a number of loans, grant and funding programs to small businesses. The SBA has microloan programs for financing up to $50,000 and works with designated financial institutions, like GRB, to access larger funding amounts. An SBA loan is partially guaranteed by the government, which helps to eliminate some of the risk for the financial institution issuing the loan. The SBA also offers funding for disaster assistance. This was fundamental in keeping small businesses operating during the pandemic through Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.

How do I apply for an SBA loan?

The SBA provides a number of good resources for building your business plan and determining the type of funding you may need. But when it is time to apply for a loan, you will be working with an SBA lender like GRB to guide you through the application and approval process.

If this loan is government-backed, why do I need to put up collateral?

The SBA requires banks to underwrite loans as if there was no government backing. So GRB uses the same collateral requirements on an SBA loan as they would any other small business loan. GRB will work with you to ensure that you are comfortable with any collateral arrangement for your government small business loan.

How long will it take to obtain financing?

There are many factors that determine how long the SBA process takes. It is dependent on meeting the SBA requirements and providing all the necessary documentation. But as a SBA Delegated Lender, GRB has the ability to process and close SBA loans in the most efficient manner possible.

Does the SBA provide support to specific types of businesses?

Yes, the SBA does make special programs and resources available to women, veterans, minority, Native American, and rural business owners to help level the playing field. These resources can include special funding opportunities, education and development resources, mentoring programs, partnerships with other government departments, and more. In addition, the SBA provides a certification program for these businesses that can help open doors to new opportunities.

Contact GRB Today

Use the dropdown below to fill out our ‘Contact Us’ form, and a GRB Commercial Banker will be in touch to answer your questions!