Title 12 › Chapter CHAPTER 54— - STATE SMALL BUSINESS CREDIT INITIATIVE › § 5703
A State can ask the Secretary for permission to join the Program and get federal money. The Secretary must approve the State if the State has named a department, agency, or local unit to run the program; has finished the legal steps needed for that entity to operate the program; filed the required application for a State capital access program under section 5704 or for another credit support program under section 5705 within the time allowed; and signed an allocation agreement with the Secretary. That agreement must follow the chapter’s rules, meet national standards set by the Secretary, include controls, reporting, and audit access, require the State program to be ready to provide credit support within 90 days after signing, and include an annual schedule showing how the State will divide the federal funds among its programs. A State may hire another approved State program or an authorized agent (including for‑profit or non‑profit groups) to run its program. If a State does not file a notice of intent within 60 days after March 11, 2021, or a full application within 9 months after March 11, 2021, the Secretary may let cities or towns in that State apply directly. Those municipalities must file a full application within 12 months after March 11, 2021, and may apply together. If more than 3 municipalities qualify, funds go to the three largest by population. If 3 or fewer qualify, each gets funds. If approved, the Secretary will split the full state allocation among the approved municipalities based on population from the most recent decennial census and will consider the extra factors in section 5705(d) when deciding eligibility.
Full Legal Text
Banks and Banking — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
12 U.S.C. § 5703
Title 12 — Banks and Banking
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73