# SBA and DOW Expand Supplier Financing

The Small Business Administration (SBA) and Department of War (DOW) signed an agreement on October 12, 2026, to improve defense-industry small businesses’ access to loans and strategic equity capital. The effort targets suppliers in critical manufacturing and supply-chain areas, including munitions, platforms, microelectronics, essential materials, and critical metals and minerals. SBA lender referrals and DOW-funded preferred-equity investments may provide financing routes for these suppliers, but the announcement identifies no funding amounts, application deadlines, or procurement solicitations.

- Defense suppliers in the named sectors can assess whether SBA lender referrals or preferred-equity investment could support their capacity and supply-chain needs.
- The agreement signals federal support for strengthening the financial base of small businesses supplying critical defense goods; it is a financing initiative, not a contract award or open solicitation.
- Because no application process or deadline is specified, businesses should not assume that funding is currently available through a specific competition.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Grants & Funding
**Published:** October 13, 2026

### Government Entities
- Small Business Administration (SBA)
- Department of War (DOW)
- Economic Defense Unit (EDU)
- SBA Office of Capital Access
- SBA Office of Investment and Innovation

### Key Quotes
> Together with the Department of War, we are delivering on that promise by supercharging the flow of strategic capital to American defense suppliers to accelerate growth, innovation, and asymmetric advantage for our warfighters.
> — Kelly Loeffler, SBA Administrator

### Sources
- [SBA, DOW Sign Agreement on Small Business Defense Capital](https://www.executivegov.com/articles/sba-dow-agreement-small-business-defense-capital) - ExecutiveGov