small businesses operate in the United States.
They account for 99.9% of U.S. businesses, according to the SBA’s 2025 national profile.
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, 2025 Small Business Profile ↗Reference guide · Updated October 13, 2026
Small business funding statistics for 2026.
A citable U.S. snapshot of small-business size, funding demand, and credit outcomes, with every figure linked to its original source.Browse the statistics ↓The quick read
The funding conversation starts with the facts.
This page brings together recent federal data for reporters, business writers, researchers, and business owners who need a clean, attributable view of the U.S. small-business funding landscape. It is a reference page, not a promise of funding or an endorsement of any lender.
The most recent credit figures below come from the Federal Reserve Banks’ 2026 report on the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey. The business-count and employment figures come from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2025 national profile.
people work for U.S. small businesses.
That is 45.9% of U.S. employees in the SBA’s 2025 profile.
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, 2025 Small Business Profile ↗of surveyed small employer firms applied for financing in the prior 12 months.
The 2025 Federal Reserve survey covers employer firms with fewer than 500 employees.
Source: Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Small Business Credit Survey report ↗of financing applicants said operating expenses were a reason for applying.
Expansion or a new opportunity was the next most common reason, cited by 46% of applicants.
Source: Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Small Business Credit Survey report ↗applied for a loan, line of credit, or merchant cash advance.
This figure is specifically for those three traditional or alternative credit products in the prior 12 months.
Source: Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Small Business Credit Survey report ↗of applicants received the full amount of financing they sought.
Another 36% received some or most, while 22% received none of the amount they requested.
Source: Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Small Business Credit Survey report ↗of applicants to small banks were fully approved.
The Federal Reserve report says this was higher than for applicants to other lender types covered by the survey.
Source: Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Small Business Credit Survey report ↗of online-lender borrowers reported actual borrowing costs were higher than expected.
The survey result is a reminder to compare the whole repayment obligation, not only the speed of an answer.
Source: Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Small Business Credit Survey report ↗What the numbers suggest
Preparation changes the quality of the conversation.
The data does not point to one universal funding path. It does show why a business owner benefits from naming the exact need, gathering the relevant records, and comparing the full terms before making a commitment.
If a funding conversation is next, start with the purpose, timing, current obligations, and the documents that make the business picture easier to understand. That gives any potential provider more useful context and gives the owner better questions to ask.
Use the document checklist →Methodology & sources
How to use this page.
Federal Reserve Banks
2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey, published in 2026. The survey is an annual nationwide survey of employer firms with fewer than 500 employees. Its results are survey findings, not a prediction for every small business.
U.S. Small Business Administration
2025 Small Business Profile: United States. This profile compiles the latest federal data available at publication for the national small-business economy.
Cite this page
Suggested citation: Tyesha Levin, “Small Business Funding Statistics: 2026 Data,” updated October 13, 2026, https://tyeshalevin.com/small-business-funding-statistics.
Link directly to any numbered statistic above to help readers find the exact figure and original source.
Just one call