SBA sees lending, manufacturing growth in Puerto Rico
Small businesses in Puerto Rico are receiving more federal support than ever as the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) sharpens its focus on disaster preparedness and domestic manufacturing.
In an interview with News is my Business, SBA Regional Administrator Matt Coleman said Puerto Rico is poised to lead in building supply chain resilience while benefiting from increased SBA-backed lending and localized technical assistance.
Between Jan. 1 and May 24, the SBA approved 222 loans in Puerto Rico under its 7(a) and 504 programs, totaling $49.6 million and supporting 2,065 jobs. That includes nearly $2.5 million in loans to manufacturers. These figures reflect a significant jump compared with the same period in 2021, when the SBA approved 150 loans totaling $31.7 million and supporting 1,451 jobs — of which $913,600 went to manufacturing.
“Puerto Rico’s small business lending trends are growing, and manufacturing is a big part of that growth,” Coleman said. “We’re giving small businesses the tools to lead this manufacturing and industrial comeback.”
That includes the SBA’s newly launched onshoring website, which connects small businesses with U.S.-based manufacturers to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. While it does not yet track Puerto Rico-specific data, Coleman encouraged local entrepreneurs to explore the tool and benefit from federal initiatives like the Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act of 2025, which proposes doubling loan caps for manufacturers.
Coleman is no stranger to the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands region. He served as the Atlantic region’s career regional communications director from 2018 to 2022, stepping up as national spokesman for the agency’s Paycheck Protection Program and other small business economic aid efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Disaster recovery, readiness on the radar
Disaster preparation remains another core SBA priority. The agency’s Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience has full-time staff embedded in the Puerto Rico district office — including attorneys, customer service representatives and public affairs personnel — ready to activate if needed.
“We have personnel on the island ready to respond,” Coleman said, emphasizing that SBA disaster loans are not limited to recovery but can also be used proactively. “This is not just seasonal messaging — it’s a real business investment.”
He noted that Puerto Rico’s SBA lending continues to be led by retail trade businesses, with a median loan size of $77,000 in 2025. However, the agency has not seen a sharp rise in loan activity tied to energy infrastructure, despite the island’s ongoing grid challenges.
Coleman said domestic manufacturing could help alleviate those issues: “You don’t have to rely on an import from either the mainland or overseas. It’s there on the island.”
The SBA is also collecting feedback through its Red Tape Reduction Initiative, encouraging Puerto Rican small-business owners to share input on regulatory barriers via the agency’s hotline or email.
With federal support expanding and the local small business ecosystem growing, Coleman said the SBA sees Puerto Rico not just as a site of vulnerability but as a hub of innovation.
“The island is not only in the hurricane zone — it’s in the opportunity zone,” he said.
