--- title: A Guide to SBA Funding for Women | SmartBiz Bank® description: Learn how women-owned businesses maycan qualify for SBA funding, explore loan options, understand requirements, and improve their odds of being approved for funds. image: https://smartbizbank.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/sba-loans-for-women-owned-businesses-3-3.jpg --- - [Share](https://smartbizbank.com/blog/small-business-loans-for-women-get-sba-funding-smartbiz-loans#) - - - - [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://smartbizbank.com/blog/small-business-loans-for-women-get-sba-funding-smartbiz-loans](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://smartbizbank.com/blog/small-business-loans-for-women-get-sba-funding-smartbiz-loans) # Small Business Loans for Women – Get SBA Funding June 17, 2026 By [Liz Hunt ](https://smartbizbank.com/blog/author/liz-hunt) Obtaining low-cost financing may be among the most successful ways to boost small business growth. A 2025 Census Bureau report revealed that roughly [ 42.3% of small businesses are owned by women](https://nawbo.org/expert-reviews/blog/percentage-of-small-businesses/). This makes female-owned businesses one of the most powerful forces in the American economy. [![See if you pre-qualify](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/21458256/a49a0a2c-49ab-48f9-8866-fcdf35383b95.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/21458256/a49a0a2c-49ab-48f9-8866-fcdf35383b95) SmartBiz Bank® provides easy access to low-cost funding that helps female entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. In fact, we’ve funded more than $9 billion in loans, with more than half of that amount going to businesses owned by women, minorities, and veteran-owned companies. Find out more about how SmartBiz Bank may be able to help you with the funds that you need. ## Facts about US women-owned businesses Over the last several years, women-owned businesses have been growing faster than their counterparts. The statistics are impressive: - In 2025, more than [15.7 million American businesses](https://bigideasforsmallbusiness.com/women-owned-businesses-in-2026-what-the-latest-data-reveals/) were owned by women. - Women-owned businesses (WOBs) employed more than 12 million people. - WOBs generated more than $2.8 trillion in 2025. ## Top challenges faced by women business owners seeking funding Women-owned businesses continue to face financing issues at a higher rate than others. In fact, a study published in March 2026 showed that WOBs were granted financing at [higher rates than male-owned companies ](https://www.biz2credit.com/latest-news/women-owned-businesses-enter-2026-with-momentum-however-gaps-still-exist) (32% to 27%). However, average credit scores declined, which may highlight ongoing structural problems that female entrepreneurs face. External factors continue to negatively impact WOBs disproportionately. In 2025, geopolitical tensions, tariffs, and tightened credit requirements affected female-owned companies more than those owned by males. According to a report published by [Wells Fargo](https://www.wippeducationinstitute.org/_files/ugd/2f8f8e_999289ec47da4982bb1f0e34f9f48ac2.pdf), “These factors disproportionately impact women-owned small businesses, which tend to have thinner margins, greater barriers to funding, and concentration in consumer-facing sectors.” As [interest rates](https://smartbizbank.com/blog/how-interest-rates-influence-sba-loans) continue to be a concern for many business owners, WOBs may stand to be more heavily impacted by them. This is especially true for relatively new companies that lack the credit history that longer-tenured firms may possess. [Research also shows](https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099728302162638738/pdf/IDU-21245c25-4e9c-44ce-ad8e-9446d4949ca6.pdf) that female entrepreneurs continue to face other challenges as well. WOBs may have time constraints based on caregiving responsibilities. They may also encounter difficulties because they don’t have an “old boys” network to tap into, limiting their number of networking opportunities. ## SmartBiz Bank SBA loans for women At SmartBiz Bank, we believe every small business should have easy access to low-cost capital like SBA loans. With longer repayment terms and lower rates, SBA-backed loans offer excellent value when you need funding to grow your small business. We’re excited to share some of the most inspiring WOB stories from recent customers who are scaling their businesses against the odds. ## WOB Success stories [Off-Road Vixens](https://smartbizbank.com/blog/off-road-vixens-business-story) obtained a $100,000 SBA loan from SmartBiz Bank. The funds were used to build their credit history and consolidate existing debt. The female owner of [ Enyermy Hair Solution, LLC ](https://smartbizbank.com/blog/business-story-enyermy-hair-solution-llc) received a $60,000 term loan. Her loan was funded in a week, giving her fast access to working capital. [Luv Fats Ice Cream ](https://smartbizbank.com/blog/business-story-luv-fats-ice-cream-austin) has a female minority owner. She was able to obtain a grant to consolidate operations into a single facility. ## Funding options and resources for women-owned businesses In addition to loans, there are other secure sources of capital that [ female business owners ](https://smartbizbank.com/blog/smartbiz-celebrates-women-entrepreneurs) may consider. For example, grants for women entrepreneurs vary from federal to state and local to private sources. At the federal level, they are usually specific to a certain purpose rather than applicable to the daily operations of a business. Before applying, make sure to do ample research on the allocation of funds that the grant is designed for. The Small Business Administration advocates for women entrepreneurs through their Office of Women’s Business Ownership. Learn more about the resources it provides for underserved communities on their website. The SBA also sponsors over 100 [Women’s Business Centers](https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/sba-locations/headquarters-offices/office-entrepreneurial-development) across the US. Spend some time evaluating the total cost of your loan using our [loan calculator](https://smartbizbank.com/sba-loan-calculator). If you believe that an SBA loan or another type of funding is right for your WOB, SmartBiz Bank would love the opportunity to work with you. Find out if you [pre-qualify](https://smartbizloans.com/apply) today. ![Q3 Promo E1](https://smartbizbank.com/hubfs/Q3%20Promo%20Email%20Images/Q3%20Promo%20E1.png) ### Access Funds Quickly Apply for a Bank Term Loan from a bank in our trusted network [![See if you pre-qualify](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/21458256/08df270b-4561-4437-a5aa-11d47ef08efb.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/21458256/08df270b-4561-4437-a5aa-11d47ef08efb) - [Follow SmartBiz](https://smartbizbank.com/blog/small-business-loans-for-women-get-sba-funding-smartbiz-loans#) - - - - - ### Access to the right loan for right now We’re connecting small businesses with SBA, bank term loans, lines of credit, and flexible financing options. [![See if you pre-qualify](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/21458256/08df270b-4561-4437-a5aa-11d47ef08efb.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/21458256/08df270b-4561-4437-a5aa-11d47ef08efb) ##### Topic - [Business Loans](https://smartbizloans.com/blog/tag/business-loans) - [Business Stories](https://smartbizloans.com/blog/tag/business-stories) - [Marketing](https://smartbizloans.com/blog/tag/marketing) - [Money Management](https://smartbizloans.com/blog/tag/money-management) - [Operations](https://smartbizloans.com/blog/tag/operations) ## Related Posts [ See all blog posts ](https://smartbizbank.com/blog) [Money Management July 08, 2026 ## Midyear Check: What Your Financials Are Telling You Right Now The halfway point of the year is one of the best opportunities to evaluate your company's financial health. By this point, you should have enough financial data to identify... Read More ](https://smartbizbank.com/blog/midyear-check-what-your-financials-may-tell-you-smartbiz-bank) [Marketing July 06, 2026 ## How Independent Retailer Month May Help You Boost Your Business According to The Business Journal, more than $9.3 billion would be directly returned to our economy if every family in the United States spent just $10 a month at a local... Read More ](https://smartbizbank.com/blog/independent-retailer-month) [Money Management July 01, 2026 ## How to Reforecast Your Budget Based on Summer Trends When you built your company’s budget for this year, you no doubt looked at past data. However, there were probably also some future projections that... Read More ](https://smartbizbank.com/blog/reforecast-your-budget-with-summer-trends-smartbiz-bank) ### Smart growth is smart business ## Access to the right loan for right now See if you pre-qualify, without impacting your credit score. 1 [ Apply Now ](https://smartbizbank.com/apply) 1. We conduct a soft credit pull that will not affect your credit score. However, in processing your loan application, SmartBiz Bank and the lenders with whom we work will request your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies, which is considered a hard credit pull and may impact your credit score. The SmartBiz® Small Business Blog and other related communications from SmartBiz BankSM are intended to provide general information on relevant topics for managing small businesses. Be aware that this is not a comprehensive analysis of the subject matter covered and is not intended to provide specific recommendations to you or your business with respect to the matters addressed. 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