Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program (ended)
Short answer
The Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program ended March 13, 2021. It let lenders with SBA Express authority make emergency disaster-related loans, and from April 2020 it covered COVID-19 impacts. You cannot apply for one today (85 FR 18107, Apr. 1, 2020).
Key facts
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | ended March 13, 2021 |
| New loans | None. The pilot has ended. |
| Who made these loans | 7(a) lenders with SBA Express authority |
| Purpose | Emergency financing after a declared disaster, and for COVID-19 impacts from April 2020 |
Status: this program has ended
The Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program ended March 13, 2021. An April 2020 Federal Register notice said the pilot would remain available through that date (85 FR 18107). SOP 50 10 8.1, effective October 1, 2026, does not list the program. You cannot apply for an Express Bridge loan today.
What the pilot was
SBA announced the pilot on October 16, 2017 (82 FR 47958, cited in 85 FR 18107). It let 7(a) lenders with SBA Express authority deliver expedited guaranteed financing on an emergency basis. The money was for disaster-related purposes while a business waited for long-term financing. At first it served areas under a Presidential disaster declaration.
In April 2020, SBA opened the pilot to small businesses nationwide hurt by COVID-19. It also moved the pilot's end date from September 30, 2020 to the date above. A bridge loan could be repaid with proceeds of an SBA direct disaster loan, including an EIDL (85 FR 18107).
What to look at instead
- SBA disaster loans. SBA lends directly after declared disasters, up to $2 million for business physical damage (sba.gov/disaster, read November 8, 2026).
- SBA Express. A permanent 7(a) program, up to $500,000 (SOP 50 10 8.1, Sec. B, Ch. 2).
- Military Reservist EIDL. Up to $2 million when an essential employee is called to active duty (sba.gov/disaster, read November 8, 2026).
What this page cannot tell you
The end date here comes from the April 2020 notice. We have not reviewed a separate SBA expiration notice. The notice does not state the pilot's loan limit, so we do not print one.
Ask a lending partner about a program that is open
This program has ended. Tell us the amount you need and what it is for, and we refer you to lenders that may fund businesses like yours. It costs you nothing.
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