Best SBA lenders
Best SBA lenders in North Dakota
The most active SBA lenders in North Dakota, ranked from every 7(a) and 504 loan in the SBA's public record, FY2010-2026. Dakota Business Lending leads with 575 loans funded.
By Mario Bailey · Source: SBA FOIA 7(a) and 504 data, FY2010–2026, as of 2026-03-31
Top SBA lenders in North Dakota
The full North Dakota ranking, by SBA loans funded since FY2010. Every figure is in-state: each lender's loans, dollars, average loan size, and 7(a) charge-off rate cover its North Dakota lending only, not its national book. A charge-off rate appears only when a lender has at least 20 funded 7(a) loans in North Dakota; below that line, and on 504-only lending, it reads “not reported,” never 0%.
| # | Lender | Loans | Total funded | Average loan | 7(a) charge-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dakota Business Lending | 575 | $379.6M | $660K | 9.52% |
| 2 | Bravera Bank | 272 | $36.0M | $132K | 1.84% |
| 3 | Capital CU | 211 | $28.2M | $134K | 0.47% |
| 4 | Old National Bank | 205 | $78.0M | $380K | 0.98% |
| 5 | U.S. Bank, National Association | 200 | $31.4M | $157K | 4.00% |
| 6 | Lake Agassiz Certified Development Company | 159 | $118.1M | $743K | not reported |
| 7 | First Western Bank & Trust | 152 | $35.4M | $233K | 0.66% |
| 8 | Choice Financial Group | 149 | $36.5M | $245K | 0.00% |
| 9 | Starion Bank | 141 | $20.3M | $144K | 0.00% |
| 10 | Lewis & Clark Certified Development Company | 137 | $94.8M | $692K | not reported |
| 11 | Wells Fargo Bank National Association | 102 | $42.6M | $417K | 8.82% |
| 12 | Aspire Bank | 95 | $21.1M | $222K | 0.00% |
| 13 | Town and Country CU | 91 | $14.0M | $154K | 3.30% |
| 14 | Bell Bank | 82 | $16.9M | $206K | 2.44% |
| 15 | Alerus Financial, National Association | 59 | $38.6M | $655K | 3.39% |
| 16 | Bank Forward | 58 | $22.1M | $380K | 0.00% |
| 17 | Cornerstone Bank | 54 | $12.0M | $223K | 3.70% |
| 18 | Midwest Business Finance Corporation | 52 | $43.7M | $840K | not reported |
| 19 | Border Bank | 45 | $8.9M | $199K | 4.44% |
| 20 | The Union Bank | 44 | $11.9M | $271K | 0.00% |
| 21 | First State Bank & Trust | 42 | $11.0M | $263K | 0.00% |
| 22 | Red River State Bank | 40 | $20.5M | $512K | 0.00% |
| 23 | First Community CU | 38 | $16.0M | $422K | 0.00% |
| 24 | BNC National Bank | 26 | $9.9M | $382K | 0.00% |
| 25 | American State Bank and Trust Company of Williston | 26 | $4.7M | $181K | 3.85% |
SBA 7(a) and 504 loans, FY2010–2026, as of 2026-03-31, from the SBA's public record.
7(a) banks vs 504 lenders (CDCs) in North Dakota
The two SBA programs have different lenders. A 7(a) loan comes from one bank or credit union; a 504 project pairs a bank with a Certified Development Company (CDC), the nonprofit that funds the SBA-backed portion. The leaders in North Dakota by each program's loans funded since FY2010:
- 1. Bravera Bank 272 loans
- 2. Capital CU 211 loans
- 3. Old National Bank 205 loans
- 4. U.S. Bank, National Association 200 loans
- 5. First Western Bank & Trust 152 loans
- 1. Dakota Business Lending 554 loans
- 2. Lake Agassiz Certified Development Company 159 loans
- 3. Lewis & Clark Certified Development Company 137 loans
- 4. Midwest Business Finance Corporation 52 loans
Counts are each program's funded loans in North Dakota. How the two programs differ: 504 vs 7(a), by the data.
Where SBA lending concentrates in North Dakota
The 3 industries with the most SBA loans in North Dakota since FY2010, and the most active lender in each. A lender that leads your industry locally can matter more than the overall #1.
| Industry | Loans | Total funded | Most active lender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 537 | $137.3M | U.S. Bank, National Association (62 loans) |
| Retail Trade | 479 | $191.9M | Dakota Business Lending (78 loans) |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 421 | $281.9M | Dakota Business Lending (102 loans) |
Full industry, city, and yearly breakdowns: SBA lending in North Dakota.
How this ranking works
- “Most active” means loans funded. The ranking counts every SBA 7(a) and 504 loan funded to North Dakota businesses in the SBA's public FOIA record, FY2010–2026, as of 2026-03-31. No lender pays to appear or to rank, and activity is not a fit score: the right lender for you depends on your industry, loan size, and timeline.
- The 10-loan line. A lender enters the North Dakota table only with at least 10 loans funded in-state, so one-off activity never reads as a track record. Industry cells above are held to at least 30 loans.
- Charge-off is 7(a)-only and needs 20+ loans. The SBA reports charge-offs on 7(a) loans, never on 504 loans. We show an in-state rate only when a lender has at least 20 funded 7(a) loans in North Dakota; anything thinner reads “not reported,” never 0%. It is a charge-off share of funded loans to date, not a lifetime default rate.
- Name collisions are excluded, and counted. The SBA does not normalize lender names across mergers and rebrands, so one name can blend several unrelated institutions. Flagged names are never ranked on this page; each exclusion is disclosed under the table.
The exact calculations and limits: methodology.
Best SBA lenders in North Dakota: frequently asked questions
Who is the most active SBA lender in North Dakota?
Dakota Business Lending is the most active SBA lender in North Dakota in the public record, with 575 7(a) and 504 loans funded since FY2010 ($379.6M in North Dakota). The ranking counts loans funded, never who pays us.
Do these lenders only serve North Dakota?
No. The ranking measures activity in North Dakota: loans funded to North Dakota businesses in the SBA's record. Many of these lenders are national or multi-state institutions; the loans, dollars, and charge-off figures shown are their North Dakota lending only.
What's the difference between a 7(a) lender and a CDC?
A 7(a) lender is a bank or credit union that funds an SBA-guaranteed loan directly. A Certified Development Company (CDC) is a nonprofit that funds the SBA-backed portion of a 504 project alongside a bank. Charge-off is reported only on 7(a) loans, so a 504-only CDC shows "not reported," never 0%.
How many SBA lenders are active in North Dakota?
44 lenders have funded at least 10 SBA loans in North Dakota since FY2010 in the public record (as of 2026-03-31). The table above names the 25 most active of them; names that blend several same-named institutions are excluded from rankings.
Mario Bailey. (2026). Best SBA lenders in North Dakota. SBA Loan Index. https://sbaloanindex.com/best-sba-lenders/in/nd/
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