SBA Administrator Announces New Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Milestone: In Less Than Two Months, One Million Borrowers Apply for Direct Forgiveness through Agency’s PPP Portal

Summary

SBA news release 21-90, published September 24, 2021 by the Office of Communications, says the Paycheck Protection Program Direct Borrower Forgiveness Portal recorded its one millionth PPP loan forgiveness application for loans of $150,000 or less. It states that since the portal's launch on August 4th the SBA has received applications for over $17 billion of relief, and that 91% of loans eligible for direct forgiveness in the 2020 PPP portfolio have been submitted. Participating lenders rose from 600 at the opening to over 1,400. SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman is quoted, and the release says users complete applications in six minutes on average.

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Archived news release 21-90

SBA Administrator Announces New Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Milestone: In Less Than Two Months, One Million Borrowers Apply for Direct Forgiveness through Agency’s PPP Portal

Published on September 24, 2021 by Office of Communications

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) reached a major milestone today as its Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Direct Borrower Forgiveness Portal recorded its one millionth PPP loan forgiveness application for borrowers seeking forgiveness for loans of $150,000 or less.

“We are committed to delivering against the promise of forgiveness for our eligible PPP borrowers. Our innovative direct forgiveness portal is helping our PPP borrowers get back to doing what they do best – creating jobs and powering our nation’s economy,” said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. “With over one million application submissions, our direct forgiveness portal has already given so many of our smallest businesses the ability to apply for forgiveness quickly and smoothly and move forward with their rebuilding and recovery. I encourage those eligible PPP borrowers who have yet to apply to visit SBA.gov or contact their lender today.”

Since the portal’s launch on August 4th, the SBA has received applications for over $17 billion of relief from more than one million of America’s smallest businesses, furthering President Biden’s commitment to equity across the U.S. government. In fewer than 45 days, 91% of all loans eligible for direct forgiveness in the 2020 PPP portfolio have been submitted, showcasing the SBA’s efficiency in delivering relief to entrepreneurs who suffered during the height of the pandemic. Furthermore, the number of Direct Forgiveness participating lenders has more than doubled from 600 when the portal opened, to over 1,400 today.

In addition, significant progress has been made on the 2021 PPP Loans with 65% of all loans eligible for direct forgiveness already submitted. The SBA has also been able to streamline the process for those not eligible for direct forgiveness using the COVID Health score, which eliminates the need for overwhelming paperwork to be provided to lenders, and serve over 600,000 borrowers to date.

With the introduction of the new PPP Direct Forgiveness Portal, the SBA has streamlined application processes in order to recenter the user experience around small business owners – a priority of Administrator Guzman. Today, a borrower of a participating lender can now complete most or all of a forgiveness application using a computer or, for the first time, their smartphone. On average, users are able to complete and submit directly to the SBA their applications in just six minutes, and most receive their forgiveness decisions within a week from the date of submission.

Eligible interested borrowers can access the portal from the SBA website https://directforgiveness.sba.gov . Borrowers that need assistance with their forgiveness applications or have questions can contact the PPP customer service team by calling 866-722-4357, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. ET.

Borrowers whose loans are through banks that have chosen not to opt-in to the SBA’s direct forgiveness portal must apply through their lender for forgiveness.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality.  As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov .

Related programs: PPP

Media contacts

U.S. Small Business Administration Email Press_Office@sba.gov

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