Small Business Finance Association

What Small Business Finance Association does

Small Business Finance Association (SBFA), formerly known as NAMAA, is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 2016 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. It represents organizations that provide alternative financing solutions to Main Street small businesses, a market its members support with over $10 billion in working capital. The association's mission is to educate federal, state, and local policymakers about technology-driven small business lending platforms and to advocate for industry-friendly regulation.

SBFA's member services include the SBFA Real Time Default Merchant Tagging System (an industry fraud-monitoring database), SBFA Connect (an online member community), a codified best-practices framework built on four principles (Transparency, Responsibility, Fairness, Security), the SBFA Broker Council (launched 2018 to set broker standards and certification), and convening activities such as quarterly in-person events and an annual CEO Retreat. The association does not develop proprietary technology and has no AI/ML capability; it is a policy, standards, and member-services body rather than a technology or financial product vendor.

SBFA generates revenue exclusively from membership dues, which are not publicly priced, and does not publish financial statements. Membership is sold through direct outreach, networking at events, and referrals, and all inquiries are routed to the Executive Director's office. Governance is led by a board of executives from member companies, with Stephen Denis (formerly Deputy Staff Director of the House Committee on Small Business) serving as Executive Director and David Goldin (Capify) and Jeremy Brown (RapidAdvance) as President and Vice President. The association's strategic focus combines federal advocacy (e.g., support for the Small Business Fairness Act), broker ecosystem development, and industry research.

Name

Small Business Finance Association

Legal name

Small Business Finance Association

Website

https://sbfassociation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SBFA is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association representing alternative small business finance providers. It advocates for the industry in Washington, D.C., sets best-practice standards, and offers members fraud-monitoring tools, networking events, and a broker certification council.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: SBFA generates revenue through membership fees from companies in the alternative small business finance industry. Membership provides access to the SBFA Real Time Default Merchant Tagging System, industry data, networking events, SBFA Connect online community, and legal/legislative support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Small Business Finance Association (SBFA) is a non-profit 501(c)(6) trade association that represents alternative small business finance providers. It sells membership to lenders and brokers, offering advocacy before federal, state, and local policymakers, industry best practices, networking events, and access to the SBFA Real Time Default Merchant Tagging System risk database. SBFA also operates the SBFA Broker Council, which provides certification and standards programs for responsible brokers.

Product overview

The Small Business Finance Association (SBFA) is a non-profit 501(c)(6) trade association representing organizations that provide alternative financing solutions to small businesses. Rather than offering a unified product platform, SBFA provides member services including access to the SBFA Real Time Default Merchant Tagging System (a fraud protection database), SBFA Connect (an online member community), industry data and policy updates, networking events, and broker certification programs through the SBFA Broker Council. The association also publishes research reports and establishes industry best practices centered on transparency, responsibility, fairness, and security principles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SBFA Broker Council: An initiative dedicated to bringing together responsible brokers that serve small businesses to focus on creating best practices and certification standards.

Products and services

• SBFA Membership The core membership offering for companies in the alternative small business finance industry. Members gain access to the SBFA Real Time Default Merchant Tagging System, industry data, the SBFA Connect online community, quarterly networking events, legislative and regulatory representation, and exclusive vendor pricing. Membership dues fund the association's advocacy and member services.
• SBFA Broker Council A broker-focused program within SBFA that brings together responsible small business finance brokers to develop best practices and certification standards aligned with SBFA's four core principles (Transparency, Responsibility, Fairness, Security). The Council has its own Board of Directors with co-chairs Jared Weitz (United Capital Source) and James Webster (National Business Capital), plus additional board members representing member brokerages.
• SBFA Real Time Default Merchant Tagging System An industry risk monitoring database operated by SBFA that provides real-time default tagging for merchants, designed to protect deals from fraud and suspicious activity. Described as the industry's largest database of its kind. Available to SBFA member companies.
• SBFA Connect An online community for SBFA members to share information, access policy updates, and engage in networking with other alternative finance industry professionals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members provide over $10 billion in working capital to small businesses across the country

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Kingsley-Kleimann GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBFA contracted with Kingsley-Kleimann Group to conduct qualitative research testing how small business owners understand commercial loan disclosures. The research tested 24 small business owners/executives in California and New York on disclosure comprehension.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Electronic Transactions Association (ETA): Large Washington, D.C.-based trade association for the payments and fintech industries. Operates as a broader incumbent whose membership overlaps with SBFA members, particularly payments-fintech firms that also offer working capital products.
• Consumer Bankers Association (CBA): Trade association for retail banking institutions, active on small business lending, consumer credit, and regulatory policy in Washington, D.C. — directly comparable policy advocacy footprint.
• American Bankers Association (ABA): The largest U.S. banking trade association, representing traditional banks that compete with SBFA member companies. Serves as the political counterweight on small business lending policy and a comparison point for advocacy infrastructure scale.
• National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU): Credit union trade association engaged on small business lending policy and regulatory advocacy in Washington. Comparable structure (501(c)(6) trade association) and member-based advocacy model.
• Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA): Trade association for community banks, many of which serve the same Main Street small business segment SBFA members target. Engages on similar small business lending policy issues, often in opposition to alternative lenders.

Regional players

• National Association of Small Business Investment Companies (NASBIC): Trade association for SBIC-licensed private equity and venture capital firms; serves an adjacent segment of the small business capital ecosystem (SBIC funds rather than alternative working-capital lenders). Comparable association structure and Washington advocacy footprint.

Others

• Financial Services Institute (FSI): Advocacy organization for independent financial services firms, with comparable Washington, D.C.-based policy engagement. Not a direct competitor on small business finance but operates a similar association advocacy model.

Direct peers

• Online Lenders Alliance (OLA): Direct peer: a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing online lending and fintech companies serving both consumers and small businesses. Both organizations advocate for alternative finance providers before federal and state regulators, focusing on disclosure standards and responsible lending practices.
• Innovative Lending Platform Association (ILPA): Trade association representing small business working-capital and short-term lending platforms, sharing SBFA's focus on advocacy, best practices, and standardization for the alternative small business finance industry.

Emerging players

• Responsible Business Lending Coalition: Coalition focused on small business lending standards and disclosure practices that engages on overlapping policy issues. Comparable policy advocacy agenda around transparency and responsible underwriting, but more consumer-protection oriented than SBFA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fundmainstreet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/small-business-finance-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Small Business Finance Association