The primary purpose of making a program loan to a microlender is to enable that microlender to make microloans to rural microenterprises and microentrepreneurs. It is the responsibility of each microlender to make microloans in such a fashion that the terms and conditions of the microloan will support microborrower success while enabling the microlender to repay its loan from the Agency. It is the responsibility of each microborrower to repay the microlender in accordance with the terms and conditions agreed to with the microlender. The microlender is responsible for full repayment to the Agency of its loan regardless of the performance of its microloan portfolio.

(a) Maximum microloan amount. The maximum amount of a microloan made under this program will be $50,000. The total outstanding balance of microloans to any microborrower may not exceed $50,000.

(b) Microloan terms and conditions. The terms and conditions for microloans made by microlenders will be negotiated between the prospective microborrower and the microlender, with the following limitations:

(1) No microloan may have a term of more than 10 years;

(2) The interest rate charged to the microborrower will be established at or before the microloan closing and at such a rate that the microloan is affordable to the microborrower and provides a reasonable margin of earnings to the microlender.

(c) Microloan insurance requirements. The microlender has full discretion to require reasonable hazard, key person, and other insurance coverage from the microborrower as part of the loan transaction.

(d) Credit elsewhere test. Microborrowers will be subject to a “credit elsewhere” test so that the microlender will make loans only to those borrowers that cannot obtain business funding of $50,000 or less at affordable rates and on acceptable repayment terms. Each microborrower file must contain evidence that the microborrower has sought credit elsewhere or that the rates and terms available within the community at the time were outside the range of the microborrower's affordability. Evidence may include a comparison of rates, loan limitations, terms, or other requirements from other funding sources. Denial letters from other lenders are not required.

(e) Fair credit requirements. To ensure fairness, microlenders must publicize their rates and terms on a regular basis. Microlenders are also subject to Fair Credit lending practices and Federal nondiscrimination requirements as stated in § 4280.305.

(f) Eligible microloan purposes. Agency loan funds may be used to make microloans as defined in § 4280.302 for any legal business purpose not identified in § 4280.323 as an ineligible purpose. Microlenders may make microloans for qualified business activities and expenses including, but not limited to:

(1) Working capital;

(2) The purchase of furniture, fixtures, supplies, inventory or equipment;

(3) Debt refinancing;

(4) Business acquisitions; and

(5) The purchase or lease of real estate that is already improved and will be used for the location of the subject business only, provided no demolition or construction will be accomplished with program funds. Neither interior decorating, nor the affixing of chattel to walls, floors, or ceilings are considered to be demolition or construction.

(g) Military personnel. Military personnel who are or seek to be a microentrepreneur and are on active duty with six months or less remaining in their active duty status may receive a microloan and/or TA and training if they are otherwise qualified to participate in the program.