SBA program
The SBA Working Capital Pilot (WCP)
A newer SBA working capital line whose guaranty fee is priced by maturity rather than by loan size — which changes the arithmetic on short facilities.
The Working Capital Pilot is an SBA 7(a) facility for transaction-based and asset-based working capital. Its distinguishing feature is the fee: the WCP guaranty fee is set by the line's maturity rather than by its size, running from 0.25% at 12 months or less up to 1.35% at 49 to 60 months.
The fee structure, which is the point
On an ordinary 7(a) loan the upfront guaranty fee is a percentage set by the size of the loan. On a WCP loan it is set by the maturity. For a business that needs a line for a year rather than five, that is a materially different number.
| WCP maturity | Upfront guaranty fee |
|---|---|
| 12 months or less | 0.25% of the guaranteed portion |
| 13 up to 24 months | 0.525% |
| 25 up to 36 months | 0.80% |
| 37 up to 48 months | 1.075% |
| 49 up to 60 months | 1.35% |
What it is designed for
WCP is aimed at working capital that turns over — the receivables-and-inventory cycle, and transaction-based needs including export orders. It expects you to be able to produce timely financial statements, receivables and payables aging, and inventory reports.
A quirk worth knowing on multiple loans
Normally, two or more 7(a) loans with maturities over 12 months approved for the same applicant within 90 days are combined for the purpose of the guaranty percentage and the upfront fee. WCP and EWCP loans are treated differently: their fees are based on maturity, so they are not combined with other 7(a) loans for that calculation.
In practice this means a WCP line alongside a term loan does not inflate the term loan into a higher fee band the way a second ordinary 7(a) loan would.
When to ask about it
- You need a revolving or transaction-based working capital facility, not a term loan.
- Your need is genuinely shorter than five years — the fee advantage is largest at the short end.
- You can produce aging reports and inventory figures on a regular cycle.
- You are financing export orders, where WCP and EWCP overlap.
Ask a 7(a) lender about it by name. It is newer and less familiar than the headline programs, and plenty of lenders will not raise it unprompted. If your need maps to a seasonal or contract pattern instead, compare it against CAPLines.
Questions people actually ask
How is the WCP fee different from a normal 7(a) fee?
A standard 7(a) upfront guaranty fee is a percentage determined by the gross loan size. The WCP fee is determined by the maturity of the line instead, from 0.25% at 12 months or less up to 1.35% at 49 to 60 months for FY2027.
What happens if I extend a WCP line?
An additional fee is due. The lender must pay SBA the difference between the fee originally paid and what it would have been had the line been approved at the longer maturity in the first place.
Is WCP the same as EWCP?
No. EWCP is the Export Working Capital Program, aimed specifically at export transactions. They are related and are treated alike in some fee rules, but they are separate delivery methods.