Main Street Monday: Exelon Invests $5 Million in Lendistry to Support SBA 7(a) Lending to Underserved Markets
Lendistry, a nationwide small business lender and certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), currently ranked 16th among SBA 7(a) lenders, has secured a $5 million investment from Exelon, one of the country’s largest regulated energy companies. The funding is made through Exelon’s Community Impact Capital Fund (CICF), managed in partnership with RockCreek, and is designed to expand access to capital for undercapitalised businesses across Exelon’s service areas.
Expanding Access to Capital
The new investment will direct funding to small businesses in Chicago, Atlantic City, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Wilmington. These resources will be deployed through Lendistry’s lending platform and community networks to ensure growth-ready but underserved businesses have the ability to expand, hire, and reinvest locally.
Founded in 2015, Lendistry combines technology with community partnerships to deliver loans and grants, while focusing on underserved groups such as entrepreneurs of color, veterans, and rural business owners. Over the past decade, the company has deployed more than $10 billion in capital. Its nonprofit arm, The Center by Lendistry, provides business education and resources to help entrepreneurs scale.
SBA Loan Performance
According to Coleman SBA 7(a) rankings through July 28, 2025, Lendistry SBLC, LLC currently ranks number 16 nationwide, up from number 30 in FY 2024. The lender has approved 1,694 loans totaling $347.1 million, with an average loan size of $204,920. These results highlight Lendistry’s growing role in expanding SBA financing for underserved small businesses.
Who Is Exelon?
Exelon Corporation is a Fortune 250 energy holding company and the largest regulated utility provider in the United States, serving more than 10 million customers through subsidiaries including ComEd, BGE, PECO, Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power, and Pepco.
As Exelon CEO Calvin Butler has previously noted, the CICF is intended to “help businesses that have faced funding challenges overcome barriers to their growth and success and ensure that the benefits of our post-pandemic economic recovery are shared more equitably.”
Leadership Comments
Lendistry CEO Everett K. Sands underscored the alignment of missions:
“We appreciate Exelon for choosing Lendistry to help them execute their mission. The Exelon team truly understands the connection between small businesses and local prosperity, and their investment in Lendistry will energize their service areas with economic empowerment.”
Exelon Executive Vice President and COO Mike Innocenzo highlighted the company’s broader role:
“We’re not only delivering energy, we aim to be an economic engine in the communities we serve. We believe that empowering community-based businesses is one of the key ways we can promote long-term, sustainable growth and we’re proud that our Community Impact Capital Fund is already creating opportunities.”
Coleman’s 15th Annual SBA Hospitality 7(a) & 504 Financing — Webinar 9/16
Hospitality continues to be one of the busiest sectors for SBA financing. In 2025 so far, SBA has released SOP 5010 8 and has reinstated the Franchise Directory. These changes directly affect how lenders evaluate brand eligibility, structure transactions, and document affiliation. The impact will carry through 2026, shaping credit standards and the way hospitality loans are reviewed.
Our 15th annual webinar is built to translate recent policy shifts into clear, practical steps for lenders. You’ll learn how to adapt your underwriting process to today’s SBA requirements, avoid common pitfalls, and create stronger credit memos.
The New SBA 7(a) Manufacturer $5 Million Working Capital Loan Program: Advanced Training for Underwriters, Closers & Servicers — Webinar 9/24
On October 1, 2025, SBA launches the Manufacturers’ Access to Revolving Credit (MARC) Program, a groundbreaking 7(a) initiative designed specifically for U.S. manufacturers. With loan sizes up to $5 million, guaranties up to $3.75 million, and proceeds restricted to working capital only, MARC introduces a new loan product for SBA lenders.
Coleman brings you the expert in-depth training on MARC on how to meet the needs of our manufacturing clients, while protecting your SBA guaranty. Lance Sexton will break down the new SOP 5010 8 Appendix 13 and give underwriters, closers, and servicers the practical tools to originate, close, and service MARC loans in compliance with SBA’s elevated standards.
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