By Jenny Callison, posted Jan 8, 2021 In mid-December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Department named Live Oak Bank its top 2020 commercial lender. The Wilmington-based bank led the 181 commercial lenders that partnered with the USDA in 2020 to invest a total of $2.1 billion in rural communities and businesses. Live Oak alone made loans totaling $345 million, according to a news release.
“These investments helped 34 rural businesses acquire essential working capital through USDA’s Business and Industry (B&I) Loan Guarantee Program, 45 rural businesses take advantage of more efficient and renewable energy sources through USDA’s Rural Energy for America Loan Guarantee Program, five rural communities modernize their water and waste water infrastructure through USDA’s Water and Environmental Programs and three rural communities build or modernize their local essential community facilities through USDA’s Community Facilities