Bridging the Gap: CBA Showcases How America’s Leading Retail Banks are Helping Main Street Small Businesses Thrive

This Small Business Month, the Consumer Bankers Association (CBA) is proud to highlight how America’s leading retail banks support main streets across America. In this first installment of our Small Business Spotlight 2025 blog series, we are showcasing some of the programs, initiatives, and partnerships from three CBA members – Huntington Bank, U.S. Bank, and Liberty Bank – that are helping small businesses and entrepreneurs thrive in the communities they serve.

Huntington Bank

Huntington Bank is the nation's largest originator, by volume, of Small Business Administration (SBA) 7(a) loans and has a longstanding commitment to supporting small businesses and helping these businesses start, grow, and thrive.

Huntington’s Lift Local Business program is another way the bank is reinforcing its commitment to strengthening small businesses and the communities they call home. With a focus on supporting local businesses, Lift Local Business offers loans, business planning support, and free financial education courses delivered through Operation HOPE to help small business owners achieve their goals.

Since launching 2020, Huntington’s Lift Local Business program, has provided $207 million in funding to more than 2,746 small businesses, with nearly 2,719 businesses participating in Operation HOPE training courses. 

  • Huntington Bank’s Lift Local program was recognized by CBA last year as the 2024 Joe Belew Award winner for its important work. Learn more about the award HERE.

  • To learn more about Lift Local Business, click HERE.

U.S. Bank

U.S. Bank goes the extra mile through its Business Access Advisors (BAA) program. The Business Access Advisors provide information, access, and resources to small business owners to help better connect within their community and find new opportunities.

Last year, Micae Brown – a Business Access Advisor for Chicago and Milwaukee – hit the road on her third annual Access Business Bus Tour. During her tours, Brown meets with business owners across the region to better understand the needs and goals of small businesses in the cities she serves.

Other Business Access Advisors have also hosted bus tours, with BAAs in Minnesota, California, Arkansas and Nashville, hitting main streets across their regions to help their clients.

  • To learn about Business Access Advisors, click HERE.

Liberty Bank

Liberty Bank’s Academy for Small Business (ASB) was launched in 2016 as a partnership with SCORE of Western Massachusetts to help small business owners better prepare for every part of the business cycle.

The tuition-free 10-session training program provides guidance, resources and education to small business owners to successfully start and grow their business. These courses include introduction to necessary business banking services, financial management, tax planning, risk management, and more.

  • Participants who complete the full program may also be eligible for a $5,000 line of credit from Liberty Bank to help kickstart their businesses. To learn more, click HERE.  

Stay tuned for more features from our member banks as we dive into the resources offered by America’s leading banks to support main streets across the nation.