On February 5, 2008, the FDIC selected 31 banks to participate in its Small-Dollar Loan Pilot Program. The goal of the two-year pilot is to help the FDIC identify best practices in affordable small-dollar loan programs that can be replicated by other financial institutions. This article summarizes the key parameters of the pilot, the small-dollar loan program proposals that participating banks described in the applications, and the first quarter 2008 results. Banks in the pilot originated more than 3,100 small-dollar loans, with a principal balance of about $3.7 million in the first quarter.
Last Updated: November 19, 2025
