Climate First Bank
SBA 7(a) and 504 lender, $50K to $5M, up to 25 yrs. Median 9.5% variable rate (last 12 months), Preferred Lender in-house approval, green-upgrade uses. Florida-based.
Rates & Cost
What the financing costs, normalized so lenders can be compared.
Repayment Terms
How and how fast you pay it back, and how flexible it is.
Eligibility & Access
Who qualifies and what you have to put on the line.
Speed & Service
How fast you get funded and how the lender treats you.
Company Verification
Who actually stands behind the lender: legal entity, registration, and how long the business and its website have existed. Checked against public registries.
Best for: Owners who want an SBA 7(a) or 504 loan for a building, a business purchase or green upgrades like solar or EV charging, and can put in 10%. Not for: Borrowers who need cash in days or want posted rates and fees. Lender List verdict: Climate First Bank, a young Florida bank, made 163 SBA 7(a) loans in the 12 months to June 30, 2026. The median rate was 9.5%, roughly Prime + 2.75% at the time; it posts no spread, fees or timeline.
Climate First Bank at a glance
Climate First Bank is an FDIC-insured St. Petersburg, Florida bank whose SBA 7(a) approvals have ranged from $50K to $5M.
| Climate First Bank | |
|---|---|
| Lender type | FDIC-insured bank (cert 59257); SBA Preferred Lender |
| Founded / HQ | 2021 / St. Petersburg, FL |
| Products | SBA 7(a) and 504, real estate, solar and energy loans |
| Amounts | $50K to $5M (SBA 7(a) approvals, FY2020–present) |
| Cost (headline) | Median 9.5% variable (last 12 months) |
| Status | Active |
What is Climate First Bank?
Climate First Bank is a climate-focused community bank, opened in June 2021, with about $1.94 billion in assets (FDIC) and four Florida offices.
SBA 7(a) FOIA data (FY2020–present, as of June 30, 2026, data.sba.gov) shows 249 loans worth $298.8M, including 120 in FY2026 through June 30, with zero charge-offs. Loans reached 36 states, led by Florida (91).
Climate First Bank's SBA programs (7(a) vs. 504)
Climate First Bank underwrites SBA 7(a) and 504 loans in-house as an SBA Preferred Lender.
- 7(a): real estate, acquisitions, working capital, refinancing, efficiency upgrades; median loan $689,700 and term 123 months, all variable-rate
- 504: fixed-rate building and equipment loans with a Certified Development Company, up to 25 years
- Solar: commercial solar, storage and EV-charging loans with up to 100% financing (rates not published)
Climate First Bank rates and fees
Climate First Bank's SBA 7(a) loans carried a median rate of 9.5% in the 12 months to June 30, 2026. With Prime at 7.00%, the SBA caps loans over $350K at 10.0% and loans of $250,001 to $350K at 11.5%. The SBA guaranty fee is 3% of the guaranteed portion from $150,001 to $700K.
Worked example: $350,000 over 10 years at 9.5% costs $4,528.91 a month, or $193,469.74 in interest. Add the $7,875 guaranty fee ($350,000 × 75% × 3%) and total cost is $201,344.74, about 10.0% APR with the fee paid at closing.
Climate First Bank requirements
Climate First Bank asks for equity of as little as 10% and follows SBA guarantee rules.
| Requirement | Climate First Bank minimum |
|---|---|
| Business size | Small under SBA standards |
| Equity injection | As little as 10% (lender-stated) |
| Personal guarantee | Every owner of 20%+ |
| Credit score / time in business | Lender does not publish |
Frequently asked questions about Climate First Bank
Is Climate First Bank Legit? Yes. Climate First Bank is an FDIC-insured bank operating since 2021 and an SBA Preferred Lender with 249 SBA 7(a) loans since FY2020 and no charge-offs. Its unclaimed Trustpilot page scores 2.6 from just four reviews, all complaints about deposit accounts rather than business loans.
Is Climate First Bank FDIC Insured? Yes. Climate First Bank is an FDIC member under certificate 59257, established June 1, 2021, with about $1.94 billion in assets and four Florida offices. Because it is a chartered bank, its SBA loans are made and underwritten by the bank itself, not a broker.
How Long Does Climate First Bank Take to Close an SBA Loan? Climate First Bank publishes no closing timeline for its SBA loans. Standard SBA 7(a) loans often take 60 to 90 days. As a Preferred Lender, the bank approves loans in-house and skips the 5 to 10 business days of SBA review that lenders without that status must wait through.
Does Climate First Bank Lend to Startups? Possibly. Climate First Bank states no time-in-business minimum and asks for equity of as little as 10%. Every owner of 20% or more must personally guarantee the loan, and its typical 7(a) term is about 123 months, so startups should confirm fit early.
Compare Florida-based SBA platform iBusiness Funding (7(a) from $15K), Milestone Bank for $500K-plus deals, or all SBA 7(a) loans.
Last verified 2026-10-27. Pricing and terms are provider-stated or third-party-reported and vary by offer; confirm with the lender before applying.
Best for: Owners who want an SBA 7(a) or 504 loan for a building, a business purchase or green upgrades like solar or EV charging, and can put in 10%. Not for: Borrowers who need cash in days or want posted rates and fees. Lender List verdict: Climate First Bank, a young Florida bank, made 163 SBA 7(a) loans in the 12 months to June 30, 2026. The median rate was 9.5%, roughly Prime + 2.75% at the time; it posts no spread, fees or timeline.
Climate First Bank at a glance
Climate First Bank is an FDIC-insured St. Petersburg, Florida bank whose SBA 7(a) approvals have ranged from $50K to $5M.
| Climate First Bank | |
|---|---|
| Lender type | FDIC-insured bank (cert 59257); SBA Preferred Lender |
| Founded / HQ | 2021 / St. Petersburg, FL |
| Products | SBA 7(a) and 504, real estate, solar and energy loans |
| Amounts | $50K to $5M (SBA 7(a) approvals, FY2020–present) |
| Cost (headline) | Median 9.5% variable (last 12 months) |
| Status | Active |
What is Climate First Bank?
Climate First Bank is a climate-focused community bank, opened in June 2021, with about $1.94 billion in assets (FDIC) and four Florida offices.
SBA 7(a) FOIA data (FY2020–present, as of June 30, 2026, data.sba.gov) shows 249 loans worth $298.8M, including 120 in FY2026 through June 30, with zero charge-offs. Loans reached 36 states, led by Florida (91).
Climate First Bank's SBA programs (7(a) vs. 504)
Climate First Bank underwrites SBA 7(a) and 504 loans in-house as an SBA Preferred Lender.
- 7(a): real estate, acquisitions, working capital, refinancing, efficiency upgrades; median loan $689,700 and term 123 months, all variable-rate
- 504: fixed-rate building and equipment loans with a Certified Development Company, up to 25 years
- Solar: commercial solar, storage and EV-charging loans with up to 100% financing (rates not published)
Climate First Bank rates and fees
Climate First Bank's SBA 7(a) loans carried a median rate of 9.5% in the 12 months to June 30, 2026. With Prime at 7.00%, the SBA caps loans over $350K at 10.0% and loans of $250,001 to $350K at 11.5%. The SBA guaranty fee is 3% of the guaranteed portion from $150,001 to $700K.
Worked example: $350,000 over 10 years at 9.5% costs $4,528.91 a month, or $193,469.74 in interest. Add the $7,875 guaranty fee ($350,000 × 75% × 3%) and total cost is $201,344.74, about 10.0% APR with the fee paid at closing.
Climate First Bank requirements
Climate First Bank asks for equity of as little as 10% and follows SBA guarantee rules.
| Requirement | Climate First Bank minimum |
|---|---|
| Business size | Small under SBA standards |
| Equity injection | As little as 10% (lender-stated) |
| Personal guarantee | Every owner of 20%+ |
| Credit score / time in business | Lender does not publish |
Frequently asked questions about Climate First Bank
Is Climate First Bank Legit? Yes. Climate First Bank is an FDIC-insured bank operating since 2021 and an SBA Preferred Lender with 249 SBA 7(a) loans since FY2020 and no charge-offs. Its unclaimed Trustpilot page scores 2.6 from just four reviews, all complaints about deposit accounts rather than business loans.
Is Climate First Bank FDIC Insured? Yes. Climate First Bank is an FDIC member under certificate 59257, established June 1, 2021, with about $1.94 billion in assets and four Florida offices. Because it is a chartered bank, its SBA loans are made and underwritten by the bank itself, not a broker.
How Long Does Climate First Bank Take to Close an SBA Loan? Climate First Bank publishes no closing timeline for its SBA loans. Standard SBA 7(a) loans often take 60 to 90 days. As a Preferred Lender, the bank approves loans in-house and skips the 5 to 10 business days of SBA review that lenders without that status must wait through.
Does Climate First Bank Lend to Startups? Possibly. Climate First Bank states no time-in-business minimum and asks for equity of as little as 10%. Every owner of 20% or more must personally guarantee the loan, and its typical 7(a) term is about 123 months, so startups should confirm fit early.
Compare Florida-based SBA platform iBusiness Funding (7(a) from $15K), Milestone Bank for $500K-plus deals, or all SBA 7(a) loans.
Last verified 2026-10-27. Pricing and terms are provider-stated or third-party-reported and vary by offer; confirm with the lender before applying.
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