Keith Schlegel of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Manufacturing and Trade and Tammie Clendenning, a Wisconsin-based USSBA economic development specialist, join Insight’s Kate Bruns and NEWMA’s Ann Franz on this week’s episode of the NEW Manufacturing Insights podcast to help small manufacturers understand the federal resources that may be available to them as they navigate lending, supply chain and exporting challenges.
NEW Manufacturing Insights is sponsored by Stoke RGA throughout 2026 and is produced by Woodward Community Media. This week’s episode marks the 120th in the series, which is a joint effort of Insight Publications and the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance. NEW Manufacturing Insights is free and available everywhere you listen to audio podcasts.
On this latest episode, Schlegel and Clendenning join the co-hosts virtually to give a brief overview of SBA programs like the Working Capital Pilot Program, the MARC (manufacturers access to revolving credit) Loan Program, the Express program and more. They also highlight special incentives for manufacturers and military-connected families and partnerships with programs like Exim Bank, SCORE mentoring, and Small Business Development Centers, which in Wisconsin are connected to the UW System.
“At the end of the day, there are a lot of free, available resources out there for small businesses,” Schlegel tells the co-hosts. “Part of navigating those resources is just knowing who to reach out to.”
Schlegel did acknowledge that the SBA is not a direct lender and that there are some banks that don’t provide SBA programs.
If your lender doesn’t provide SBA services, he says, the administration provides an online lender portal to match small businesses.
It’s not a matter of banks not having access to SBA programs, it’s just a matter of getting them connected and willing to learn the ins and outs of the programs, Schlegel adds. Training is available for lenders.
“I talk to a lot of banks,” he tells the co-hosts on the episode. “Especially when it comes to our newer programs like our MARC program, it takes a little while for banks to get up to speed.”
Learn more about the U.S. SBA at sba.gov/district/wisconsin and sba.gov/about-sba/sba-locations/headquarters-offices/office-manufacturing-trade and listen to this week’s podcasts for more insights.
New episodes of NEW Manufacturing Insights are released every Thursday.
