North Bay Business Journal

NORTH BAY — Oakland-based microlender Oakland Business Development Co. is now actively pursuing borrowers in the North Bay and beyond, bolstered by a new loan program backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration and by demand created in a financial climate that has pushed traditional lenders away from smaller loans in recent years.

Many business owners are aware of the Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs in which local banks participate. Most are not aware, however, of the SBA’s Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Program. The SBIC program was created to help fill the gap between the availability of growth capital and the needs of small businesses.

Santa Rosa’s State Assistance for Enterprise, Business and Industrial Development Corp., the non-depository lender better known as SAFE-BIDCO, has raised the profile of its agricultural lending program after boosting the dollars it can lend through a new arrangement with the state and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. …

Bank of Marin Bancorp (NASDAQ: BMRC), parent company of Bank of Marin, announced that it has opened a new branch office in Tiburon’s Cove Shopping Center on Nov. 19, replacing a former branch in the town of Strawberry. …

Wells Fargo N.A. has announced the launch of a new homebuyer assistance program known as CityLIFT. …