{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/office-of-financial-assistance","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/office-of-financial-assistance","data_freshness":{"sba_records_through":"2026-05-31","fdic_records_through":"2026-03-31","dealroom_last_updated":"2026-06-16","timezone":"America/Chicago"},"source_summary":["Public SBA 7(a) loan records","FDIC institution data","DealRoom lender and franchise enrichment"],"term":{"slug":"office-of-financial-assistance","term":"Office of Financial Assistance","aka":"OFA","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"This is the specific branch within the Small Business Administration (SBA) responsible for overseeing and managing the 7(a) loan program and other financial support initiatives.","what_it_means":"Your lender works directly with the OFA to process your loan application, obtain the SBA guaranty, and address any post-closing servicing issues. While you won't directly interact with them, they set the rules and procedures your lender must follow for your 7(a) loan.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/office-of-financial-assistance","official_sources":[{"slug":"13-cfr-part-120","title":"13 CFR Part 120 — Business Loans","official_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-120","official_label":"View on eCFR","authority_tier":1,"publisher":"Office of the Federal Register","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/13-cfr-part-120"},{"slug":"sop-50-10","title":"SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","official_url":"https://www.sba.gov/document/sop-50-10-lender-development-company-loan-programs","official_label":"View on SBA.gov","authority_tier":2,"publisher":"U.S. Small Business Administration","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/sop-50-10"}],"related":[{"slug":"sba-guaranty","term":"SBA guaranty","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/sba-guaranty"},{"slug":"sop-50-10","term":"SOP 50 10","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/sop-50-10"},{"slug":"7a-loan","term":"7(a) loan","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/7a-loan"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"Is an SBA 7(a) loan different from other types of government assistance?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/is-an-sba-7-a-loan-different-from-other-types-of-government-assistance"},{"question":"Does my business location, like a home office, affect 7(a) loan eligibility?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/does-my-business-location-like-a-home-office-affect-7-a-loan-eligibility"},{"question":"Can a business operating from a home-based office be eligible for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/can-a-business-operating-from-a-home-based-office-be-eligible-for-an-sba-7-a-loan"},{"question":"What if the acquired business operates from a home office; can the SBA loan finance a commercial property purchase?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-if-the-acquired-business-operates-from-a-home-office-can-the-sba-loan-finance-a-comme"},{"question":"Does the SBA require a blanket lien on all business assets, even minor ones like office furniture, for collateral?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/does-the-sba-require-a-blanket-lien-on-all-business-assets-even-minor-ones-like-office-fur"},{"question":"What kind of personal financial history is expected for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/what-kind-of-personal-financial-history-is-expected-for-an-sba-7-a-loan"}]},"caveats":["Definitions represent DealRoom's plain-English interpretation for buyers; verify regulatory terms against the official SBA and eCFR sources listed.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an SBA eligibility determination."],"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so Glossary — Office of Financial Assistance","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/office-of-financial-assistance","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}