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{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "dateCreated": "2024-12-24T00:36:44+02:00", "datePublished": "2024-12-24T00:36:44+02:00", "dateModified": "2024-12-24T00:36:43+02:00", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22805/opinions/a-new-years-resolution-for-progress-focus-on-what-works", "headline": "A new year’s resolution for progress: Focus on what works", "description": "As we close out the past year and look ahead to 2025, the holiday season is a time when we reflect on what we’ve achieved and how we can make next year...", "keywords": "", "inLanguage": "en", "mainEntityOfPage":{ "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22805/opinions/a-new-years-resolution-for-progress-focus-on-what-works" }, "thumbnailUrl": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/12/24/67024.jpg", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/12/24/67024.jpg" }, "articleBody": "As we close out the past year and look ahead to 2025, the holiday season is a time when we reflect on what we’ve achieved and how we can make next year better—achieve our personal goals, give back to our communities, and contribute to the betterment of the world. When we give, there’s no shortage of noble causes, from alleviating poverty and improving education to protecting the environment and advancing healthcare. We should, in theory, all align around shared aspirations to make 2025 a year of progress for all. But the hard truth is that global cooperation has struggled mightily over the past decade. In 2015, the UN came up with a 169-point agenda to fix all the problems facing humanity by 2030. The so-called Sustainable Development Goals were agreed on by all the world’s leaders with the best of intentions. Yet, with five years left, the world is wildly off-track on almost all the 169 promises. The fight against poverty, disease, and hunger has lost momentum. Why aren’t we making more headway? In large measure, because we try to do too much. Trying to focus on everything means we have prioritized nothing and achieved very little. A new year offers a fresh opportunity. Instead of trying to do it all—both as a society but also as individuals with our own giving—we should focus first on the interventions that yield the most progress. That means those that provide the highest returns on investment for people, the planet, and future generations. Here’s the catch: the best investments aren’t necessarily the ones that grab headlines or attract celebrity endorsements. I’ve worked with more than 100 of the world’s top economists and several Nobel Laureates to find which of the many global goals deliver the most return on investment. Across hundreds of pages of peer-reviewed, free analysis, we have identified the 12 smartest things we could do to make life better for the poorer half of the planet. These solutions are seldom making headlines, but they are cheap and incredibly powerful. When a pregnant mother lacks essential nutrients and vitamins, her child’s growth and brain development will be slower. Her kids will be condemned to doing worse throughout their entire lives. A mere $2.31 can ensure that an expectant mother receives a basic multivitamin supplement that means her children will grow up healthier, smarter, and more productive. Every dollar spent on nutritional supplements for pregnant women can yield up to $38 in economic benefits. This is not a far-off utopia. It’s an actionable, proven solution that could be scaled up immediately. Another simple but powerful investment is in improving learning. In the world’s poorest countries, only one-in-ten 10-year-olds can read and write. We need to fix this, not just because it’s the right thing to do but to reduce future strife and reliance on aid, and to ensure countries can write their own success stories. Most schools group kids in classes by age, regardless of their ability. Some students struggle while others are bored. The solution is simple but transformative: teach children individually at the right level. Obviously, teachers can’t manage this for every child, but technology can. Just one hour a day in front of a tablet with educational software can teach reading, writing and basic math. Countless studies show that even if the other seven hours of daily schooling remain traditional and ineffective, after one year the student will have learned as much as normally takes three years. The costs are modest: Sharing a tablet costs about $31 per student per year. The return on investment is extraordinary: Children who learn more become more productive adults, resulting in a return of $65 for every dollar spent. This is a great long-term investment for a more stable, self-sufficient world. There is a compelling case to focus on tackling the diseases that have already been wiped out in rich countries, like malaria and tuberculosis that have become diseases of poverty. The simple act of providing more anti-mosquito bed-nets and expanded malaria treatment across Africa would save 200,000 lives every year, with benefits worth $48 for every dollar spent. Healthy, productive individuals are more likely to innovate, work, and contribute to the world, ultimately benefiting everyone. As we approach the new year, we need to stop chasing grand lists of unachievable goals and focus on what’s working. Our resolution should be to direct whatever resources we have — our time, attention, money, or political will — toward the actions that bring about the greatest improvements in people’s lives. In 2025, my hope for the world is that governments and institutions will finally stop dithering and focus on solutions that deliver the best returns. By concentrating on what works, we could achieve more in one year than we did in a decade of dithering. As individuals, we can do our own small part to make 2025 the year we resolve to get serious about progress for all. The writer is President of the Copenhagen Consensus and Visiting Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. His latest book is Best Things First.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bjorn Lomborg" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/", "sameAs": ["https://www.facebook.com/TheNewTimesRwanda/","https://twitter.com/NewTimesRwanda","https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuZbZj6DF9zWXpdZVceDZkg"], "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "/theme_newtimes/images/logo.png", "width": 270, "height": 57 } }, "copyrightHolder": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/" } }lululemon athletica inc. Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2024 ResultsTORONTO — Canada's main stock index rose Thursday, helped by strength in energy and utilities stocks, while U.S. markets moved lower ahead of reports on the labour market on both sides of the border. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 38.86 points at 25,680.04. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 248.33 points at 44,765.71. The S&P 500 index was down 11.38 points at 6,075.11, while the Nasdaq composite was down 34.86 points at 19,700.26. Friday will bring the monthly jobs reports in both the U.S. and Canada, which markets will be eyeing for clues on upcoming interest rate decisions by central banks, said Kevin Headland, co-chief investment strategist at Manulife Investment Management. The U.S. Federal Reserve has several key data reports coming before it makes its own decision on Dec. 18, said Headland, including inflation. Markets are currently leaning toward a quarter-percentage-point cut from the Fed, he said. But “there’s a lot of data for them to digest before the announcement.” The Bank of Canada’s decision is next week, and Headland said markets seem to think there’s a good chance the central bank could cut by an outsized half-percentage point. “In my belief, the bank is trying to front-run the mortgage renewals that are coming due over the next year or so, to just avoid some of the bigger hits to discretionary spending,” said Headland. “There’s no reason for them not to continue rate cuts unless there’s a surprise tomorrow.” Canadian bank earnings continued to roll in on Thursday. CIBC saw its profit rise while its provisions for loan losses dropped. TD also saw its profit rise, though its adjusted earnings were lower as the bank continues to work through the fallout from its anti-money laundering deficiencies. Meanwhile, BMO’s earnings were a miss on analyst expectations but the bank said it expects loan performance to improve in 2025. So far, there haven’t been any major surprises from bank earnings overall, said Headland. Bitcoin continued its meteoric rise, briefly breaching US$100,000 for the first time after U.S. president-elect Donald Trump tapped crypto advocate Paul Atkins to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. “US$100,000 is definitely a psychological threshold,” said Headland. “I guess time will tell whether it can remain at that level,” he added. “If we’re getting downside pressure to risk assets, I would assume that Bitcoin and other companies will be swept up in that negativity.” But for now, the surge is indicative of the broader positive momentum markets have enjoyed since Donald Trump’s election, said Headland. The Canadian dollar traded for 71.24 cents US compared with 71.09 cents US on Wednesday. The January crude oil contract was down 24 cents at US$68.30 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was up four cents at US$3.08 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was down US$27.80 at US$2,648.40 an ounce and the March copper contract was down a penny at US$4.19 a pound. — With files from The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press

Zumiez: Fiscal Q3 Earnings SnapshotChristmas: ACF felicitates with Christians, prays for prosperity, peace, securityNetflix will have one of its biggest days Wednesday since the site launched in 1998 when it airs two NFL games for the first time. "NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix" begins with a two-hour pregame show at 11 a.m., before Pittsburgh hosts Kansas City. Baltimore faces Houston in the second game. The streaming giant agreed to a three-year contract in May to carry Christmas Day games. Where will the games be available? Netflix's 282.3 million subscribers in over 190 countries will be able to stream the games, marking the first time one outlet has distributed an NFL game globally. Netflix will have the games available in five languages — English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German. The games will also air on CBS affiliates in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Houston. NFL policy dictates that games on cable or being exclusively streamed must also be on an over-the-air station in the competing teams' markets. It will also be available on mobile devices in the U.S. for those who have NFL+. People are also reading... Why is the NFL putting Christmas Day games on a streaming platform? The biggest reason is money. The league is getting $150 million from Netflix for the two games this season. It also continues the NFL's moves into streaming — Thursday night games are in their third season on Amazon Prime Video and the "Sunday Ticket" package moved to YouTube TV last year. But Christmas is on a Wednesday when games usually aren't played. That's true, but the league wasn't about to give up Christmas after seeing the ratings. Last year's three games averaged 28.68 million viewers. The early afternoon contest between the Las Vegas Raiders and Chiefs led the way, averaging 29.48 million. The Chiefs, Steelers, Ravens and Texans played on Saturday, giving them the same turnaround they would have if they played on Sunday and then Thursday. What is at stake for the teams playing? All four have clinched playoff spots in the AFC, but seeding remains up for grabs. Kansas City (14-1) can clinch the top seed — which would mean a first-round bye and home field throughout the playoffs — with a win over the Steelers. Pittsburgh and Baltimore are tied atop the AFC North at 10-5, with the Steelers holding the tiebreaker due to a better conference record. Houston (9-6) has wrapped up the AFC South and holds the fourth seed. Has Netflix fixed its streaming problems from the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight? Netflix hopes so. Brandon Riegg, Netflix's vice president of nonfiction series and sports, said the system was stress tested, and then some, during the Nov. 14 bout, along with internet service providers reporting they were also overwhelmed by the surge that occurred before and during the fight. The bout peaked at 65 million concurrent streams, including 38 million concurrent streams in the United States. According to the website Down Detector, nearly 85,000 viewers logged problems with outages or streaming leading up to and during the fight. Could there be the same number streaming the games that there were during the fight? Possible? Yes. Likely? No. The largest audience for a streamed-exclusive NFL game was 23 million on Peacock for last season's AFC wild-card game between the Miami Dolphins and Chiefs. Nielsen will measure the ratings for the Christmas Day games, with early numbers expected late afternoon on Thursday. When could there be surge in demand on Wednesday? It will probably be at kickoff for both games, but especially around 5:45 p.m. EST. That would be near halftime of the Ravens-Texans game, and when Beyoncé will be performing. What other celebrities will appear? Mariah Carey will kick off the day with a taped performance of "All I Want for Christmas is You." There is no word if Taylor Swift will make the trip to Pittsburgh to watch her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Swift has been spending time in Kansas City since she wrapped up her Eras Tour two weeks ago. How many Christmas games will Netflix carry in the next two seasons? The NFL will have at least two games on Dec. 25 in 2025 and '26, with Netflix slated to have at least one each year. Amazon Prime Video will have a night game with Christmas on a Thursday next year. Does Netflix have an interest in other sports? Netflix's worldwide partnership with World Wrestling Entertainment will begin on Jan. 6 when "Monday Night Raw" moves to the streaming service. On Friday, Netflix secured the U.S. rights for the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

NEW YORK — I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little pygmy hippo, too! Forgive us the shameless attempt to link the fantasy hit “Wicked” to the delightful Moo Deng . But, hear us out — there’s something the two have in common as the year draws to a close. Escapism. Whether we found it on the yellow brick road, or in videos from a Thailand zoo, or perhaps in unlikely Olympic heroes , we gravitated toward fantasy and feel-good pop culture moments this year. There were new trends, as always. “Brat summer” became a thing, as did “demure, mindful.” And for some inexplicable reason, we became obsessed with celebrity lookalike contests. There were breakups — Bennifer is, again, a thing of the past — and reunions: Oasis, please try to stay together for the tour. Yet some things stayed, remarkably, the same: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé kept on breaking records and making history. So, after a year where much changed but some things held steady, here’s our annual, very selective trip down pop culture memory lane: Lily Gladstone poses in the press room Jan. 7 with the award for best performance by an actress in a motion picture, drama for "Killers of the Flower Moon" at the 81st Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. January It starts as a cheery tweet from a beloved “Sesame Street” figure: “ ELMO is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” The answers hint at something deeper and more worrisome. “Not great, Elmo. Not great,” says one milder reply. Doing much better is the viral phenomenon called “BARBENHEIMER,” which makes its awards season debut at the GOLDEN GLOBES . But perhaps the most poignant moment comes from neither film: LILY GLADSTONE , first Indigenous winner of best actress in a drama for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” begins her remarks in the language of her tribe, Blackfeet Nation. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift on Feb. 11 after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime during the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game in Las Vegas. February Valentine’s Day — a perfect time to settle into a sweet love saga via TikTok. Only that’s not quite what we get with “Who TF Did I Marry?,” REESA TEESA ’s depressing, fascinating, 50-part account of her disastrous marriage with a man who lied about absolutely everything. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a single week that encapsulates peak SWIFT cultural dominance , try this: she begins with the Grammys in Los Angeles (becoming the first artist to win album of the year four times AND announcing a new album), then heads to Tokyo for four tour dates, then jets back just in time for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas — where she shares a passionate smooch with boyfriend TRAVIS KELCE on the field of victory. Ryan Gosling performs the song "I'm Just Ken" from the movie "Barbie" on March 10 during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. March “What was I made for?” BILLIE EILISH sings at the OSCARS, channeling BARBIE . And what was KEN made for? Not entirely clear — but it's clear RYAN GOSLING was made to play him. His singalong version of “I’m Just Ken” is one of the most entertaining Oscar musical moments in years. Still, Christopher Nolan's “OPPENHEIMER” prevails, a rare case of the top prize going to a blockbuster studio film. Will it happen again in 2025? CYNTHIA ERIVO and ARIANA GRANDE sure hope so; as presenters, they make a sly reference to their upcoming juggernaut, “WICKED.” Speaking of marketing, people are obsessed with that bizarre “DUNE” popcorn bucket. Beyonce And BEYONCÉ carves her space in country music with “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” which will make her the first Black woman to top the Billboard country chart. Taylor Swift performs June 21 at Wembley Stadium in London as part of her Eras Tour. April Tennis, anyone? The game’s been around for centuries, but it’s having a cultural moment right now, helped mightily by “CHALLENGERS,” the sweaty romance triangle starring ZENDAYA, MIKE FAIST and JOSH O'CONNOR (40-love? More like 40-sex.) Elsewhere, a new era dawns: At midnight, SWIFT drops “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT," then drops another 15 songs two hours later. The fascinating and disturbing “BABY REINDEER,” the story of a struggling comedian’s extended encounter with a stalker, debuts on Netflix. Ben Affleck, left, and Jennifer Lopez arrive Feb. 13 at the premiere of "This Is Me ... Now: A Love Story" at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. May It’s MET GALA time — or as it's known in 2024, another early marketing moment for “WICKED.” ERIVO and GRANDE make fashion waves on the carpet and then musical ones at dinner, with a soulful performance of “When You Believe.” If the “Wicked” tour is in full force, another one stops in its tracks: JENNIFER LOPEZ cancels her summer tour amid reports of both poor ticket sales and trouble in her marriage to BEN AFFLECK . It’s been an eventful year for J.Lo, who's released an album and movie called “THIS IS ME ... NOW" — both reflections on her renewed love with Affleck. June Welcome to BRAT SUMMER ! CHARLI XCX releases her hit “Brat” album , with its lime green cover, and launches a thousand memes. Collins Dictionary defines “brat,” its word of the year, as “characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.” At the celeb-heavy SWIFT shows in London, we see PRINCE WILLIAM shaking it off, which is either charming or cringe, you decide. Even better: KELCE dons a top hat and tux and performs for one night. At another stadium across the pond, METS infielder JOSE IGLESIAS delights the crowd with his cheery number “OMG.” Stephen Nedoroscik is introduced June 29 at the United States Gymnastics Olympic Trials in Minneapolis. July Bonjour, it’s OLYMPICS time! In Paris! An audacious opening ceremony along the Seine is punctuated by a fabulous CELINE DION , perched on the EIFFEL TOWER , singing her heart out — in the rain, too. Controversy swirls over a scene critics feel mocks Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (organizers say it does not). Olympic stars are born — including French swimming superstar LEON MARCHAND , rugby player ILONA MAHER , and bespectacled “Pommel Horse Guy” gymnast STEPHEN NEDOROSCIK , who nets two bronze medals and comparisons to Clark Kent. Baby pigmy hippo Moo Deng plays with a zookeeper Sept. 19 in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand. Also capturing hearts: yep, MOO DENG , born this month. Her name means “bouncy pork.” Australia's Rachael Gunn, known as B-Girl Raygun, competes Aug. 9 during the Round Robin Battle at the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. August This is them ... now: BENNIFER is no more. After two decades, two engagements and two weddings, J.Lo files for divorce. One union dissolves, another returns: OASIS announces a reunion tour. Everyone seems to want to get in on TikToker JOOLS LEBRON 's “ DEMURE, MINDFUL ” act — even the WHITE HOUSE press team. Back at the Olympics, in the new sport of breaking, we meet Australia’s RAYGUN , arguably neither demure nor mindful with her “kangaroo” move. Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani brings his dog Decoy to the mound Aug. 28 before Decoy delivered the ceremonial first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles in Los Angeles. Cute animal alert: SHOHEI OHTANI ’s perky pooch DECOY does a great “first pitch” in his Major League Baseball debut. Chappell Roan performs "Good Luck, Babe" on Sept. 11 during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. September One of the year’s biggest breakout artists, CHAPPELL ROAN , withdraws from a music festival after speaking out about frightening fan interactions. And more on the price of fame: In an excruciating moment, “Bachelorette” JENN TRAN , the franchise’s first Asian American lead, is forced to sit through a painful viewing of her proposal to her chosen suitor, after tearfully explaining how he’d later dumped her over the phone. Tran is keeping busy though — she’s announced as part of the new “Dancing with the Stars” lineup. Also on the list: rugby player Maher, and Pommel Horse Guy! Also, ANNA SOROKIN , dancing with an ankle monitor. Online fandom, meanwhile, is shaken when X is temporarily suspended in Brazil and celebrity stan accounts post tearful farewells, revealing to many across the globe that their favorite accounts are run by Brazilians. Miles Mitchell, 21, wins of the Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest Oct. 27 near Washington Square Park in New York. October “Dune” Chalamets! “Wonka” Chalamets! Thousands gather in Manhattan for a TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET lookalike contest, and things really get interesting when Chalamet himself shows up. He doesn’t enter the contest, though, and with his mustache, he may not even have won. The trend continues with contests for JEREMY ALLEN WHITE, ZAYN MALIK and — in a very Washington version — Kennedy scion JACK SCHLOSSBERG , who's been gathering a following with some interesting social media posts. New York Liberty Kennedy Burke dances with the mascot, Ellie the Elephant, during an Oct. 24 ceremony after a parade in honor of the Liberty's WNBA basketball championship at City Hall in New York. Turning to basketball, who’s that dancing with USHER ? Why it’s ELLIE THE ELEPHANT , the now-viral NEW YORK LIBERTY mascot. Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, right, appears Nov. 2 with Maya Rudolph on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" in New York. November MAYA RUDOLPH does a pretty good KAMALA HARRIS laugh on “Saturday Night Live,” but you know who does it better? HARRIS herself. The Democratic candidate makes a surprise cameo three days before the U.S. presidential election, following in the footsteps of HILLARY CLINTON , SARAH PALIN and others. Elsewhere in television, Bravo announces that “VANDERPUMP RULES,” the Emmy-nominated reality show that has lived through countless scandals, is entirely recasting its 12th season — apart from namesake LISA VANDERPUMP . As for MOO DENG , she doesn't have her own TV series yet, but our favorite pygmy hippo is generating plenty of merch . And THAT brings us back to ... Ariana Grande, left, and Cynthia Erivo pose for photographers Nov. 11 prior to the premiere of "Wicked" at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City. December “WICKED” ! Director JON M. CHU ’s emerald-hued fantasy remains very very popular, to quote one of its buzzy show tunes, dancing through life and defying gravity at the multiplex. Moviegoers also come for “GLADIATOR II” and, in a veritable tidal wave, Disney's “MOANA 2,” which beckons us back to the seas of Oceania. Once again, 2024 seems to be telling us: Give people some whimsy, a place to escape, maybe some catchy tunes — and no one knows how far they’ll go. The stories and images that defined 2024. Searching for something? From queries about U.S. politics to cricket in India, Wikipedia has become a source of information for millions of people across the globe. From the Paris Olympics to the Super Bowl. From Simone Biles to Shohei Ohtani. And, of course, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. These are the sp... AP photographers assembled a visual catalog of our civilization as life in 2024 hurtled directly at us at every speed and in every imaginable ... In 2024, photographers captured glimpses of humanity, ranging from a deeply divisive presidential election, to hurricanes and fires that ravag... Associated Press photographers captured voters with raw emotions of joy, excitement, contemplation or sorrow. See entertainment's biggest moments in 2024, through the lens of Associated Press photographers. It beat five other finalists: demure, slop, dynamic pricing, romantasy and lore. News anchors, politicians and other public figures in the U.S. struggled with these words the most this year. Is it any surprise Merriam-Webster's word of the year is "polarization"? Here are the other words that rounded out the top 10 for 2024. 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WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman , head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for America’s more than 34 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, announced that the SBA has granted Small Business Lending Company (SBLC) licenses to four lending institutions committed to expanding access to capital to underserved markets. The awarding of four new SBLCs—Cooperative Business Services, A10 Capital, Lafayette Square, and Stonehenge Capital—marks the SBLC program’s second expansion during the Biden-Harris Administration and the second made in 40 years. This broadens the availability of 7(a) loans in low-income and other underserved communities nationwide from their locations in Ohio, Idaho, Washington, D.C., and Louisiana, respectively. “For the second time in over 40 years, the Biden-Harris SBA welcomes new lenders with a shared mission of filling capital gaps in underserved communities – the very same communities who are starting businesses at the highest rates in America today,” said Administrator Guzman. “With private markets playing an increasingly important role in small business lending, this expansion delivers against the Biden-Harris Administration’s unwavering commitment to providing affordable financing to the incredible entrepreneurs and new business starts revitalizing Main Streets across America. Congratulations to the four new licensees as they work alongside the mission-focused teams at the SBA to put the American dream of business ownership within reach for more entrepreneurs.” The SBA approves SBLC licenses for selected non-depository lenders to increase responsible small business lending. An SBLC license allows the lending organization to access the SBA’s 7(a) government guarantee program when underwriting small business loans to reduce the level of risk to the lender and cost to the borrower. As a result, SBLCs are positioned to underwrite higher volumes of loans to eligible small businesses than possible without a government guaranty. “Cooperative Business Services, LLC, is honored to receive an SBA SBLC license, a pivotal milestone that reinforces our commitment to serving communities through our innovative credit union consortium. By partnering with local credit unions, we can expand access to vital capital for underserved markets, empowering entrepreneurs to start, operate, and grow businesses that drive economic growth and strengthen the fabric of our communities,” said Cooperative Business Services, LLC., President and CEO Keith Reed. “This achievement underscores our dedication to fostering collaboration and supporting the credit unions that make our mission possible.” “A10 Capital is truly honored to receive a new SBLC license from the SBA. We look forward to applying our decades of knowledge, expertise and experience to provide lending solutions to small businesses nationwide that are unable to access constructive forms of credit elsewhere,” said A10 Capital CEO Anuj Gupta. “Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy and we are eager to quickly launch operations and commence providing capital to small businesses across a wide range of sectors, industry groups and geographies.” “Lafayette Square USA, Inc., appreciates receiving this new SBLC license that will allow our private credit platform to expand into 7(a) lending,” said Lafayette Square USA, Inc., President and CEO Damien Dwin. “As a business development company with two SBIC licenses, we are committed to partnering with SBA in pursuit of our Goal 2030 to support 100,000 working-class jobs, invest 50% of our capital in working-class places including rural areas, and see 50% adoption of managerial assistance across our portfolio. Our business model relies upon marrying capital, services, and technology for American small businesses, making this SBLC license incredibly valuable in driving our performance. We look forward to supporting entrepreneurs in working-class places across the country.” “For over 25 years, Stonehenge Capital has supported small businesses in underserved communities across the country,” said Stonehenge Capital Senior Managing Director of L’Quentus Thomas. “With our impact focus, we have helped entrepreneurs and small business owners grow their businesses by accessing capital that can be difficult to obtain in many areas. The SBLC license will give us a new tool to provide SBA 7(a) capital to small businesses with a particular focus on low-moderate income and rural areas in the U.S. We are honored that the SBA chose Stonehenge, and we look forward to playing a part in growing strong businesses and new jobs in underserved communities.” With this second expansion of four new SBLC licenses, SBA now has expanded the network from 14 SBLCs to 20 SBLCs helping to bring capital to new markets. ### About the U.S. Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov . SBA HQ Press Team U.S. Small Business Administration press_office@sba.gov