Section 301(c) Licensee means a company licensed under section 301(c) of the Act. It may be organized as a for-profit corporation or as a limited partnership created in accordance with the special rules of § 107.160.

A 1940 Act or 1980 Act Company is eligible to apply for an SBIC license, and an existing Licensee is eligible to apply for SBA's approval to convert to a 1940 Act or 1980 Act Company. In either case, the 1940 Act or 1980 Act Company may elect to be taxed as a regulated investment company under section 851 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (26 U.S.C. 851). However, a Licensee making such election may make Distributions only as permitted under the applicable sections of this part (see the definition of Retained Earnings Available for Distribution, § 107.585, and §§ 107.1540 through 107.1580).

With SBA's prior written approval, a Section 301(d) Licensee may operate as the subsidiary of one or more Licensees (participant Licensees), subject to the following:

(a) Each participant Licensee must own at least 20 percent of the voting securities of the Section 301(d) Licensee.

(b) A participant Licensee must treat its entire capital contribution to the subsidiary as a reduction of its Leverageable Capital. The participant Licensee's remaining Leverageable Capital must be sufficient to support its outstanding Leverage.

(c) A participant Licensee may not transfer its Leverage to a subsidiary Section 301(d) Licensee.

When applying for a license, you must show, to the satisfaction of SBA, that your current or proposed management is qualified and has the knowledge, experience, and capability necessary for investing in the types of businesses contemplated by the Act, these regulations and your business plan. You must designate at least one individual as the official responsible for contact with SBA.

If you plan to obtain Leverage, you must have your Management Expenses approved by SBA at the time of licensing. (See § 107.520 for the definition of Management Expenses.)

(a) Diversity requirement. You must satisfy the requirements in paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) of this section:

(1) In order to obtain an SBIC license (unless you do not plan to obtain Leverage),

(2) If at the time you were licensed you did not plan to obtain Leverage, but you now wish to be eligible for Leverage, or

(3) If SBA so requires as a condition of approval of your transfer of Control under § 107.440.

(b) Percentage ownership requirement. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, no Person or group of Persons who are Affiliates of one another may own or control, directly or indirectly, more than 70 percent of your Regulatory Capital or your Leverageable Capital.

(2) Exception. An investor that is a traditional investment company, as determined by SBA, may own and control more than 70 percent of your Regulatory Capital and your Leverageable Capital. For purposes of this section, a traditional investment company must be a professionally managed firm organized exclusively to pool capital from more than one source for the purpose of investing in businesses that are expected to generate substantial returns to the firm's investors. In determining whether a firm is a traditional investment company for purposes of this section, SBA will also consider:

(i) Whether the managers of the firm are unrelated to and unaffiliated with the investors in the firm;

(ii) Whether the managers of the firm are authorized and motivated to make investments that, in their independent judgment, are likely to produce significant returns to all investors in the firm;

(iii) Whether the firm benefits from the use of the SBIC only through the financial performance of the SBIC; and

(iv) Other related factors.

(c) Non-affiliation requirement. (1) General rule. At least 30 percent of your Regulatory Capital and Leverageable Capital must be owned and controlled by three Persons unaffiliated with your management and unaffiliated with each other, and whose investments are significant in dollar and percentage terms as determined by SBA. Such Persons must not be your Associates (except for their status as your shareholders, limited partners, or members) and must not Control, be Controlled by, or be under Common Control with any of your Associates. A single “acceptable” Institutional Investor may be substituted for two or three of the three Persons who are otherwise required under this paragraph. The following Institutional Investors are “acceptable” for this purpose:

(i) Entities whose overall activities are regulated and periodically examined by state, Federal or other governmental authorities satisfactory to SBA;

(ii) Entities listed on the New York Stock Exchange;

(iii) Entities that are publicly-traded and that meet both the minimum numerical listing standards and the corporate governance listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange;

(iv) Public or private employee pension funds;

(v) Trusts, foundations, or endowments, but only if exempt from Federal income taxation; and

(vi) Other Institutional Investors satisfactory to SBA.

(2) Look-through for traditional investment company investors. SBA, in its sole discretion, may consider the requirement in paragraph (c)(1) of this section to be satisfied if at least 30 percent of your Regulatory Capital and Leverageable Capital is owned and controlled indirectly, through a traditional investment company, by Persons unaffiliated with your management.

(d) Voting requirement. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, the investors required for you to satisfy diversity may not delegate their voting rights to any Person who is your Associate, or who Controls, is Controlled by, or is under Common Control with any of your Associates, without prior SBA approval.

(2) Exception. Paragraph (d)(1) of this section does not apply to investors in publicly-traded Licensees, to proxies given to vote in accordance with specific instructions for single specified meetings, or to any delegation of voting rights to a Person who is neither a diversity investor in the Licensee nor affiliated with management of the Licensee.

(e) Requirement to maintain diversity. If you were required to have management-ownership diversity at any time, you must maintain such diversity while you have outstanding Leverage or Earmarked Assets. To maintain management-ownership diversity, you may continue to satisfy the diversity requirement as in effect at the time it was first applicable to you or you may satisfy the management-ownership diversity requirement as currently in effect. If, at any time, you no longer have the required management-ownership diversity, you must:

(1) Notify SBA within 10 days; and

(2) Re-establish diversity within six months. For the consequences of failure to re-establish diversity, see §§ 107.1810(g) and 107.1820(f).

A limited partnership organized under State law solely for the purpose of performing the functions and conducting the activities contemplated under the Act may apply for a license under section 301(c) or section 301 (d) of the Act (“Partnership Licensee”).

(a) Number of Licensee's General Partners. If you are a Partnership Licensee, you must have as your general partner(s) at least two individuals, or at least one corporation, partnership, or limited liability company (LLC), or any combination of individuals, corporations, partnerships, or LLCs.

(b) Entity General Partner of Licensee. A general partner which is a corporation, limited liability company or partnership (an “Entity General Partner”) shall be organized under state law solely for the purpose of serving as the general partner of one or more Licensees.

(1) SBA must approve any person who will serve as an officer, director, manager, or general partner of the Entity General Partner. This provision must be stated in an Entity General Partner's Certificate of Incorporation, member agreement, Limited Partnership Agreement or other similar governing instrument which must, in each case, accompany the license application.

(2) An Entity General Partner is subject to the same examination and reporting requirements as a Licensee under section 310(b) of the Act. The restrictions and obligations imposed upon a Licensee by §§ 107.1800 through 107.1820, and 107.30, 107.410 through 107.450, 107.470, 107.475, 107.500, 107.510, 107.585, 107.600, 107.680, 107.690 through 107.692, 107.865, and 107.1910 apply also to an Entity General Partner of a Licensee.

(3) The general partner(s) of your Entity General Partner(s) will be considered your general partner.

(4) If your Entity General Partner is a limited partnership, its limited partners may be considered your Control Person(s) if they meet the definition for Control Person in § 107.50.

(5) If your Entity General Partner is a limited partnership, it is subject to paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) Other requirements for Partnership Licensees. If you are a Partnership Licensee:

(1) You must have a minimum duration of ten years or two years following the maturity of your last-maturing Leverage security, whichever is longer. After 10 years, if all Leverage has been repaid or redeemed and all amounts due SBA, its agent, or Trustee have been paid, the Partnership Licensee may be terminated by a vote of your partners. (For purposes of this provision SBA is not considered a partner.);

(2) None of your general partner(s) may be removed or replaced by your limited partners without prior written approval of SBA;

(3) Any transferee of, or successor in interest to, your general partner shall have only the rights and liabilities of a limited partner pending SBA's written approval of such transfer or succession; and

(4) You must incorporate all the provisions in this paragraph (c) in your Limited Partnership Agreement.

(d) Obligations of a Control Person. All Control Persons are bound by the disciplinary provisions of sections 313 and 314 of the Act and by the conflict-of-interest rules under section 312 of the Act. The term Licensee, as used in §§ 107.30, 107.460, and 107.680 includes all of the Licensee's Control Persons. The term Licensee as used in § 107.670 includes only the Licensee's general partner(s). The conditions specified in §§ 107.1800 through 107.1820 and § 107.1910 apply to all general partners.

(e) Liability of general partner for partnership debts to SBA. Subject to section 314 of the Act, your general partner is not liable solely by reason of its status as a general partner for repayment of any Leverage or debts you owe to SBA unless SBA, in the exercise of reasonable investment prudence, and with regard to your financial soundness, determines otherwise prior to the purchase or guaranty of your Leverage.

(f) Reorganization of Licensee. A corporate Licensee wishing to reorganize as a Partnership Licensee, or a Partnership Licensee wishing to reorganize as a Corporate Licensee, may apply to SBA for approval under § 107.470.

(g) Special Leverage requirement. Before your first issuance of Leverage, you must furnish SBA with evidence that you qualify as a partnership for tax purposes, either by a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or by an opinion of counsel.

You must meet the requirements of this § 107.200 to qualify for a license, to continue as a Licensee, and to receive Leverage.

(a) You must have enough Regulatory Capital to provide reasonable assurance that:

(1) You will operate soundly and profitably over the long term; and

(2) You will be able to operate actively in accordance with your Articles and within the context of your business plan, as approved by SBA.

(b) In SBA's sole discretion, you must be economically viable, taking into consideration actual and anticipated income and losses on your Loans and Investments, and the experience and qualifications of your owners and managers.

(a) Companies licensed on or after October 1, 1996. A company licensed on or after October 1, 1996 must have Leverageable Capital of at least $2,500,000 and must meet the applicable minimum Regulatory Capital requirement:

(1) Licensees other than Participating Securities issuers. A Licensee that does not wish to be eligible to apply for Participating Securities must have Regulatory Capital of at least $5,000,000. As an exception to this general rule, SBA in its sole discretion and based on a showing of special circumstances and good cause may license an applicant with Regulatory Capital of at least $3,000,000, but only if the applicant:

(i) Has satisfied all licensing standards and requirements except the minimum capital requirement, as determined solely by SBA;

(ii) Has a viable business plan reasonably projecting profitable operations; and

(iii) Has a reasonable timetable for achieving Regulatory Capital of at least $5,000,000.

(2) Participating Securities issuers. A Licensee that wishes to be eligible to apply for Participating Securities must have Regulatory Capital of at least $10,000,000, unless it demonstrates to SBA's satisfaction that it can be financially viable over the long term with a lower amount. Under no circumstances can the Licensee have Regulatory Capital of less than $5,000,000.

(b) Companies licensed before October 1, 1996. A company licensed before October 1, 1996 must meet the minimum capital requirements applicable to such company, as required by the regulations in effect on September 30, 1996. See § 107.1120(c)(2) for Leverage eligibility requirements.

Private Capital means the contributed capital of a Licensee, plus unfunded binding commitments by Institutional Investors (including commitments evidenced by a promissory note) to contribute capital to a Licensee.

(a) Contributed capital. For purposes of this section, contributed capital means the paid-in capital and paid-in surplus of a Corporate Licensee, or the partners' contributed capital of a Partnership Licensee, in either case subject to the limitations in paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) Exclusions from Private Capital. Private Capital does not include:

(1) Funds borrowed by a Licensee from any source.

(2) Funds obtained through the issuance of Leverage.

(3) Funds obtained directly or indirectly from any Federal, State, or local government agency or instrumentality, except for:

(i) Funds invested by a public pension fund;

(ii) Funds obtained from the business revenues (excluding any governmental appropriation) of any federally chartered or government-sponsored corporation established before October 1, 1987, to the extent that such revenues are reflected in the retained earnings of the corporation; and

(iii) “Qualified Non-private Funds” as defined in paragraph (d) of this section.

(4) Any portion of a commitment from an Institutional Investor with a net worth of less than $10 million that exceeds 10 percent of such Institutional Investor's net worth and is not backed by a letter of credit from a State or National bank acceptable to SBA.

(c) Non-cash capital contributions. Capital contributions in a form other than cash are subject to the limitations in § 107.240.

(d) Qualified Non-private Funds. Private Capital includes “Qualified Non-private Funds” as defined in this paragraph (d); however, investors of Qualified Non-private Funds must not control, directly or indirectly, a Licensee's management, or its board of directors or general partner(s). Qualified Non-private Funds are:

(1) Funds directly or indirectly invested in any Licensee on or before August 16, 1982 by any Federal agency except SBA, under a statute explicitly mandating the inclusion of such funds in “Private Capital”;

(2) Funds directly or indirectly invested in any Licensee by any Federal agency under a statute that is enacted after September 4, 1992, explicitly mandating the inclusion of such funds in “Private Capital”;

(3) Funds invested in any Licensee or license applicant by one or more State or local government entities (including any guarantee extended by such entities) in an aggregate amount that does not exceed 33 percent of Regulatory Capital; and

(4) Funds invested in or committed in writing to any Section 301(d) Licensee prior to October 1, 1996, from the following sources:

(i) A State financing agency, or similar agency or instrumentality, if the funds invested are derived from such agency's net income and not from appropriated State or local funds; and

(ii) Grants made by a state or local government agency or instrumentality into a nonprofit corporation or institution exercising discretionary authority with respect to such funds, if SBA determines that such funds have taken on a private character and the nonprofit corporation or institution is not a mere conduit.

(e) You may not accept any capital contribution made with funds borrowed by a Person seeking to own an equity interest (whether direct or indirect, beneficial or of record) of at least 10 percent of your Private Capital. This exclusion does not apply if:

(1) Such Person's net worth is at least twice the amount borrowed; or

(2) SBA gives its prior written approval of the capital contribution.

Non-cash capital contributions to a Licensee or license applicant are included in Private Capital only if they fall into one of the following categories:

(a) Direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal and interest by, the United States.

(b) Services rendered or to be rendered to you, priced at no more than their fair market value.

(c) Tangible assets used in your operations, priced at no more than their fair market value.

(d) Shares in a Disadvantaged Business received by a subsidiary Section 301(d) Licensee from its parent Licensee, valued at the lower of cost or fair value.

(e) Other non-cash assets approved by SBA.

Stock options issued by any Licensee, including a 1940 or 1980 Act Company, are not considered compensation and therefore do not count as part of a Licensee's Management Expenses.

(a) Prior approval requirements. You must obtain SBA's prior written approval for any proposed transfer or issuance of ownership interests that results in the ownership (beneficial or of record) by any Person, or group of Persons acting in concert, of at least 10 percent of any class of your stock or partnership capital.

(b) Fee. A processing fee of $200 must accompany each such request for approval of a change of ownership.

(a) Prior approval requirements. You must obtain SBA's prior written approval for any proposed transaction or event that results in Control by any Person(s) not previously approved by SBA.

(b) Fee. A processing fee of $10,000 must accompany any application for approval of one or more transactions or events that will result in a transfer of Control.

Without prior written SBA approval, no change of ownership or Control may take effect and no officer, director, employee or other Person acting on your behalf shall:

(a) Register on your books any transfer of ownership interest to the proposed new owner(s);

(b) Permit the proposed new owner(s) to exercise voting rights with respect to such ownership interest (including directly or indirectly procuring or voting any proxy, consent or authorization as to such voting rights at any shareholders' or partnership meeting);

(c) Permit the proposed new owner(s) to participate in any manner in the conduct of your affairs (including exercising control over your books, records, funds or other assets; participating directly or indirectly in any disposition thereof; or serving as an officer, director, partner, employee or agent); or

(d) Allow ownership or Control to pass to another Person.

You must promptly notify SBA as soon as you have knowledge of transactions or events that may result in a transfer of Control or ownership of at least 10 percent of your capital. If there is any doubt as to whether a particular transaction or event will result in such a change, report the facts to SBA.

SBA approval is contingent upon full disclosure of the real parties in interest, the source of funds for the new owners' interest, and other data requested by SBA. As a condition of approving a proposed transfer of control, SBA may:

(a) Require an increase in your Regulatory Capital;

(b) Require the new owners or the transferee's Control Person(s) to assume, in writing, personal liability for your Leverage, effective only in the event of their direct or indirect participation in any transfer of Control not approved by SBA; or

(c) Require compliance with any other conditions set by SBA, including compliance with the requirements for minimum capital and management-ownership diversity as in effect at such time for new license applicants.

(a) You must notify SBA in writing, within 30 calendar days, of the terms of any transaction in which:

(1) Any Person, or group of Persons acting in concert, pledges shares of your stock (or equivalent ownership interests) as collateral for indebtedness; and

(2) The shares pledged are at least 10 percent of your Regulatory Capital.

(b) If the transaction creates a change of ownership or Control, you must comply with § 107.400 or § 107.410, as appropriate.

(a) General rule. Without SBA's prior written approval, you must not have an officer, director, manager, Control Person, or owner (with a direct or indirect ownership interest of at least 10 percent) who is also:

(1) An officer, director, manager, Control Person, or owner (with a direct or indirect ownership interest of at least 10 percent) of another Licensee; or

(2) An officer or director of any Person that directly or indirectly controls, or is controlled by, or is under Common Control with, another Licensee.

(b) Exceptions to general rule. This § 107.460 does not apply to:

(1) Common officers, directors, managers, or owners of a Section 301(c) Licensee and its Section 301(d) subsidiary; or

(2) Common officers, directors, managers, Control Persons, or owners of two (or more) Licensees which have no Leverage.

(a) Prior approval requirements. You may not merge, consolidate, change form of organization (corporation or partnership) or reorganize without SBA's prior written approval. Any such merger or consolidation will be subject to § 107.440.

(b) Fee. A processing fee of $5,000 must accompany any application for approval of a change in your form of organization (from corporation to partnership or partnership to corporation).

You may not transfer your license in any manner without SBA's prior written approval.

You must engage only in the activities contemplated by the Act and in no other activities.

You must display your SBIC license in a prominent location. You must also have a listed telephone number. Before collecting an application fee or extending Financing to a Small Business, you must obtain a written statement from the concern acknowledging its awareness that you are “a Federal licensee under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended.”

You may not represent or imply to anyone that the SBA, the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or officers has approved any ownership interests you have issued or obligations you have incurred. Be certain to include a statement to this effect in any solicitation to investors. Example: You may not represent or imply that “SBA stands behind the Licensee” or that “Your capital is safe because SBA's experts review proposed investments to make sure they are safe for the Licensee.”

(a) Valuation guidelines. You must prepare, document and report the valuations of your Loans and Investments in accordance with the Valuation Guidelines for SBICs issued by SBA. These guidelines may be obtained from SBA's Investment Division.

(b) SBA approval of valuation policy. You must have a written valuation policy approved by SBA for use in determining the value of your Loans and Investments. You must either:

(1) Adopt without change the model valuation policy set forth in section III of the Valuation Guidelines for SBICs; or

(2) Obtain SBA's prior written approval of an alternative valuation policy.

(c) Responsibility for valuations. Your board of directors or general partner(s) will be solely responsible for adopting your valuation policy and for using it to prepare valuations of your Loans and Investments for submission to SBA. If SBA reasonably believes that your valuations, individually or in the aggregate, are materially misstated, it reserves the right to require you to engage, at your expense, an independent third party, acceptable to SBA, to substantiate the valuations.

(d) Frequency of valuations. (1) If you have outstanding Leverage or Earmarked Assets, you must value your Loans and Investments at the end of the second quarter of your fiscal year, and at the end of your fiscal year.

(2) Otherwise, you must value your Loans and Investments only at your fiscal year end.

(3) On a case-by-case basis, SBA may require you to perform valuations more frequently.

(4) You must report material adverse changes in valuations at least quarterly, within thirty days following the close of the quarter.

(e) Review of valuations by independent public accountant. (1) For valuations performed as of the end of your fiscal year, your independent public accountant must review your valuation procedures and the implementation of such procedures, including adequacy of documentation.

(2) The independent public accountant's report on your audited annual financial statements (SBA Form 468) must include a statement that your valuations were prepared in accordance with your approved valuation policy established in accordance with section 310(d)(2) of the Act.

(a) Computer capability. You must have a personal computer with a modem, and be able to use this equipment to prepare reports (using SBA-provided software) and transmit them to SBA. In addition, by March 31, 2000, you must have access to the Internet and the capability to send and receive electronic mail via the Internet.

(b) Facsimile capability. You must be able to receive facsimile messages 24 hours per day at your primary office.

(c) Accessible office. You must maintain an office that is convenient to the public and is open for business during normal working hours.

You must be able to receive fax messages 24 hours per day at your primary office.

You must adopt a plan to safeguard your assets and monitor the reliability of your financial data, personnel, Portfolio, funds and equipment. You must provide your bank and custodian with a certified copy of your resolution or other formal document describing your control procedures.

The following shall constitute a violation of this part:

(a) Nonperformance. Nonperformance of any of the requirements of any Debenture, Participating Security or Preferred Security, or of any written agreement with SBA.

(b) False statement. In any document submitted to SBA:

(1) Any false statement knowingly made; or

(2) Any misrepresentation of a material fact; or

(3) Any failure to state a material fact. A material fact is any fact which is necessary to make a statement not misleading in light of the circumstances under which the statement was made.

Without SBA's prior written approval, for a period of two years after the date of your most recent issuance of Leverage (or the receipt of any SBA Assistance as defined in part 105 of this chapter), you are not permitted to employ, offer employment to, or retain for professional services, any person who:

(a) Served as an officer, attorney, agent, or employee of SBA on or within one year before such date; and

(b) As such, occupied a position or engaged in activities which, in SBA's determination, involved discretion with respect to the granting of Assistance under the Act.

You may employ an Investment Adviser/Manager who will be subject to the supervision of your board of directors or general partner. If you have Leverage or plan to seek Leverage, you must obtain SBA's prior written approval of the management contract. SBA's approval of an Investment Adviser/Manager for one Licensee does not indicate approval of that manager for any other Licensee.

(a) Management contract. The contract must:

(1) Specify the services the Investment Adviser/Manager will render to you and to the Small Businesses in your Portfolio; and

(2) Indicate the basis for computing Management Expenses.

(b) Material change to approved management contract. If there is a material change, both you and SBA must approve such change in advance. If you are uncertain if the change is material, submit the proposed revision to SBA.

SBA must approve any increases in your Management Expenses if you have outstanding Leverage or Earmarked Assets.

(a) Definition of Management Expenses. Management Expenses include:

(1) Salaries;

(2) Office expenses;

(3) Travel;

(4) Business development;

(5) Office and equipment rental;

(6) Bookkeeping; and

(7) Expenses related to developing, investigating and monitoring investments.

(b) Management Expenses do not include services provided by specialized outside consultants, outside lawyers and independent public accountants, if they perform services not generally performed by a venture capital company.

(c) If your Management Expenses have not already been approved by SBA, you must submit such expenses for approval with your SBA Form 468 for your first fiscal year ending after January 31, 1996.

(a) Applicability of this section. This § 107.530 applies if you have outstanding Leverage or if you have applied for Leverage.

(b) Permitted investments of idle funds. Funds not invested in Small Businesses must be maintained in:

(1) Direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal and interest by, the United States, which mature within 15 months from the date of the investment; or

(2) Repurchase agreements with federally insured institutions, with a maturity of seven days or less. The securities underlying the repurchase agreements must be direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal and interest by, the United States. The securities must be maintained in a custodial account at a federally insured institution; or

(3) Certificates of deposit with a maturity of one year or less, issued by a federally insured institution; or

(4) A deposit account in a federally insured institution, subject to a withdrawal restriction of one year or less; or

(5) A checking account in a federally insured institution; or

(6) A reasonable petty cash fund.

(c) Deposit of funds in excess of the insured amount. (1) You are permitted to deposit funds in a federally insured institution in excess of the institution's insured amount, but only if the institution is “well capitalized” in accordance with the definition set forth in regulations of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, as amended (12 CFR 325.103).

(2) Exception: You may make a temporary deposit (not to exceed 30 days) in excess of the insured amount, in a transfer account established to facilitate the receipt and disbursement of funds or to hold funds necessary to honor Commitments issued.

(d) Deposit of funds in Associate institution. A deposit in, or a repurchase agreement with, a federally insured institution that is your Associate is not considered a Financing of such Associate under § 107.730, provided the terms of such deposit or repurchase agreement are no less favorable than those available to the general public.

(a) Definition. In this § 107.550, “secured third-party debt” means any non-SBA debt secured by any of your assets, including secured guarantees and other contingent obligations that you voluntarily assume, secured lines of credit, and secured Temporary Debt of a Licensee with outstanding Participating Securities.

(b) General rule. If you have outstanding Leverage, you must get SBA's written approval before you incur any secured third-party debt or refinance any debt with secured third-party debt, including any renewal of a secured line of credit, increase in the maximum amount available under a secured line of credit, or expansion of the scope of a security interest or lien. For purposes of this paragraph (b), “expansion of the scope of a security interest or lien” does not include the substitution of one asset or group of assets for another, provided the asset values (as reported on your most recent annual Form 468) are comparable.

(c) Additional rule for secured lines of credit in existence on April 8, 1994. If you have outstanding Leverage and you have a secured line of credit that was created on or before April 8, 1994, you must receive SBA's written approval of the line before you increase the amounts outstanding thereunder.

(d) Conditions for SBA approval. As a condition of granting its approval under this § 107.550, SBA may impose such restrictions or limitations as it deems appropriate, taking into account your historical performance, current financial position, proposed terms of the secured debt and amount of aggregate debt you will have outstanding (including Leverage). SBA will not favorably consider any requests for approval which include a blanket lien on all your assets, or a security interest in your investor commitments in excess of 125 percent of the proposed borrowing.

(e) Thirty day approval. Unless SBA notifies you otherwise within 30 days after it receives your request, you may consider your request automatically approved if:

(1) You are in regulatory compliance;

(2) The security interest in your assets is limited to either those assets being acquired with the borrowed funds or an asset coverage ratio of no more than 2:1;

(3) Your Leverage does not exceed 150 percent of your Leverageable Capital; and

(4) Your request is for approval of a secured line of credit that would not cause your total outstanding borrowings (not including Leverage) to exceed 50 percent of your Leverageable Capital.

(a) General. Temporary Debt is the only debt (other than Leverage) that you are permitted to incur if you have applied to issue Participating Securities or if you have outstanding Participating Securities. For additional rules governing secured Temporary Debt, see § 107.550.

(b) Definition of Temporary Debt. Temporary Debt means your short-term borrowings if:

(1) Such borrowings are for the purpose of maintaining your operating liquidity or providing funds for a particular Financing of a Small Business;

(2) The funds are borrowed from a regulated financial institution or a regulated credit company (or, if approved by SBA on a case-by-case basis, from non-regulated lenders including shareholders or partners);

(3) Your total outstanding borrowings (not including Leverage) do not exceed 50 percent of your Leverageable Capital; and

(4) All such borrowings are fully paid off for at least 30 consecutive days during your fiscal year so that you have no outstanding third-party debt for 30 days.

You must obtain SBA's prior written approval to reduce your Regulatory Capital by more than two percent in any fiscal year, unless otherwise permitted under §§ 107.1560 and 107.1570. At all times, you must retain sufficient Regulatory Capital to meet the minimum capital requirements in the Act and § 107.210, and sufficient Leverageable Capital to avoid having excess Leverage in violation of section 303 of the Act and §§ 107.1150 through 107.1170.

(a) Activity test. You must conduct active operations, as determined under this § 107.590, as a condition of your license. You will be considered active if:

(1) During the eighteen months preceding your most recent fiscal year end, you made Financings totaling at least 20 percent of your Regulatory Capital; or

(2) Your idle funds did not exceed 20 percent of your total assets (at cost) at your most recent fiscal year end.

(b) Permitted exceptions to activity requirements. You are considered active if your failure to meet the requirements in paragraph (a) of this section is the result of one or more of the following factors:

(1) Your excess idle funds are the result of the receipt, within the previous nine months, of realized gains, repayments, additional capital contributions, or Leverage.

(2) It is necessary for you to maintain excess idle funds to conduct your operations because:

(i) Your unfunded commitments from investors are no more than 20 percent of your Regulatory Capital; and

(ii) You cannot receive additional Leverage, solely because SBA has insufficient funds available.

(3) You have not made sufficient Financings because of a lack of available funds, evidenced by Loans and Investments (at cost) equal to at least 90 percent of your Combined Capital as of your most recent fiscal year end.

(4) You have not made sufficient Financings solely because SBA has restricted your ability to make investments.

(c) Applicability of activity requirements. The activity requirements in paragraph (a) of this section do not apply if you have filed a “Wind-up Plan” approved by SBA. “Wind-up Plan” means a plan that you prepare when you decide that you will no longer make any Financings other than follow-on investments, and that you update annually when you file your SBA Form 468. The plan must contain your best estimates of the following:

(1) The remaining number of years you expect to operate.

(2) For each of your Loans and Investments, the expected liquidation date and anticipated proceeds.

(3) The timing of your repayment of obligations to SBA.

(4) The timing and amount of any planned reductions in your Management Expenses.

(d) Phase-in of activity requirements. (1) General rule. You must meet the activity requirements in this § 107.590 as of the end of your first full fiscal year beginning after January 31, 1996. Until then, you will be considered active if you meet the activity requirements in effect on January 30, 1996.

(2) Rule for new Licensees. If you received your license after January 31, 1996, or if you received your license less than eighteen months before the fiscal year end determined under paragraph (d)(1) of this section, you must meet the activity requirements in this § 107.590 as of the end of your second full fiscal year beginning after the date you received your license.

(a) Maintaining your accounting records. You must establish and maintain your accounting records using SBA's standard chart of accounts for Licensees, unless SBA approves otherwise.

(b) Location of records. You must keep the following records at your principal place of business or, in the case of paragraph (b)(3) of this section, at the branch office that is primarily responsible for the transaction:

(1) All your accounting and other financial records;

(2) All minutes of meetings of directors, stockholders, executive committees, partners, or other officials; and

(3) All documents and supporting materials related to your business transactions, except for any items held by a custodian under a written agreement between you and a Portfolio Concern or non-SBA lender, or any securities held in a safe deposit box, or by a licensed securities broker in an amount not exceeding the broker's per-account insurance coverage.

(c) Preservation of records. You must retain all the records that are the basis for your financial reports. Such records must be preserved for the periods specified in this paragraph (c), and must remain accessible for the first two years of the preservation period.

(1) You must preserve for at least 15 years or, in the case of a Partnership Licensee, at least two years beyond the date of liquidation:

(i) All your accounting ledgers and journals, and any other records of assets, asset valuations, liabilities, equity, income, and expenses.

(ii) Your Articles, bylaws, minute books, and license application.

(iii) All documents evidencing ownership of the Licensee including ownership ledgers, and ownership transfer registers.

(2) You must preserve for at least six years all supporting documentation (such as vouchers, bank statements, or canceled checks) for the records listed in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(3) After final disposition of any item in your Portfolio, you must preserve for at least six years:

(i) Financing applications and Financing instruments.

(ii) All loan, participation, and escrow agreements.

(iii) Size status declarations (SBA Form 480) and Financing Eligibility Statements (SBA Form 1941).

(iv) Any capital stock certificates and warrants of the Portfolio Concern that you did not surrender or exercise.

(v) All other documents and supporting material relating to the Portfolio Concern, including correspondence.

(4) You may substitute a microfilm or computer-scanned or generated copy for the original of any record covered by this paragraph (c).

For each of your Loans and Investments, you must have the documents listed in this section. You must keep these documents in your files and make them available to SBA upon request.

(a) SBA Form 480, the Size Status Declaration, executed both by you and by the concern you are financing. By executing this document, both parties certify that the concern is a Small Business. For securities purchased from an underwriter in a public offering, you may substitute a prospectus showing that the concern is a Small Business.

(b) SBA Form 652, a certification by the concern you are financing that it will not illegally discriminate (see part 112 of this chapter).

(c) SBA Form 1941 (for Section 301(d) Licensees only), executed both by you and by the concern you are financing. By executing this document, both parties certify that the concern is a Disadvantaged Business.

(d) A certification by the concern you are financing of the intended use of the proceeds. For securities purchased from an underwriter in a public offering, you may substitute a prospectus indicating the intended use of proceeds.

(e) For each LMI Investment:

(1) A certification by the concern, dated as of the date of application for SBIC financing, as to the basis for its qualification as an LMI Enterprise,

(2) If the concern qualifies as an LMI Enterprise as defined in paragraph (2) of the definition of LMI Enterprise in § 107.50, an additional certification dated no later than the date 180 days after the closing of the LMI Investment, as to the location of the concern's employees or tangible assets or the principal residences of its full-time employees as of the date of such certification, and

(3) Certification(s) by the SBIC, made contemporaneously with the certification(s) of the concern, that the concern qualifies as an LMI Enterprise as of the date(s) of the concern's certification(s) and the basis for such qualification.

All the information required by this section is subject to the requirements of § 107.600 and must be in English.

(a) Information for initial Financing decision. Before extending any Financing, you must require the applicant to submit such financial statements, plans of operation (including intended use of financing proceeds), cash flow analyses and projections as are necessary to support your investment decision. The information submitted must be consistent with the size and type of the business and the amount of the proposed Financing.

(b) Updated financial information. (1) The terms of each Financing must require the Portfolio Concern to provide, at least annually, sufficient financial information to enable you to perform the following required procedures:

(i) Evaluate the financial condition of the Portfolio Concern for the purpose of valuing your investment;

(ii) Determine the continued eligibility of the Portfolio Concern; and

(iii) Verify the use of Financing proceeds.

(2) The information submitted to you must be certified by the president, chief executive officer, treasurer, chief financial officer, general partner, or proprietor of the Portfolio Concern.

(3) For financial and valuation purposes, you may accept a complete copy of the Federal income tax return filed by the Portfolio Concern (or its proprietor) in lieu of financial statements, but only if appropriate for the size and type of the business involved.

(4) The requirements in this paragraph (b) do not apply when you acquire securities from an underwriter in a public offering (see § 107.825). In that case, you must keep copies of all reports furnished by the Portfolio Concern to the holders of its securities.

(c) Information required for examination purposes. You must obtain any information requested by SBA's examiners for the purpose of verifying the certifications made by a Portfolio Concern under § 107.610. In this regard, your Financing documents must contain provisions requiring the Portfolio Concern to give you and/or SBA's examiners access to its books and records for such purpose.

(a) Annual filing of Form 468. For each fiscal year, you must submit to SBA financial statements and supplementary information prepared on SBA Form 468. You must file Form 468 on or before the last day of the third month following the end of your fiscal year, except for the information required under paragraph (e) of this section, which must be filed on or before the last day of the fifth month following the end of your fiscal year.

(1) Audit of Form 468. The annual Form 468 must be audited by an independent public accountant acceptable to SBA.

(2) Insurance requirement for public accountant. Unless SBA approves otherwise, your independent public accountant must carry at least $1,000,000 of Errors and Omissions insurance, or be self-insured and have a net worth of at least $1,000,000.

(b) Interim filings of Form 468. When requested by SBA, you must file interim reports on Form 468. SBA may require you to file the entire form or only certain statements and schedules. You must file such reports on or before the last day of the month following the end of the reporting period. If you have an outstanding Leverage commitment from SBA, see the filing requirements in § 107.1220.

(c) Standards for preparation of Form 468. You must prepare SBA Form 468 in accordance with SBA's Accounting Standards and Financial Reporting Requirements for Small Business Investment Companies.

(d) Where to file Form 468. Submit all filings of Form 468 to the Investment Division of SBA.

(e) Reporting of economic impact information on Form 468. Your annual filing of SBA Form 468 must include an assessment of the economic impact of each Financing, specifying the full-time equivalent jobs created or retained, and the impact of the Financing on the revenues and profits of the business and on taxes paid by the business and its employees.

For each Financing of a Small Business (excluding guarantees), you must submit a Portfolio Financing Report on SBA Form 1031 within 30 days of the closing date.

(a) Reports to owners. You must give SBA a copy of any report you furnish to your investors, including any prospectus, letter, or other publication concerning your financial operations or those of any Portfolio Concern.

(b) Documents filed with SEC. You must give SBA a copy of any report, application or document you file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(c) Litigation reports. When you become a party to litigation or other proceedings, you must give SBA a report within 30 days that describes the proceedings and identifies the other parties involved and your relationship to them.

(1) The proceedings covered by this paragraph (c) include any action by you, or by your security holder(s) in a personal or derivative capacity, against an officer, director, Investment Adviser or other Associate of yours for alleged breach of official duty.

(2) SBA may require you to submit copies of the pleadings and other documents SBA may specify.

(3) Where proceedings have been terminated by settlement or final judgment, you must promptly advise SBA of the terms.

(4) This paragraph (c) does not apply to collection actions or proceedings to enforce your ordinary creditors' rights.

(d) Notification of criminal charges. If any officer, director, or general partner of the Licensee, or any other person who was required by SBA to complete a personal history statement in connection with your license, is charged with or convicted of any criminal offense other than a misdemeanor involving a minor motor vehicle violation, you must report the incident to SBA within 5 calendar days. Such report must fully describe the facts which pertain to the incident.

(e) Other reports. You must file any other reports that SBA may require by written directive.

(a) If it is impracticable to submit any required report within the time allowed, you may apply for an extension. The request for an extension must:

(1) Be filed before the reporting deadline;

(2) Certify to an extraordinary occurrence, not within your control, that makes timely filing of the report impracticable; and

(3) Be accompanied by written evidence of such occurrence, where appropriate.

(b) Upon receipt of your request, SBA may exempt you from the civil penalty provision of section 315(a) of the Act, in such manner and under such conditions as SBA determines.

(a) Changes to be reported for post approval. (1) This section applies to any changes in your Articles, ownership, capitalization, management, operating area, or investment policies that do not require SBA's prior approval. You must report such changes to SBA within 30 days for post approval. A processing fee of $200 must accompany each request for post approval of new officers, directors, or Control Persons.

(2) Exception for non-leveraged Licensees. If you do not have outstanding Leverage or Earmarked Assets, you are not required to obtain post approval of new directors or new officers other than your chief operating officer; however, you must notify SBA of the new directors or officers within 30 days.

(b) Approval by SBA. You may consider any change submitted under this section § 107.680 to be approved unless SBA notifies you to the contrary within 90 days after receiving it. SBA's approval is contingent upon your full disclosure of all relevant facts and is subject to any conditions SBA may prescribe.

SBA will examine all Licensees for the purpose of evaluating regulatory compliance.

You must make all books, records and other pertinent documents and materials available for the examination, including any information required by the examiner under § 107.620(c). In addition, the agreement between you and the independent public accountant performing your audit must provide that any information in the accountant's working papers be made available to SBA upon request.

(a) General. SBA will assess fees for examinations in accordance with this § 107.692. Unless SBA determines otherwise on a case by case basis, SBA will not assess fees for special examinations to obtain specific information.

(b) Base fee. A base fee will be assessed based on your total assets (at cost) as of the date of your latest certified financial statement or a more recent interim statement requested by and submitted to SBA in connection with the examination. The base fee table is as follows:

(c) Adjustments to base fee. Your base fee, as determined by the table in paragraph (b) of this section, will be adjusted (increased or decreased) based on the following criteria:

(1) If you have no outstanding regulatory violations at the time of the commencement of the examination and SBA did not identify any violations as a result of the most recent prior examination, you will receive a 15% discount on your base fee;

(2) If you were fully responsive to the letter of notification of examination (that is, you provided all requested documents and information within the time period stipulated in the notification letter in a complete and accurate manner, and you prepared and had available all information requested by the examiner for on-site review), you will receive a 10% discount on your base fee;

(3) If you are organized as a partnership or limited liability company, you will pay an additional charge equal to 5% of your base fee;

(4) If you are a Licensee authorized to issue Participating Securities, you will pay an additional charge equal to 10% of your base fee; and

(5) If you maintain your records/files in multiple locations (as permitted under § 107.600(b)), you will pay an additional charge equal to 10% of your base fee.

(d) Fee discounts and additions table. The following table summarizes the discounts and additions noted in paragraph (c) of this section:

(e) Delay fee. If, in the judgement of SBA, the time required to complete your examination is delayed due to your lack of cooperation or the condition of your records, SBA may assess an additional fee of up to $500 per day.

You are permitted to provide financial assistance and management services only to a Small Business. To determine whether an applicant is a Small Business, you may use either the financial size standards in § 121.301(c)(1) of this chapter or the industry standard covering the industry in which the applicant is primarily engaged, as set forth in § 121.301(c)(2) of this chapter.

Your Portfolio must include Financings to Smaller Enterprises.

(a) Definition of Smaller Enterprise. A Smaller Enterprise means any small business concern that:

(1) Both together with its Affiliates, and by itself, meets the size standard of § 121.201 of this chapter at the time of Financing for the industry in which it is then primarily engaged; or

(2) Together with its affiliates has a net worth of not more than $6 million and average net income after Federal income taxes (excluding any carry-over losses) for the preceding two years no greater than $2 million. If the applicant is not required by law to pay Federal income taxes at the enterprise level, but is required to pass income through to its shareholders, partners, beneficiaries, or other equitable owners, the applicant's “net income after Federal income taxes” will be its net income reduced by an amount computed as follows:

(i) If the applicant is not required by law to pay State (and local, if any) income taxes at the enterprise level, multiply its net income by the marginal State income tax rate (or by the combined State and local income tax rates, as applicable) that would have applied if it were a taxable corporation.

(ii) Multiply the applicant's net income, less any deduction for State and local income taxes calculated under paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section, by the marginal Federal income tax rate that would have applied if the applicant were a taxable corporation.

(iii) Add the results obtained in paragraphs (a)(2)(i) and (a)(2)(ii) of this section.

(b) Smaller Enterprise Financings—(1) General rule. At the close of each of your fiscal years, for all Financings you extended since April 25, 1994, excluding Financings made in whole or in part with Leverage in excess of $90,000,000, at least 20 percent (in total dollars) must have been invested in Smaller Enterprises. If you were licensed after April 25, 1994, the 20 percent requirement applies to the Financings you extended since you were licensed, excluding Financings made in whole or in part with Leverage in excess of $90,000,000, plus any pre-licensing investments approved by SBA for inclusion in your Regulatory Capital. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(1), Leverage in excess of $90,000,000 includes aggregate Leverage over $90,000,000 issued by two or more Licensees under Common Control. See also paragraph (d) of this section.

(2) Phase-in for new Licensees At the close of your first full fiscal year after licensing, at least 10 percent of the total dollar amount of the Financings you extended, including any pre-licensing investments approved by SBA for inclusion in your Regulatory Capital, must have been invested in Smaller Enterprises. At the close of each fiscal year thereafter, you must meet the requirement in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(c) Special requirement for certain leveraged Licensees. (1) This paragraph (c) applies if you were licensed on or before September 30, 1996, and you issued Leverage after that date, and you have Regulatory Capital of:

(i) Less than $10,000,000 if such Leverage included Participating Securities; or

(ii) Less than $5,000,000 if such Leverage was Debentures only.

(2) At the close of each of your fiscal years, at least 50 percent of the total dollar amount of the Financings you extended after September 30, 1996 must have been invested in Smaller Enterprises.

(d) Special requirement for Leverage over $90,000,000. If you have issued Leverage over $90,000,000 (including aggregate Leverage over $90,000,000 issued by two or more Licensees under Common Control), at the end of each of your fiscal years the cumulative Financings you extended to Smaller Enterprises must equal at least:

(1) The dollar amount necessary to satisfy paragraph (b) of this section; plus

(2) 100 percent of the amount of all Financings made in whole or in part with Leverage over $90,000,000.

(e) Financing a change of ownership which results in the creation of a Smaller Enterprises. The Financing of a change of ownership under § 107.750 which results in the creation of a Smaller Enterprise qualifies as a Smaller Enterprise Financing.

(f) Non-compliance with this section. If you have not reached the required percentage of Smaller Enterprise Financings at the end of any fiscal year, then you must be in compliance by the end of the following fiscal year. However, you will not be eligible for additional Leverage until you reach the required percentage (see § 107.1120(c) through (e)).

(a) Relenders or reinvestors. You are not permitted to finance any business that is a relender or reinvestor.

(1) Definition. Relenders or reinvestors are businesses whose primary business activity involves, directly or indirectly, providing funds to others, purchasing debt obligations, factoring, or long-term leasing of equipment with no provision for maintenance or repair.

(2) Exception. You may provide Venture Capital Financing to Disadvantaged Businesses that are relenders or reinvestors (except banks or savings and loans not insured by agencies of the federal government, and agricultural credit companies). Without SBA's prior written approval, total Financings under this paragraph (a)(2) that are outstanding as of the close of your fiscal year must not exceed your Regulatory Capital.

(b) Passive Businesses. You are not permitted to finance a passive business.

(1) Definition. A business is passive if:

(i) It is not engaged in a regular and continuous business operation (for purposes of this paragraph (b), the mere receipt of payments such as dividends, rents, lease payments, or royalties is not considered a regular and continuous business operation); or

(ii) Its employees are not carrying on the majority of day to day operations, and the company does not provide effective control and supervision, on a day to day basis, over persons employed under contract; or

(iii) It passes through substantially all of the proceeds of the Financing to another entity.

(2) Exception for pass-through of proceeds to subsidiary. You may finance a passive business if it is a Small Business and it passes substantially all the proceeds through to one or more subsidiary companies, each of which is an eligible Small Business that is not passive. For the purpose of this paragraph (b)(2), “subsidiary company” means a company in which at least 50 percent of the outstanding voting securities are owned by the Financed passive business.

(3) Exception for certain Partnership Licensees. With the prior written approval of SBA, if you are a Partnership Licensee, you may form one or more wholly-owned corporations in accordance with this paragraph (b)(3). The sole purpose of such corporation(s) must be to provide Financing to one or more eligible, unincorporated Small Businesses. You may form such corporation(s) only if a direct Financing to such Small Businesses would cause any of your investors to incur unrelated business taxable income under section 511 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (26 U.S.C. 511). Your ownership of such corporation(s) will not constitute a violation of § 107.865(a) and your investment of funds in such corporation(s) will not constitute a violation of § 107.730(a).

(c) Real Estate Businesses. (1) You are not permitted to finance any business classified under Major Group 65 (Real Estate) or Industry No. 1531 (Operative Builders) of the SIC Manual, with the following exceptions:

(i) Title Abstract companies (Industry No. 6541); and

(ii) Companies listed under Industry No. 6531 (for example, real estate agents, brokers, escrow agents, managers and multiple listing services) that derive at least 80 percent of their revenue from non-Affiliate sources.

(2) You are not permitted to finance a business, regardless of SIC classification, if the Financing is to be used to acquire or refinance real property, unless the Small Business:

(i) Is acquiring an existing property and will use at least 51 percent of the usable square footage for an eligible business purpose; or

(ii) Is building or renovating a building and will use at least 67 percent of the usable square footage for an eligible business purpose; or

(iii) Occupies the subject property and uses at least 67 percent of the usable square footage for an eligible business purpose.

(d) Project Financing. You are not permitted to finance a business if:

(1) The assets of the business are to be reduced or consumed, generally without replacement, as the life of the business progresses, and the nature of the business requires that a stream of cash payments be made to the business's financing sources, on a basis associated with the continuing sale of assets. Examples include real estate development projects and oil and gas wells; or

(2) The primary purpose of the Financing is to fund production of a single item or defined limited number of items, generally over a defined production period, and such production will constitute the majority of the activities of the Small Business. Examples include motion pictures and electric generating plants.

(e) Farm land purchases. You are not permitted to finance the acquisition of farm land. Farm land means land which is or is intended to be used for agricultural or forestry purposes, such as the production of food, fiber, or wood, or is so taxed or zoned.

(f) Public interest. You are not permitted to finance any business if the proceeds are to be used for purposes contrary to the public interest, including but not limited to activities which are in violation of law, or inconsistent with free competitive enterprise.

(g) Foreign investment—(1) General rule. You are not permitted to finance a business if:

(i) The funds will be used substantially for a foreign operation; or

(ii) At the time of the Financing or within one year thereafter, more than 49 percent of the employees or tangible assets of the Small Business are located outside the United States (unless you can show, to SBA's satisfaction, that the Financing was used for a specific domestic purpose).

(2) Exception. This paragraph (g) does not prohibit a Financing used to acquire foreign materials and equipment or foreign property rights for use or sale in the United States.

(h) Associated supplier. You are not permitted to finance a business that purchases, or will purchase, goods or services from a supplier who is your Associate, except under the following conditions:

(1) The amount of goods and services purchased (or to be purchased) from your Associate with the proceeds of the Financing, or with funds released as a result of the Financing, is less than 50 percent of the total amount of the Financing (75 percent for a Section 301(d) Licensee);

(2) The price of such goods and services is no higher than that charged other customers of your Associate; and

(3) The Small Business purchases no capital goods from your Associate.

(i) Financing Licensees. You are not permitted to provide funds, directly or indirectly, that the Small Business will use:

(1) To purchase stock in or provide capital to a Licensee; or

(2) To repay an indebtedness incurred for the purpose of investing in a Licensee.

(a) General rule. You must not self-deal to the prejudice of a Small Business, the Licensee, its shareholders or partners, or SBA. Unless you obtain a prior written exemption from SBA for special instances in which a Financing may further the purposes of the Act despite presenting a conflict of interest, you must not directly or indirectly:

(1) Provide Financing to any of your Associates.

(2) Provide Financing to an Associate of another Licensee if one of your Associates has received or will receive any direct or indirect Financing or a Commitment from that Licensee or a third Licensee (including Financing or Commitments received under any understanding, agreement, or cross dealing, reciprocal or circular arrangement).

(3) Borrow money from:

(i) A Small Business Financed by you;

(ii) An officer, director, or owner of at least a 10 percent equity interest in such business; or

(iii) A Close Relative of any such officer, director, or equity owner.

(4) Provide Financing to a Small Business to discharge an obligation to your Associate or free other funds to pay such obligation. This paragraph (a)(4) does not apply if the obligation is to an Associate Lending Institution and is a line of credit or other obligation incurred in the normal course of business.

(5) Provide Financing to a Small Business for the purpose of purchasing property from your Associate, except as permitted under § 107.720(h).

(b) Rules applicable to Associates. Without SBA' s prior written approval, your Associates must not, directly or indirectly:

(1) Borrow money from any Person described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section.

(2) Receive from a Small Business any compensation in connection with Assistance you provide (except as permitted under §§ 107.825(c) and 107.900), or anything of value for procuring, attempting to procure, or influencing your action with respect to such Assistance.

(c) Applicability of other laws. You are also bound by any restrictions in Federal or State laws governing conflicts of interest and fiduciary obligations.

(d) Financings with Associates—(1) Financings with Associates requiring prior approval. Without SBA's prior written approval, you may not Finance any business in which your Associate has either a voting equity interest, or total equity interests (including potential interests), of at least five percent.

(2) Other Financings with Associates. If you and an Associate provide Financing to the same Small Business, either at the same time or at different times, you must be able to demonstrate to SBA's satisfaction that the terms and conditions are (or were) fair and equitable to you, taking into account any differences in the timing of each party's financing transactions.

(3) Exceptions to paragraphs (d)(1) and (d)(2) of this section. A Financing that falls into one of the following categories is exempt from the prior approval requirement in paragraph (d)(1) of this section or is presumed to be fair and equitable to you for the purposes of paragraph (d)(2) of this section, as appropriate:

(i) Your Associate is a Lending Institution that is providing financing under a credit facility in order to meet the operational needs of the Small Business, and the terms of such financing are usual and customary.

(ii) Your Associate invests in the Small Business on the same terms and conditions and at the same time as you.

(iii) Both you and your Associate are leveraged Licensees, and both have outstanding Participating Securities or neither has outstanding Participating Securities.

(iv) You have no outstanding Leverage and do not intend to issue Leverage in the future, and your Associate either is not a Licensee or has no outstanding Leverage and does not intend to issue Leverage in the future.

(e) Use of Associates to manage Portfolio Concerns. To protect your investment, you may designate an Associate to serve as an officer, director, or other participant in the management of a Small Business. You must identify any such Associate in your records available for SBA's review under § 107.600. Without SBA's prior written approval, the Associate must not:

(1) Have any other direct or indirect financial interest in the Portfolio Concern that exceeds, or has the potential to exceed, 5 percent of the Portfolio Concern's equity.

(2) Have served for more than 30 days as an officer, director or other participant in the management of the Portfolio Concern before you provided Financing.

(3) Receive any income or anything of value from the Portfolio Concern unless it is for your benefit, with the exception of director's fees, expenses, and distributions based upon the Associate's ownership interest in the Concern.

(f) 1940 and 1980 Act Companies: SEC exemptions. If you are a 1940 or 1980 Act Company and you receive an exemption from the Securities and Exchange Commission for a transaction described in this § 107.730, you need not obtain SBA's approval of the transaction. However, you must promptly notify SBA of the transaction and satisfy the public notice requirements in paragraph (g) of this section.

(g) Public notice. Before SBA grants an exemption under this § 107.730, you must publish notice of the transaction in a newspaper of general circulation in the locality most directly affected by the transaction, and furnish a certified copy to SBA within 10 days of publication. SBA will publish a similar notice in the Federal Register.

(a) General rule. This § 107.740 applies if you have outstanding Leverage or intend to issue Leverage in the future. Without SBA's prior written approval, you may provide Financing or a Commitment to a Small Business only if the resulting amount of your aggregate outstanding Financings and Commitments to such Small Business and its Affiliates does not exceed:

(1) For a Section 301(c) Licensee, 20 percent of the sum of:

(i) Your Regulatory Capital as of the date of the Financing or Commitment; plus

(ii) Any Distribution(s) you made under § 107.1570(b), during the five years preceding the date of the Financing or Commitment, which reduced your Regulatory Capital; plus

(iii) Any Distribution(s) you made under § 107.585, during the five years preceding the date of the Financing or Commitment, which reduced your Regulatory Capital by no more than two percent or which SBA approves for inclusion in the sum determined in this paragraph (a)(1).

(2) For a Section 301(d) Licensee, 30 percent of a sum determined in the manner set forth in paragraph (a)(1)(i) through (iii) of this section.

(b) Outstanding Financings. For the purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, you must measure each outstanding Financing at its current cost plus any amount of the Financing that was previously written off.

(c) Adjustment to Regulatory Capital. For the purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, you may compute a higher maximum permitted investment in a Small Business (an “increased limit”) by adding “net unrealized gains” on Publicly Traded and Marketable securities to your Regulatory Capital, subject to the following conditions:

(1) “Net unrealized gains” on Publicly Traded and Marketable securities means unrealized gains on Publicly Traded and Marketable securities minus unrealized losses on all Loans and Investments.

(2) You must value your Publicly Traded and Marketable securities in accordance with your SBA-approved valuation policy.

(3) You must have positive Retained Earnings Available for Distribution at the time you compute an increased limit under this paragraph (c).

(4) At the time you first compute an increased limit, and as of the first business day of each calendar quarter that the increased limit is in effect, you must keep copies in your files of the NASDAQ listings (or the Wall Street Journal) or written quotations from the market makers quoting the Publicly Traded and Marketable securities which support the adjustment.

(5) If your net unrealized gains on Publicly Traded and Marketable securities are more than 30 percent below their original level on the first business day of any calendar quarter, and remain so for the next 30 days, you agree to do one of the following to remain in compliance with the terms of your Leverage:

(i) By the first day of the next calendar quarter, increase your Regulatory Capital sufficiently to restore support for the increased limit; or

(ii) Lower the increased limit to reflect the decrease in net unrealized gains on Publicly Traded and Marketable securities, and reduce any Financings that exceed the lower limit.

You may finance a change of ownership of a Small Business only under the conditions set forth in this section.

(a) The Financing must:

(1) Promote the sound development or preserve the existence of the Small Business;

(2) Help create a Small Business as a result of a corporate divestiture; or

(3) Facilitate ownership in a Disadvantaged Business.

(b) The Resulting Concern (as defined in paragraph (c) of this section) must:

(1) Be a Small Business under § 107.700;

(2) Have 500 or fewer full-time equivalent employees; or meet one of the appropriate debt/equity ratio tests:

(i) If you have outstanding Leverage, the Resulting Concern's ratio of debt to equity must be no more than 5 to 1; or

(ii) If you have no outstanding Leverage, the Resulting Concern's ratio of debt to equity must be no more than 8 to 1.

(c) Definitions. (1) The “Resulting Concern” is determined by viewing the business as though the change of ownership had already occurred, giving effect to all contemplated financing, mergers, and acquisitions.

(2) For purposes of this section, “debt” means long-term debt, including contingent liabilities, but excluding accounts payable, operating leases, letters of credit, subordinated notes payable to the seller, any other liabilities approved for exclusion by SBA and short-term working capital loans (so long as the loans carry a zero balance for 30 consecutive days during the concern's fiscal year).

(3) For purposes of this section, “equity” means common and preferred stock (corporation), contributed capital (partnership), or membership interests (limited liability company).

(a) You may purchase the Equity Securities of a Small Business. You may not, inadvertently or otherwise:

(1) Become a general partner in any unincorporated business; or

(2) Become jointly or severally liable for any obligations of an unincorporated business.

(b) Definition. Equity Securities means stock of any class in a corporation, stock options, warrants, limited partnership interests in a limited partnership, membership interests in a limited liability company, or joint venture interests. If the Financing agreement contains debt-type acceleration provisions or includes redemption provisions other than those permitted under § 107.850, the security will be considered a Debt Security for purposes of § 107.855.

You may make Loans to Small Businesses. A Loan means a transaction evidenced by a debt instrument with no provision for you to acquire Equity Securities.

You may purchase Debt Securities from Small Businesses.

(a) Definitions. Debt Securities are instruments evidencing a loan with an option or any other right to acquire Equity Securities in a Small Business or its Affiliates, or a loan which by its terms is convertible into an equity position, or a loan with a right to receive royalties that are excluded from the Cost of Money pursuant to § 107.855(g)(12). Consideration must be paid for all options that you acquire.

(b) Restriction on options obtained by Licensee's management and employees. If you have outstanding Leverage or plan to obtain Leverage, your employees, officers, directors or general partners, or the general partners of the management company that is providing services to you or to your general partner, may obtain options in a Financed Small Business only if:

(1) They participate in the Financing on a pari passu basis with you; or

(2) SBA gives its prior written approval; or

(3) The options received are compensation for service as a member of the board of directors of the Small Business, and such compensation does not exceed that paid to other outside directors. In the absence of such directors, fees must be reasonable when compared with amounts paid to outside directors of similar companies.

At the request of a Small Business or where necessary to protect your existing investment, you may guarantee the monetary obligation of a Small Business to any non-Associate creditor.

(a) You may not issue a guaranty if:

(1) You would become subject to State regulation as an insurance, guaranty or surety business;

(2) The amount of the guaranty plus any direct Financings to the Small Business exceed the overline limitations of § 107.740, except that a pledge of the Equity Securities of the issuer or a subordination of your lien or creditor position does not count toward your overline; or

(3) The total financing cost to the Small Business exceeds the cost of money limits of § 107.855.

(b) Pledge of Licensee's assets as guaranty. For purposes of this section, a guaranty with recourse only to specific asset(s) you have pledged is equal to the fair market value of such asset(s) or the amount of the debt guaranteed, whichever is less.

(a) Securities purchased through or from an underwriter. You may purchase the securities of a Small Business through or from an underwriter if:

(1) You purchase such securities within 90 days of the date the public offering is first made;

(2) Your purchase price is no more than the original public offering price; and

(3) The amount paid by you for the securities (less ordinary and reasonable underwriting charges and commissions) has been, or will be, paid to the Small Business, and the underwriter certifies in writing that this requirement has been met.

(b) Recordkeeping requirements. If you have outstanding Leverage or plan to obtain Leverage, you must keep records available for SBA's inspection which show the relevant details of the transaction, including, but not limited to, date, price, commissions, and the underwriter's certifications required under paragraph (c) of this section.

(c) Underwriter's requirements. If you have outstanding Leverage or plan to obtain Leverage, the underwriter must certify whether it is your Associate. You may pay reasonable and customary commissions and expenses to an Associate underwriter for the portion of an offering that you purchase, provided it is no more than 25 percent of the total offering. If you buy more than 25 percent of the offering, the amount you pay to the Associate underwriter must not exceed the total of the application and closing fees and reimbursable expenses permitted by § 107.860.

(d) Securities purchased from another Licensee or from SBA. You may purchase from, or exchange with, another Licensee, Portfolio securities (or any interest therein). Such purchase or exchange may only be made on a non-recourse basis. You may not have more than one-third of your total assets(valued at cost) invested in such securities. If you have previously sold Portfolio Securities (or any interest therein) on a recourse basis, you shall include the amount for which you may be contingently liable in your overline computation.

(e) Purchases of securities from other non-issuers. You may purchase securities of a Small Business from a non-issuer not previously described in this § 107.825 if:

(1) Such acquisition is a reasonably necessary part of the overall sound Financing of the Small Business under the Act; or

(2) The securities are acquired to finance a change of ownership under § 107.750.

(a) General rule. The duration/term of all your Financings must be for a minimum period of one year.

(b) Restrictions on mandatory redemption of Equity Securities. If you have acquired Equity Securities, options or warrants on terms that include redemption by the Small Business, you must not require redemption by the Small Business within the first year of your acquisition except as permitted in § 107.850.

(c) Special rules for Loans and Debt Securities. (1) Term. The minimum term for Loans and Debt Securities starts with the first disbursement of the Financing.

(2) Prepayment. You must permit voluntary prepayment of Loans and Debt Securities by the Small Business. You must obtain SBA's prior written approval of any restrictions on the ability of the Small Business to prepay other than the imposition of a reasonable prepayment penalty under paragraph (c)(3) of this section.

(3) Prepayment penalties. You may charge a reasonable prepayment penalty which must be agreed upon at the time of the Financing. If SBA determines that a prepayment penalty is unreasonable, you must refund the entire penalty to the Small Business. A prepayment penalty equal to 5 percent of the outstanding balance during the first year of any Financing, declining by one percentage point per year through the fifth year, is considered reasonable.

You may make a Short-term Financing for a term less than one year if the Financing is:

(a) An interim Financing in contemplation of long-term Financing.The contemplated long-term Financing must be in an amount at least equal to the short-term Financing, and must be made by you alone or in participation with other investors; or

(b) For protection of your prior investment(s); or

(c) For the purpose of Financing a change of ownership under § 107.750. The total amount of such Financings may not exceed 20 percent of your Loans and Investments (at cost) at the end of any fiscal year; or

(d) For the purpose of aiding a Small Business in performing a contract awarded under a Federal, State, or local government set-aside program for “minority” or “disadvantaged” contractors.

The maximum term of any Loan or Debt Security Financing must be no longer than 20 years.

The principal of any Loan (or the loan portion of any Debt Security) with a term of one year or less cannot be amortized faster than straight line. If the term is greater than one year, the principal cannot be amortized faster than straight line for the first year.

(a) A Portfolio Concern cannot be required to redeem Equity Securities earlier than one year from the date of the first closing unless:

(1) The concern makes a public offering, or has a change of management or control, or files for protection under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, or materially breaches your Financing agreement; or

(2) You make a follow-on investment, in which case the new securities may be redeemed in less than one year, but no earlier than the redemption date associated with your earliest Financing of the concern.

(b) The redemption price must be either:

(1) A fixed amount that is no higher than the price you paid for the securities; or

(2) An amount that cannot be fixed or determined before the time of redemption. In this case, the redemption price must be based on:

(i) A reasonable formula that reflects the performance of the concern (such as one based on earnings or book value); or

(ii) The fair market value of the concern at the time of redemption, as determined by a professional appraisal performed under an agreement acceptable to both parties.

(c) Any method for determining the redemption price must be agreed upon no later than the date of the first (or only) closing of the Financing.

“Cost of Money” means the interest and other consideration that you receive from a Small Business. Subject to lower ceilings prescribed by local law, the Cost of Money to the Small Business must not exceed the ceiling determined under this section.

(a) Financings to which the Cost of Money rules apply. This section applies to all Loans and Debt Securities. As required by § 107.800(b), you must include as Debt Securities any equity interests with redemption provisions that do not meet the restrictions in § 107.850.

(b) When to determine the Cost of Money ceiling for a Financing. You may determine your Cost of Money ceiling for a particular Financing as of the date you issue a Commitment or as of the date of the first closing of the Financing. Once determined, the Cost of Money ceiling remains fixed for the duration of the Financing.

(c) How to determine the Cost of Money ceiling for a Financing. At a minimum, you may use a Cost of Money ceiling of 19 percent for a Loan and 14 percent for a Debt Security. To determine whether you may charge more, do the following:

(1) Choose a base rate for your Cost of Money computation. The base rate may be either the Debenture Rate currently in effect plus the applicable Charge determined under § 107.1130(d)(1), or your own “Cost of Capital” as determined under paragraph (d) of this section.

(2) For a Loan, add 11 percentage points to the base rate; for a Debt Security, add 6 percentage points. In either case, round the sum down to the nearest eighth of one percent.

(3) If the result is more than 19 percent (for a Loan) or 14 percent (for a Debt Security), you may use it as your Cost of Money ceiling.

(4) If two or more Licensees participate in the same Financing of a Small Business, the base rate used in this paragraph (c) is the highest of the following:

(i) The current Debenture Rate plus the applicable Charge determined under § 107.1130(d)(1);

(ii) The Cost of Capital of the lead Licensee; or

(iii) The weighted average of the Cost of Capital for all Licensees participating in the Financing.

(d) How to determine your Cost of Capital. “Cost of Capital” is an optional computation of the weighted average interest rate you pay on your “qualified borrowings”. “Qualified borrowings” means your Debentures together with your borrowings at or below the usual interest rate charged by banks in your locality on the date your loan was made.

(1) For any fiscal year, you may compute your Cost of Capital:

(i) As of the first day of your fiscal year, to remain in effect for the entire year; or

(ii) As of the first day of every fiscal quarter during the fiscal year, to remain in effect for the duration of the quarter.

(2) For each qualified borrowing outstanding at your last fiscal year or fiscal quarter end, multiply the ending principal balance (net of related unamortized fees) by the number of days during the past four fiscal quarters that the borrowing was outstanding, and divide the result by 365.

(3) Add together the amounts computed for all borrowings under paragraph (d)(2) of this section. The result is your weighted average borrowings.

(4) For all qualified borrowings outstanding at your last fiscal year or fiscal quarter end, determine the aggregate interest expense for the past four fiscal quarters, excluding amortization of loan fees. For the purposes of this paragraph (d)(4):

(i) Interest expense on Debentures includes the 1 percent Charge paid by a Licensee under § 107.1130(d)(1); and

(ii) Section 301(d) Licensees with outstanding subsidized Debentures are presumed to have paid interest at the rate stated on the face of such Debentures, without regard to any subsidy paid by SBA.

(5) Divide the interest expense from paragraph (d)(4) of this section by the weighted average borrowings from paragraph (d)(3) of this section, and multiply by 100. The result is your Cost of Capital, which you may use to compute a Cost of Money ceiling under paragraph (c) of this section.

(e) SBA review of Cost of Capital computation. You must keep your Cost of Capital computations in a separate file available for SBA's review.

(1) A computation that is kept in such a file and is audited by your independent public accountant is considered correct unless SBA demonstrates otherwise.

(2) If a computation is not kept in such a file or is unaudited, you must prove its accuracy to SBA's satisfaction.

(f) Charges included in the Cost of Money. The Cost of Money includes all interest, points, discounts, fees, royalties, profit participation, and any other consideration you receive from a Small Business, except for the specific exclusions in paragraph (g) of this section. For equity interests subject to the Cost of Money rules (see paragraph (a) of this section), you must include:

(1) The portion of the fixed redemption price that exceeds your original cost.

(2) Any amount of a redemption that is paid out of accounts other than the Small Business's capital accounts (capital, paid-in surplus, or retained earnings of a corporation; or partners' capital of a partnership).

(g) Charges excluded from the Cost of Money. You may exclude from the Cost of Money:

(1) Discount on the loan portion of a Debt Security, if such discount exists solely as the result of the allocation of value to detachable stock purchase warrants in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

(2) Closing fees, application fees, and expense reimbursements, each as permitted under § 107.860.

(3) Reasonable prepayment penalties permitted under § 107.830(d)(3).

(4) Out-of-pocket conveyance and/or recordation fees and taxes.

(5) Reasonable closing costs.

(6) Fees for management services as permitted under § 107.900.

(7) Reasonable and necessary out-of-pocket expenses you incur to monitor the Financing.

(8) Board of director fees not in excess of those paid to other outside directors, if your board representation meets the requirements of § 107.730(e).

(9) A reasonable fee for arranging financing for a Small Business from a source that is neither a Licensee nor an Associate of yours. The Small Business must agree in writing to pay such a fee before you arrange the financing.

(10) A one-time “bonus” that satisfies the requirements in paragraph (i) of this section.

(11) The difference between the contractual interest rate of the Financing and a default rate of interest permitted as follows:

(i) If a Small Business is in default, you may charge a default rate of interest as much as 7 percentage points higher than the contractual rate until the default is cured.

(ii) For this purpose, “default” means either failure to pay an amount when due or failure to provide information required under the Financing documents.

(12) Royalty payments based on improvement in the performance of the Small Business after the date of the Financing.

(13) Gains realized on the disposition of Equity Securities issued by the Small Business.

(h) How to evaluate compliance with the Cost of Money ceiling. You must determine whether a Financing is within the Cost of Money ceiling based on its discounted cash flows, as follows:

(1) Beginning with the date of the first disbursement (“period zero”), identify your cash inflows and cash outflows for each period of the Financing. The appropriate period to use (such as years, quarters, or months) depends on how you have structured the disbursements and payments.

(2) Discount the cash flows back to the first disbursement date using the Cost of Money ceiling from paragraph (d) of this section as the discount rate.

(3) If the result is zero or less, the Financing is within the Cost of Money ceiling; if it is greater than zero, the Financing exceeds the Cost of Money ceiling.

You may collect Financing fees and receive expense reimbursements from a Small Business only as permitted under this § 107.860.

(a) Application fee. You may collect a nonrefundable application fee from a Small Business to review its Financing application. The application fee may be collected at the same time as the closing fee under paragraph (c) or (d) of this section, or earlier. The fee must be:

(1) No more than 1 percent of the amount of Financing requested (or, if two or more Licensees participate in the Financing, their combined application fees are no more than 1 percent of the total Financing requested); and

(2) Agreed to in writing by the Financing applicant.

(b) SBA review of application fees. For any fiscal year, if the number of application fees you collect is more than twice the number of Financings closed, SBA in its sole discretion may determine that you are engaged in activities not contemplated by the Act, in violation of § 107.500.

(c) Closing fee—Loans. You may charge a closing fee on a Loan if:

(1) The fee is no more than 2 percent of the Financing amount (or, if two or more Licensees participate in the Financing, their combined closing fees are no more than 2 percent of the total Financing amount); and

(2) You charge the fee no earlier than the date of the first disbursement.

(d) Closing fee—Debt or Equity Financings. You may charge a Closing Fee on a Debt Security or Equity Security Financing if:

(1) The fee is no more than 4 percent of the Financing amount (or, if two or more Licensees participate in the Financing, their combined closing fees are no more than 4 percent of the total Financing amount); and

(2) You charge the fee no earlier than the date of the first disbursement.

(e) Limitation on dual fees. If another Licensee or an Associate of yours collects a transaction fee under § 107.900(e) in connection with your Financing of a Small Business, the sum of the transaction fee and your application and closing fees cannot exceed the maximum application and closing fees permitted under this § 107.860.

(f) Expense reimbursements. You may charge a Small Business for the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, other than Management Expenses, that you incur to process its Financing application. If SBA determines that any of your reimbursed expenses are unreasonable or are Management Expenses, SBA will require you to include such amounts in the Cost of Money or refund them to the Small Business.

(g) Breakup fee. If a Small Business accepts your Commitment and then fails to close the Financing because it has accepted funds from another source, you may charge a “breakup fee” equal to the closing fee that you would have been permitted to charge under paragraph (c) or (d) of this section.

You may acquire assets in full or partial liquidation of a Small Business's obligation to you under the conditions permitted by this § 107.880. The assets may be acquired from the Small Business, a guarantor of its obligation, or another party.

(a) Timely disposition of assets. You must dispose of assets acquired in liquidation of a Portfolio security within a reasonable period of time.

(b) Permitted expenditures to preserve assets. (1) You may incur reasonably necessary expenditures to maintain and preserve assets acquired.

(2) You may incur reasonably necessary expenditures for improvements to render such assets saleable.

(3) You may make payments of mortgage principal and interest (including amounts in arrears when you acquired the asset), pay taxes when due, and pay for necessary insurance coverage.

(c) SBA approval of expenditures. This paragraph (c) applies if you have outstanding Leverage or are applying for Leverage. Any application for SBA approval under this paragraph must specify all expenses estimated to be necessary pending disposal of the assets. Without SBA's prior written approval:

(1) Your total expenditures under paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section plus your total Financing(s) to the Small Business must not exceed your overline limit under § 107.740; and

(2) Your total expenditures under paragraph (b) of this section plus your total Financing(s) to the Small Business must not exceed 35 percent of your Regulatory Capital.

This § 107.900 applies to management services that you or your Associate provide to a Small Business during the term of a Financing or prior to Financing. It does not apply to management services that you or your Associate provide to a Small Business that you do not finance. Fees permitted under this section are not included in the Cost of Money (see § 107.855).

(a) Permitted management fees. You or your Associate may provide management services to a Small Business financed by you if:

(1) You or your Associate have entered into a written contract with the Small Business;

(2) The fees charged are for services actually performed;

(3) Services are provided on an hourly fee, project fee, or other reasonable basis; and

(4) You can demonstrate to SBA, upon request, that the rate does not exceed the prevailing rate charged for comparable services by other organizations in the geographic area of the Small Business.

(b) Fees for service as a board member. You or your Associate may receive fees in the form of cash, warrants, or other payments, for services provided as members of the board of directors of a Small Businesses Financed by you. The fees must not exceed those paid to other outside board members. In the absence of such board members, fees must be reasonable when compared with amounts paid to outside directors of similar companies.

(c) SBA approval required. You must obtain SBA's prior written approval of any management contract that does not satisfy paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section.

(d) Recordkeeping requirements. You must keep a record of hours spent and amounts charged to the Small Business, including expenses charged.

(e) Transaction fees. (1) You may charge reasonable transaction fees for work you or your Associate perform to prepare a client for a public offering, private offering, or sale of all or part of the business, and for assisting with the transaction. Compensation may be in the form of cash, notes, stock, and/or options.

(2) Your Associate may charge market rate investment banking fees to a Small Business on that portion of a Financing that you do not provide.

(a) Types of Leverageable available. You may apply for Leverage from SBA in one or both of the following forms:

(1) The purchase or guarantee of your Debentures.

(2) The purchase or guarantee of your Participating Securities.

(b) Applying for Leverage. The Leverage application process has two parts. You must first apply for SBA's conditional commitment to reserve a specific amount of Leverage for your future use. Yu may then apply to draw down Leverage against the commitment. See §§ 107.1200 through 107.1240.

(c) Where to send your application. Send all Leverage applications to SBA, Investment Division, 409 Third Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20416.

To be eligible for Leverage, you must:

(a) Demonstrate a need for Leverage, evidenced by your investment activity and a lack of sufficient funds for investment. For your first issuance of Leverage, if you have invested at least 50 percent of your Leverageable Capital, you are presumed to lack sufficient funds for investment.

(b) Have adequate Private Capital to satisfy the requirements for financial viability under § 107.200.

(c) Meet the minimum capital requirements of § 107.210, subject to the following additional conditions:

(1) If you were licensed after September 30, 1996 under the exception in § 107.210(a)(1), you will not be eligible for Leverage until you have Regulatory Capital of at least $5,000,000.

(2) If you were licensed on or before September 30, 1996, and have Regulatory Capital of less than $5,000,000 (less than $10,000,000 if you wish to issue Participating Securities):

(i) You must certify in writing that at least 50 percent of the aggregate dollar amount of your Financings extended after September 30, 1996 will be provided to Smaller Enterprises (as defined in § 107.710(a)); and

(ii) You must demonstrate to SBA's satisfaction that the approval of Leverage will not create or contribute to an unreasonable risk of default or loss to the United States government, based on such measurements of profitability and financial viability as SBA deems appropriate.

(d) Certify, if applicable, that you will satisfy the requirement in § 107.710(d) to provide Financing to Smaller Enterprises.

(e) Certify in writing that you are in compliance with the requirement to finance Smaller Enterprises in § 107.710(b).

(f) Show, to the satisfaction of SBA, that your management is qualified and has the knowledge, experience, and capability necessary for investing in the types of businesses contemplated by the Act, the regulations in this part and your business plan.

(g) Be in compliance with the regulations in this part.

(h) If required by SBA, have your Control Person(s) assume, in writing, personal responsibility for your Leverage, effective only if such Control Person(s) participate (directly or indirectly) in a transfer of Control not approved by SBA.

(a) Leverage fee. You must pay a leverage fee to SBA for each issuance of a Debenture or Participating Security. The fee is 3 percent of the face amount of the Leverage issued.

(b) Payment of leverage fee. (1) If you issue a Debenture or Participating Security to repay or redeem existing Leverage, you must pay the leverage fee before SBA will guarantee or purchase the new Leverage security.

(2) If you issue a Debenture or Participating Security that is not used to repay or redeem existing Leverage, SBA will deduct the leverage fee from the proceeds remitted to you, unless you prepaid the fee under § 107.1210.

(c) Refundability. The leverage fee is not refundable under any circumstances.

(d) Additional charge for Leverage.—(1) Debentures. You must pay to SBA a Charge of 1 percent per annum on the outstanding amount of your Debentures issued on or after October 1, 1996, payable under the same terms and conditions as the interest on the Debentures. This Charge does not apply to Debentures issued pursuant to a Leverage commitment obtained from SBA on or before September 30, 1996.

(2) Participating Securities. You must pay to SBA a Charge of 1 percent per annum on the outstanding amount of your Participating Securities issued on or after October 1, 1996, payable under the same terms and conditions as the Prioritized Payments on the Participating Securities. This Charge does not apply to Participating Securities issued pursuant to a Leverage commitment obtained from SBA on or before September 30, 1996.

(e) Other Leverage fees. SBA may establish a fee structure for services performed by the CRA. SBA will not collect any fee for its guarantee of TCs.

If you issue Leverage after April 25, 1994, you automatically agree to the terms and conditions in §§ 107.1800 through 107.1820 as they exist at the time of issuance. The effect of these terms and conditions is the same as if they were fully incorporated in the terms of your Leverage.

(a) Maximum amount of Leverage. (1) Amounts before indexing. If you are a Section 301(c) Licensee, the following table shows the maximum amount of Leverage you may have outstanding at any time, subject to the indexing adjustment set forth in paragraph (a)(2) of this section:

(2) Indexing of maximum amount of Leverage. SBA will adjust the amounts in paragraph (a) of this section annually to reflect increases through September in the Consumer Price Index published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. SBA will publish the indexed maximum Leverage amounts each year in a Notice in the Federal Register.

(b) Exceptions to maximum Leverage provisions. (1) Licensees under Common Control. Two or more Licensees under Common Control may have aggregate outstanding Leverage over $105,200,000 (subject to indexing as set forth in paragraph (a)(2) of this section) only if SBA gives them permission to do so. SBA may grant such permission on a case-by-case basis only. SBA may impose any terms and conditions SBA considers appropriate to minimize its risk of loss in the event of default.

(2) Licensees with excess Leverage issued before March 31, 1993. If you had outstanding Debentures on March 31, 1993 that exceeded 300 percent of your Leverageable Capital:

(i) You do not have to prepay the excess amount.

(ii) You may apply for an additional Debenture guarantee or Participating Security guarantee if you use the proceeds solely to pay the amount due at maturity on a Debenture issued before March 31, 1993. The new Debenture or Participating Security must mature on or before September 30, 2002.

(iii) You must maintain at least 65 percent of your “Total Funds Available for Investment” in “Venture Capital Financings” (as defined in § 107.1160(e) and (f), respectively) until your outstanding Debentures no longer exceed 300 percent of your Leverageable Capital.

(3) Maximum amount of Participating Securities. See § 107.1170.

This section applies to Leverage issued by a Section 301(d) Licensee on or before September 30, 1996. Effective October 1, 1996, a Section 301(d) Licensee may apply to issue new Leverage, or refinance existing Leverage, only on the same terms permitted under § 107.1150.

(a) Maximum amount of subsidized Leverage. (1) “Subsidized Leverage” means Debentures with a reduced interest rate and Preferred Securities. If you are a Section 301(d) Licensee:

(i) The maximum amount of subsidized Leverage you may have outstanding at any time is the lesser of 400 percent of your Leverageable Capital, or $35,000,000. The same limit applies to a group of Section 301(d) Licensees under Common Control.

(ii) The maximum amount of Preferred Securities you may have outstanding at any time is 200 percent of your Leverageable Capital.

(2) Certain types and amounts of subsidized Leverage have special eligibility requirements (see paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section).

(b) Maximum amount of total Leverage. Use § 107.1150 (a) and (b)(1) to determine your maximum amount of Leverage as if you were a Section 301(c) Licensee. If the result is more than your maximum subsidized Leverage, then this is your maximum total (subsidized plus non-subsidized) Leverage. Otherwise, your maximum total Leverage is the same as your maximum subsidized Leverage. For Participating Securities, see § 107.1170.

(c) Special eligibility requirements for fourth tier of Leverage. A “fourth tier of Leverage” is any amount of outstanding Leverage in excess of 300 percent of your Leverageable Capital.

(1) To qualify for a fourth tier of Leverage, you must have invested (or have Commitments to invest) at least 30 percent of your “Total Funds Available for Investment” in “Venture Capital Financings” (see the definitions in paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section).

(2) While you have a fourth tier of Leverage, you must maintain Venture Capital Financings (at cost) that equal at least 30 percent of your Total Funds Available for Investment.

(d) Special eligibility requirements for second tier of Preferred Securities. A “second tier of Preferred Securities” is any amount of outstanding Preferred Securities in excess of 100 percent of your Leverageable Capital.

(1) To qualify for a second tier of Preferred Securities:

(i) If your license was issued after October 13, 1971, you must have at least $500,000 of Leverageable Capital.

(ii) You must have invested (or have Commitments to invest) at least the same dollar amount in Venture Capital Financings.

(2) While you have a second tier of Preferred Securities, you must maintain at least the same dollar amount of Venture Capital Financings (at cost).

(e) Definition of “Total Funds Available for Investment”. Total Funds Available for Investment means the result obtained from the following formula:

(f) Definition of “Venture Capital Financing”. Venture Capital Financing means an investment represented by common or preferred stock, a limited partnership interest, or a similar ownership interest; or by an unsecured debt instrument that is subordinated by its terms to all other borrowings of the issuer.

(1) A debt secured by any agreement with a third party is not a Venture Capital Financing, whether or not you have a security interest in any asset of the third party or have recourse against the third party.

(2) A Financing that originally qualified as a Venture Capital Financing will continue to qualify (at its original cost), even if you later must report it on SBA Form 468 under either Assets Acquired in Liquidation of Portfolio Securities or Operating Concerns Acquired.

The maximum amount of Participating Securities you may have outstanding at any time is 200 percent of your Leverageable Capital. If you are a Section 301(d) Licensee, the maximum combined amount of Participating Securities and Preferred Securities you may have outstanding at any time is 200 percent of your Leverageable Capital.

(a) General. Under the provisions in §§ 107.1200 through 107.1240, you may apply for SBA's conditional commitment to reserve a specific amount and type of Leverage for your future use. You may then apply to draw down Leverage against the commitment.

(b) Applying for a Leverage commitment. SBA will notify you when it is accepting requests for Leverage commitments. Upon receipt of your request, SBA will send you a complete application package.

(c) Limitations on the amount of a Leverage commitment. The amount of a Leverage commitment must be a multiple of $5,000.

(d) Term of Leverage commitment. SBA's Leverage commitment will automatically lapse on the expiration date stated in the commitment letter issued to you by SBA.

(a) Partial prepayment of leverage fee. As a condition of SBA's Leverage commitment, and before you draw any Leverage under such commitment, you must pay to SBA a non-refundable fee equal to 1 percent of the face amount of the Debentures or Participating Securities reserved under the commitment. This amount represents a partial prepayment of the 3 percent leverage fee established under § 107.1130(a).

(b) Automatic cancellation of commitment. Unless you pay the fee required under paragraph (a) of this section by 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time on the 30th calendar day following the issuance of SBA's Leverage commitment, the commitment will be automatically canceled.

As long as any part of SBA's Leverage commitment is outstanding, you must give SBA a Financial Statement on SBA Form 468 (Short Form) as of the close of each quarter of your fiscal year (other than the fourth quarter, which is covered by your annual filing of Form 468 under § 107.630(a)). You must file this form within 30 days after the close of the quarter. You will not be eligible for a draw if you are not in compliance with this § 107.1220.

(a) Licensee's authorization of SBA to purchase or guarantee securities. By submitting a request for a draw against SBA's Leverage commitment, you authorize SBA, or any agent or trustee SBA designates, to guarantee your Debenture or Participating Security and to sell it with SBA's guarantee.

(b) Limitations on amount of draw. The amount of a draw must be a multiple of $5,000. SBA, in its discretion, may determine a minimum dollar amount for draws against SBA's Leverage commitments. Any such minimum amounts will be published in Notices in the Federal Register from time to time.

(c) Effect of regulatory violations on Licensee's eligibility for draws—(1) General rule. You are eligible to make a draw against SBA's Leverage commitment only if you are in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Act and SBA regulations (i.e., no unresolved statutory or regulatory violations).

(2) Exception to general rule. If you are not in compliance, you may still be eligible for draws if:

(i) SBA determines that your outstanding violations are of non-substantive provisions of the Act or regulations and that you have not repeatedly violated any non-substantive provisions; or

(ii) You have agreed with SBA on a course of action to resolve your violations and such agreement does not prevent you from issuing Leverage.

(d) Procedures for funding draws. You may request a draw at any time during the term of the commitment. With each request, submit the following documentation:

(1) A statement certifying that there has been no material adverse change in your financial condition since your last filing of SBA Form 468 (see also § 107.1220 for SBA Form 468 filing requirements).

(2) If your request is submitted more than 30 days following the end of your fiscal year, but before you have submitted your annual filing of SBA Form 468 (Long Form) in accordance with § 107.630(a), a preliminary unaudited annual financial statement on SBA Form 468 (Short Form).

(3) A statement certifying that to the best of your knowledge and belief, you are in compliance with all provisions of the Act and SBA regulations (i.e., no unresolved regulatory or statutory violations), or a statement listing any specific violations you are aware of. Either statement must be executed by one of the following:

(i) An officer of the Licensee;

(ii) An officer of a corporate general partner of the Licensee; or

(iii) An individual who is authorized to act as or for a general partner of the Licensee.

(4) A statement that the proceeds are needed to fund one or more particular Small Businesses or to provide liquidity for your operations. If required by SBA, the statement must include the name and address of each Small Business, and the amount and anticipated closing date of each proposed Financing.

(e) Reporting requirements after drawing funds. (1) Within 30 calendar days after the actual closing date of each Financing funded with the proceeds of your draw, you must file an SBA Form 1031 confirming the closing of the transaction.

(2) If SBA required you to provide information concerning a specific planned Financing under paragraph (d)(3) of this section, and such Financing has not closed within 60 calendar days after the anticipated closing date, you must give SBA a written explanation of the failure to close.

(3) If you do not comply with this paragraph (e), you will not be eligible for additional draws. SBA may also determine that you are not in compliance with the terms of your Leverage under §§ 107.1810 or 107.1820.

If you issued Preferred Securities to SBA on or after November 21, 1989, you must pay SBA a dividend or partnership distribution of 4 percent per year, from the date you issued Preferred Securities to the date you repay them, both inclusive. The dividend or partnership distribution is:

(a) Computed on the par value of the outstanding stock or the face value of the outstanding limited partnership interest.

(b) Cumulative. This means that if you do not pay the entire dividend or partnership distribution for a given fiscal year, the unpaid balance accumulates as a distribution in arrears. You do not have to pay interest on distributions in arrears.

(c) Preferred. This means that you must pay SBA in full (including distributions in arrears) before setting aside or paying any amount to any other equity holder.

(d) Payable at the discretion of your Board of Directors or General Partner(s), except that all distributions in arrears must be paid in full when you redeem the Preferred Securities.

You must redeem 4 percent Preferred Securities not later than 15 years from the date of issuance. At the redemption date, you must pay to SBA:

(a) The par value (of preferred stock) or face value (of a preferred limited partnership interest); plus

(b) Any unpaid dividends or partnership distributions accrued to the redemption date.

If SBA approves, a Section 301(d) Licensee may use the proceeds of a Debenture to redeem Preferred Securities at their mandatory redemption date, including any accrued unpaid dividends or partnership distributions.

Before November 21, 1989, Preferred Securities were available only in the form of preferred stock and had a preferred and cumulative dividend of 3 percent. If you have such preferred stock outstanding, you must follow § 107.1400 (except for § 107.1400(d)), substituting “3 percent” for “4 percent” throughout.) Dividends on 3 percent preferred stock are payable at the discretion of your Board of Directors or General Partner(s), except that all dividends in arrears must be paid in full before any non-SBA investor receives any distribution. Upon your liquidation, SBA is entitled to payment of all dividends in arrears even if you have no Retained Earnings Available for Distribution at such time.

(a) Redemption at par or face value. A Section 301(d) Licensee may redeem Preferred Securities at any time, provided you give SBA at least 30 days written notice. You may redeem all or only part of your Preferred Securities, but the par value or face value of the securities being redeemed must be at least $50,000. At the redemption date, you must pay to SBA:

(1) The par value (of preferred stock) or face value (of a preferred limited partnership interest); plus

(2) Any unpaid dividends or partnership distributions accrued to the redemption date.

(b) Repurchase of 3 percent preferred stock for less than par value. If you issued 3 percent preferred stock to SBA, you may ask SBA to sell it back to you at a price less than its par value. The terms and conditions of any such transaction will be as set forth in the Notice published in the Federal Register on April 1, 1994 (Copies of this notice are available from SBA, 409 3rd Street, SW., Washington, DC, 20416). SBA has sole discretion to:

(1) Approve or disapprove the sale.

(2) Determine the sale price after considering any factors SBA considers appropriate.

(3) Determine the form of payment SBA will accept. SBA is not authorized to accept the proceeds of a subsidized Debenture as payment.

(a) Types of Participating Securities. Participating Securities are redeemable, preferred, equity-type securities. SBA may purchase or guarantee Participating Securities issued by Licensees in the form of limited partnership interests, preferred stock, or debentures with interest payable only to the extent of earnings. The structure, terms and conditions of Participating Securities are set forth in detail in §§ 107.1500 through 107.1590.

(b) Special eligibility requirements for Participating Securities. In addition to the general eligibility requirements for Leverage under § 107.1120, Participating Securities issuers must also comply with special rules on:

(1) Minimum capital (see § 107.210).

(2) Liquidity (see § 107.1505).

(3) Non-SBA borrowing (see § 107.570).

(4) Equity investing, as set forth in this paragraph (b)(4). If you issue Participating Securities, you must invest an amount equal to the Original Issue Price of such securities solely in Equity Capital Investments, as defined in § 107.50.

(c) Special features of Participating Securities—Prioritized Payments, Adjustments, and Profit Participation. When you issue Participating Securities, you agree to make the following payments:

(1) Prioritized Payments. Depending upon the type of Participating Security you issue, Prioritized Payments may be preferred partnership distributions, preferred dividends, or interest. Your obligation to pay Prioritized Payments is contingent upon your profits as determined under § 107.1520.

(2) Adjustments to Prioritized Payments. If you have unpaid Prioritized Payments, you must compute Adjustments, which are additional contingent obligations determined under § 107.1520. The conditions for paying Adjustments are the same as for Prioritized Payments.

(3) SBA Profit Participation. Profit Participation is an amount payable to SBA under § 107.1530 in consideration for SBA's guarantee of your Participating Securities.

(d) Distributions by Licensees issuing Participating Securities. Sections 107.1540 through 107.1580 govern both required and optional Distributions by Participating Securities issuers. Distributions include both profit distributions and returns of capital, paid either to SBA or to your non-SBA investors.

(e) Mandatory redemption of Participating Securities. You must redeem Participating Securities at the redemption date, which is the same as the maturity date of the Trust Certificates for the Trust containing such securities. The redemption date can never be later than 15 years after the issue date. You must pay the Redemption Price plus any unpaid Earned Prioritized Payments and any earned Adjustments and earned Charges (see § 107.1520).

(f) Priority of Participating Securities in liquidation of Licensee. In the event of your liquidation, the following are senior in priority, for all purposes, to all other equity interests you have issued at any time:

(1) The Redemption Price of Participating Securities;

(2) Any Earned Prioritized Payments and any earned Adjustments and earned Charges (see § 107.1520); and

(3) Any Profit Participation allocated to SBA under § 107.1530.

If you have outstanding Participating Securities, you must maintain sufficient liquidity to avoid a condition of Liquidity Impairment. Such a condition will constitute noncompliance with the terms of your Leverage under § 107.1820(e).

(a) Definition of Liquidity Impairment. A condition of Liquidity Impairment exists when your Liquidity Ratio, as determined in paragraph (b) of this section, is less than 1.20. You are responsible for calculating whether you have a condition of Liquidity Impairment:

(1) As of the close of your fiscal year;

(2) At the time you apply for Leverage, unless SBA permits otherwise; and

(3) At such time as you contemplate making any Distribution.

(b) Computation of Liquidity Ratio. Your Liquidity Ratio equals your Total Current Funds Available (A) divided by your Total Current Funds Required (B), as determined in the following table:

Computing your Earmarked Profit (Loss) is the first step in determining your obligations to pay Prioritized Payments, Adjustments and Charges under § 107.1520 and Profit Participation under § 107.1530.

(a) Requirement to compute your Earmarked Profit (Loss). While you have Participating Securities outstanding or have Earmarked Assets (as defined in paragraph (b) of this section), you must compute your Earmarked Profit (Loss) for:

(1) Each full fiscal year.

(2) Any interim period (consisting of one or more fiscal quarters) for which you want to make a Distribution.

(b) How to determine your Earmarked Assets. “Earmarked Assets” means all the Loans and Investments that you have when you issue Participating Securities or that you acquire while you have Participating Securities outstanding, and any non-cash assets that you receive in exchange for such Loans and Investments.

(1) An Earmarked Asset remains earmarked until you dispose of it, even if you no longer have any outstanding Participating Securities.

(2) Investments you make after redeeming all your Participating Securities are not Earmarked Assets. However, if you issue new Participating Securities, all of your Loans and Investments again become Earmarked Assets.

(3) If you were licensed before March 31, 1993, you may be permitted to exclude Loans and Investments held at that date from Earmarked Assets under § 107.1590.

(c) How to compute your Earmarked Asset Ratio. You must determine your Earmarked Asset Ratio each time you compute Earmarked Profit (Loss). If all your Loans and Investments are Earmarked Assets, your Earmarked Asset Ratio equals 100 percent. Otherwise, compute your Earmarked Asset Ratio using the following formula:

(d) How to compute your Earmarked Profit (Loss) if Earmarked Asset Ratio is 100 percent. (1) (i) If your Earmarked Asset Ratio from paragraph (b) of this section is 100 percent, use the following formula to compute your Earmarked Profit (Loss):

(ii) For the purpose of determining Net Income (Loss), leverage fees paid to SBA and partnership syndication costs that you incur must be capitalized and amortized on a straight-line basis over not less than five years.

(2) “Excess Management Expenses” are those that exceed the following limit:

(i) For a full fiscal year, the limit is the lower of:

(A) 2.5 percent of your weighted average Combined Capital for the year, plus $125,000 if Combined Capital is below $20,000,000; or

(B) Your Management Expenses approved by SBA.

(ii) For less than a full fiscal year, you must prorate the annual amounts in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section to determine the limit.

(e) How to compute your Earmarked Profit (Loss) if Earmarked Asset Ratio is less than 100 percent. If your Earmarked Asset Ratio is less than 100 percent, compute your Earmarked Profit (Loss) as follows:

(1) Do the Earmarked Profit (Loss) computation in paragraph (d) of this section.

(2) Subtract your net realized gain (loss) (as reported on SBA Form 468) on Loans and Investments that are not Earmarked Assets.

(3) Separate the result from paragraph (e)(2) of this section into:

(i) Net realized gain (loss) (as reported on SBA Form 468) on Earmarked Assets (“EGL”); and

(ii) The remainder (“R”).

(4) Your Earmarked Profit (Loss) equals:

(f) How to compute your cumulative Earmarked Profit (Loss). Sum your Earmarked Profit (Loss) for all fiscal years and for any interim period following the end of your last fiscal year. The total is your cumulative Earmarked Profit (Loss), which you must use in the Prioritized Payment computations under § 107.1520.

This section tells you how to compute Prioritized Payments, Adjustments and Charges on Participating Securities and determine the amounts you must pay. To distribute these amounts, see § 107.1540.

(a) How to compute Prioritized Payments and Adjustments—(1) Prioritized Payments. For a full fiscal year, the Prioritized Payment on an outstanding Participating Security equals the Redemption Price times the related Trust Certificate Rate. For an interim period, you must prorate the annual Prioritized Payment. If your Participating Security was sold to a short-term investor in accordance with § 107.1240, the Prioritized Payment for the short-term period equals the Redemption Price times the short-term rate.

(2) Adjustments. Compute Adjustments using paragraph (f) of this section.

(3) Charges. Compute Charges in accordance with § 107.1130(d)(2).

(b) Licensee's obligation to pay Prioritized Payments, Adjustments and Charges. You are obligated to pay Prioritized Payments, Adjustments and Charges only if you have profit as determined in paragraph (d) of this section.

(1) Prioritized Payments that you must pay (or have already paid) because you have sufficient profit are “Earned Prioritized Payments”.

(2) Prioritized Payments that have not become payable because you lack sufficient profit are “Accumulated Prioritized Payments”. Treat all Prioritized Payments as “Accumulated” until they become “Earned” under this section.

(3) Adjustments (computed under paragraph (f) of this section) and Charges (computed under § 107.1130(d)(2)) are “earned” according to the same criteria applied to Prioritized Payments.

(c) How to keep track of Prioritized Payments. You must establish three accounts to record your Accumulated and Earned Prioritized Payments:

(1) Accumulation Account. The Accumulation Account is a memorandum account. Its balance represents your Accumulated Prioritized Payments, unearned Adjustments and unearned Charges.

(2) Distribution Account. The Distribution Account is a liability account. Its balance represents your unpaid Earned Prioritized Payments, earned Adjustments and earned Charges.

(3) Earned Payments Account. The Earned Payments Account is a memorandum account. Each time you add to the Distribution Account balance, add the same amount to the Earned Payments Account. Its balance represents your total (paid and unpaid) Earned Prioritized Payments, earned Adjustments and earned Charges.

(d) How to determine your profit for Prioritized Payment purposes. As of the end of each fiscal year and any interim period for which you want to make a Distribution:

(1) Bring the Accumulation Account up to date by adding to it all Prioritized Payments and Charges through the end of the appropriate fiscal period.

(2) Determine whether you have profit for the purposes of this section by doing the following computation:

(i) Cumulative Earmarked Profit (Loss) under § 107.1510(f); minus

(ii) The Earned Payments Account balance; minus

(iii) All Distributions previously made under §§ 107.1550, 107.1560 and 107.1570(a); minus

(iv) Any Profit Participation previously allocated to SBA under § 107.1530, but not yet distributed.

(3) The amount computed in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, if greater than zero, is your profit. If the amount is zero or less, you have no profit.

(4) If you have a profit, continue with paragraph (e) of this section. Otherwise, continue with paragraph (f) of this section.

(e) Allocating Prioritized Payments to the Distribution Account. (1) If you have a profit under paragraph (d) of this section, determine the lesser of:

(i) Your profit; or

(ii) The balance in your Accumulation Account.

(2) Subtract the result in paragraph (e)(1) of this section from the Accumulation Account and add it to the Distribution Account and the Earned Payments Account.

(f) How to compute Adjustments. You must compute Adjustments as of the end of each fiscal year if you have a balance greater than zero in either your Accumulation Account or your Distribution Account, after giving effect to any Distribution that will be made no later than the second Payment Date following the fiscal year end.

(1) Determine the combined average Accumulation Account and Distribution Account balances for the fiscal year, assuming that Prioritized Payments accumulate on a daily basis without compounding.

(2) Multiply the average balance computed in paragraph (f)(1) of this section by the average of the Trust Certificate Rates for all the Participating Securities poolings during the fiscal year.

(3) Add the amounts computed in this paragraph (f) to your Accumulation Account.

(g) Licensee's obligation to pay Prioritized Payments after redeeming Participating Securities. This paragraph (g) applies if you have redeemed all your Participating Securities, but you still hold Earmarked Assets and still have a balance in your Accumulation Account.

(1) You must continue to perform all the procedures in this section as of the end of each fiscal quarter and prior to making any Distribution. You must distribute any Earned Prioritized Payments, earned Adjustments and earned Charges in accordance with § 107.1540.

(2) After you dispose of all your Earmarked Assets and make any required Distributions in accordance with § 107.1540, your obligation to pay any remaining Accumulated Prioritized Payments, unearned Adjustments and unearned Charges will be extinguished.

This section tells you how to compute SBA's Profit Participation. Profit Participation is included in the Distributions you make to SBA under §§ 107.1550 and 107.1560.

(a) How to compute Profit Participation. Profit Participation equals your “Base” times your “Profit Participation Rate” (if the Base is zero or less, you do not owe SBA Profit Participation). Compute the Base using paragraph (c) of this section and the Profit Participation Rate using paragraphs (d) through (g) of this section. You must compute your Earmarked Profit (Loss) under § 107.1510 and your Prioritized Payments and Adjustments under § 107.1520 before you can compute Profit Participation.

(b) How to keep track of Profit Participation. You must establish a Profit Participation Account to record your computations under this section and payments under §§ 107.1550 and 107.1560. Its balance represents your unpaid Profit Participation.

(c) How to compute the Base. As of the end of each fiscal year and any year-to-date interim period for which you want to make a Distribution, compute your Base using the following formula:

(1) If the Base computed as of the end of your previous fiscal year (your “Previous Base”) was less than zero, your Unused Loss equals your Previous Base.

(2) If your Previous Base was zero or greater, your Unused Loss equals zero, with the following exception: If you made an interim Distribution of Profit Participation during your previous fiscal year, and your Previous Base was lower than the interim Base on which your Distribution was computed, then your Unused Loss equals the difference between the interim Base and the Previous Base. For example, assume you are computing your Base as of December 31, 1997, your fiscal year end. Your Previous Base, computed as of December 31, 1996, was $3,000,000. During 1996, you made an interim Distribution which was computed on a Base of $3,500,000 as of June 30, 1996. The $500,000 difference between the 1996 interim and year-end Bases would be carried forward as Unused Loss in the computation of your Base as of December 31, 1997.

(3) If you had no Participating Securities outstanding as of the end of your last fiscal year, you may request SBA's approval to treat your Undistributed Net Realized Loss, as reported on SBA Form 468 for that year, as Unused Loss. If you did not file SBA Form 468 because you were not yet licensed as of the end of your last fiscal year, you may request SBA's approval to treat pre-licensing losses as Unused Loss.

(d) How to compute the Profit Participation Rate. You must determine your Profit Participation Rate each time you compute a Base that is greater than zero. Compute the Rate by following the steps in paragraphs (e) through (g) of this section.

(e) Compute the “PLC ratio”. (1) General rule. The “PLC ratio” is the highest ratio of outstanding Participating Securities to Leverageable Capital that you have ever attained.

(2) Exception. You may reduce the ratio computed under paragraph (e)(1) of this section if you have increased your Leverageable Capital above its highest previous level. The increase must have taken place at least 120 days before the date as of which your Base is computed. In addition, the increase must have been expressly provided for in a plan of operations submitted to and approved by SBA in writing, or must be the result of the takedown of commitments or the conversion of non-cash assets that were included in your Private Capital. If these conditions are satisfied, compute your reduced PLC ratio as follows:

(i) Divide the highest dollar amount of Participating Securities you have ever had outstanding by your increased Leverageable Capital.

(ii) If the result in paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this section is lower than your PLC ratio currently in effect, such result will become your new PLC ratio.

(f) Compute the Profit Participation Rate (before indexing). Compute the Profit Participation Rate (before indexing) using the table in this paragraph (f). Then go to paragraph (g) of this section to determine whether to index the Profit Participation Rate.

(g) Indexing the Profit Participation Rate. The Profit Participation Rate is indexed, up or down, to the yield-to-maturity on Treasury bonds with a remaining term of ten (10) years (the “Treasury Rate”). You must perform the indexing procedures in this paragraph (g) unless the Treasury Rate was exactly 8 percent on every date that you issued Participating Securities.

(1) Licensees that have issued Participating Securities on only one occasion. Determine the Treasury Rate for the date you issued your Participating Security. Adjust the Profit Participation Rate from paragraph (f) of this section by the percentage difference between the Treasury Rate and 8 percent. For example, assume that you issued Participating Securities when the Treasury Rate was 10 percent. The percentage difference between 10 percent and 8 percent is 25 percent. If you had a PLC ratio of 1, the Profit Participation Rate before indexing would be 9 percent. You would increase this rate by 25 percent, giving you a Profit Participation Rate of 11.25 percent.

(2) Licensees that have issued Participating Securities on more than one occasion. Determine the Treasury Rate for each of the dates you issued Participating Securities.

(i) Compute an average of all such Treasury Rates, weighted to reflect the dollar amount of each issuance (ignoring any redemptions) and the number of days from the date of each issuance to the date as of which you are computing the Profit Participation Rate.

(ii) Adjust the Profit Participation Rate from paragraph (f) of this section by the percentage difference between the weighted average Treasury Rate and 8 percent. In the example given in paragraph (g)(2)(i) of this section, if the PLC ratio were equal to 2, the Profit Participation Rate for the fiscal year would be 12.83 percent. [{((.0855−.08) ÷ .08) + 1} × .12 × 100 = 12.83%]

(h) Computing SBA's Profit Participation. If the Base from paragraph (c) of this section is greater than zero, you must compute SBA's Profit Participation as follows:

(1) Multiply the Base from paragraph (c) of this section by the Profit Participation Rate from paragraph (g) of this section.

(2) If your last Profit Participation computation was for an interim period during the same fiscal year and used a higher Profit Participation Rate than the Rate you just used in paragraph (h)(1) of this section, you must adjust the amount computed in paragraph (h)(1) of this section as follows:

(i) Determine the difference between the Profit Participation Rate you just used in paragraph (h)(1) of this section and the Rate used in your previous computation;

(ii) Multiply the difference by the Base from your last Profit Participation computation; and

(iii) Add the result to the amount you computed in paragraph (h)(1) of this section.

(3) Reduce the Profit Participation computed in paragraphs (h)(1) and (h)(2) of this section by any amounts of Profit Participation that you distributed or reserved for distribution to SBA, or its designated agent or Trustee, for any previous interim period(s) during the fiscal year. The result is SBA's Profit Participation (unless it is less than zero, in which case SBA's Profit Participation is zero).

(i) Allocation of Profit Participation. Before any Distribution and in any case within 120 days following the end of your fiscal year, you must add the amount of Profit Participation computed under this § 107.1530 to the Profit Participation Account. You must reserve funds equal to this amount for distribution to SBA, or its designated agent or Trustee; you may not reinvest these funds or use them for any other purpose.

After you compute Prioritized Payments and Adjustments under § 107.1520, you must distribute them in accordance with this § 107.1540. You must notify SBA of any planned distribution under this section 10 business days before the distribution date, unless SBA permits otherwise.

(a) Requirement to distribute Prioritized Payments and Adjustments. This paragraph (a) applies only if you satisfy the liquidity requirement in § 107.1505. All Distributions under this paragraph (a) go to SBA or its designated agent or trustee.

(1) You must distribute the balance in your Distribution Account from § 107.1520 annually on the first or second Payment Date following your fiscal year end, and on any date when you are making any other Distribution.

(2) You may distribute all or part of the balance in your Distribution Account on any Payment Date regardless of whether you are making any other Distribution on that date.

(b) Additional requirement for Licensees with undistributed Prioritized Payments. This paragraph (b) applies if you do not distribute the full amount in your Distribution Account by the second Payment Date following the end of your fiscal year. At the end of each fiscal quarter, until you reduce the balance in your Distribution Account to zero, you must:

(1) Do all the steps in § 107.1520; and

(2) Distribute the balance in your Distribution Account on the next Payment Date following the end of your fiscal quarter, provided you satisfy the liquidity requirement in § 107.1505.

If you have outstanding Participating Securities or Earmarked Assets, and you are a limited partnership, “S Corporation,” or equivalent pass-through entity for tax purposes, you may make “tax Distributions” to your investors in accordance with this § 107.1550, whether or not they have an actual tax liability. SBA receives a share of any tax Distribution you make. This section tells you when you may make a “tax Distribution” and how to compute it. You must notify SBA of any planned distribution under this section 10 business days before the distribution date, unless SBA permits otherwise.

(a) Conditions for making a tax Distribution. You may make a tax Distribution only if:

(1) You have paid all your Prioritized Payments, Adjustments, and Charges, so that the balance in both your Distribution Account and your Accumulation Account is zero (see § 107.1520).

(2) You satisfy the liquidity requirement in § 107.1505.

(3) The tax Distribution does not exceed your Retained Earnings Available for Distribution.

(4) The tax Distribution does not exceed the Maximum Tax Liability from paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) How to compute the Maximum Tax Liability. (1) You may compute your Maximum Tax Liability for a full fiscal year or for any calendar quarter. Use the following formula:

(2) You may compute the highest combined marginal Federal and State income tax rate on ordinary income and capital gains using either individual or corporate rates. However, you must apply the same type of rate, either individual or corporate, to both ordinary income and capital gains.

(3) In determining the combined Federal and State income tax rate, you must assume that State income taxes are deductible from Federal income taxes. For example, if the Federal tax rate was 35 percent and the State tax rate was 5 percent, the combined tax rate would be [35% × (1−.05)] + 5% = 38.25%.

(4) For purposes of this paragraph (b), the “State income tax” is that of the State where your principal place of business is located, and does not include any local income taxes.

(c) SBA's share of the tax Distribution. (1) SBA's percentage share of the tax Distribution is equal to the Profit Participation Rate computed under § 107.1530.

(2) SBA may direct you to pay its share of the tax Distribution to its designated agent or Trustee.

(3) SBA will apply its share of the tax Distribution in the order set forth in § 107.1560(g).

(d) Paying a tax Distribution. You may make an annual tax Distribution on the first or second Payment Date following the end of your fiscal year. You may make a quarterly tax Distribution on the first Payment Date following the end of the calendar quarter for which the Distribution is being made. See also § 107.1575(a).

(e) Excess tax Distributions. (1) As of the end of your fiscal year, you must determine whether you made any excess tax Distributions for the year in accordance with paragraph (e)(2) of this section. Any tax Distributions that you make for a subsequent period must be reduced by the excess amount distributed.

(2) Determine your excess tax Distributions by adding together all your quarterly tax Distributions for the year (ignoring any required reductions for excess tax Distributions made in prior years), and subtracting the maximum tax Distribution that you would have been permitted to make based upon a single computation performed for the entire fiscal year. The result, if greater than zero, is your excess tax Distribution for the year.

You must make Distributions under this § 107.1560 if you have outstanding Participating Securities or Earmarked Assets and you satisfy the conditions in paragraph (a) of this section. Distributions under this section are determined as of the end of each fiscal year. You must notify SBA of any planned distribution under this section 10 business days before the distribution date, unless SBA permits otherwise.

(a) Conditions for making Distributions. Distributions under this section are subject to the following conditions:

(1) You must have paid all Prioritized Payments, Adjustments and Charges, so that the balance in both your Distribution Account and your Accumulation Account is zero (see §§ 107.1520 and 107.1540).

(2) You must have made any permitted tax Distribution that you choose to make under § 107.1550.

(3) You must satisfy the liquidity requirement in § 107.1505.

(4) The amount you distribute under this section must not exceed your remaining Retained Earnings Available for Distribution.

(b) Total amount you must distribute. Unless SBA permits otherwise, the total amount you must distribute equals the result (if greater than zero) of the following computation:

(1) Your Retained Earnings Available for Distribution as of the end of your fiscal year, after giving effect to any Distribution under §§ 107.1540 and 107.1550; minus

(2) All previous Distributions under this section and § 107.1570(a) that were applied as redemptions or repayments of Leverage; plus

(3) All previous Distributions under § 107.1570(b) that reduced your Retained Earnings Available for Distribution.

(c) When you must make Distributions. You must make the required Distributions on either the first or second Payment Date following the end of your fiscal year.

(d) Effect of Distributions on Retained Earnings Available for Distribution. Distributions under this § 107.1560 have the following effect on your Retained Earnings Available for Distribution:

(1) All Distributions to private investors reduce Retained Earnings Available for Distribution.

(2) Distributions to SBA, or its designated agent or Trustee, reduce Retained Earnings Available for Distribution if they are applied as payments of Profit Participation or distributions on Preferred Securities (see paragraph (g) of this section).

(3) Distributions to SBA, or its designated agent or Trustee, do not reduce Retained Earnings Available for Distribution if they are applied as a repayment or redemption of Leverage (see paragraph (g) of this section).

(e) SBA's share of the total Distribution. Use the following table to determine the percentage share of the total Distribution (from paragraph (b) of this section) that goes to SBA (or its designated agent or Trustee):

(f) Exceptions to the Distribution requirement. (1) With SBA's prior written approval, you may withhold from distribution reasonable reserves necessary to protect your investments or relative position in Loans and Investments and to meet contingent liabilities.

(i) If you submit a written request for SBA approval, you may consider it approved unless SBA notifies you otherwise within 30 days from receipt.

(ii) Reserves that you withhold from distribution may not be used to make investments in additional portfolio companies.

(iii) Withholding of reserves under this paragraph (f)(1) is not a “payment failure” in violation of § 107.1820(e)(6).

(2) SBA may restrict Distributions under this § 107.1560 if SBA determines that the value of your assets is materially overstated. SBA must give you notice of such a determination in advance of your proposed Distribution.

(g) How SBA will apply your Distributions. Your Distributions to SBA (or its designated agent or Trustee) under this § 107.1560 will be applied in the following order:

(1) First, to Profit Participation;

(2) Second, to the extent there remain any Retained Earnings Available for Distribution, to distributions on Preferred Securities;

(3) Third, as a redemption of Participating Securities in order of issue;

(4) Fourth, as a redemption of Preferred Securities; and

(5) Fifth, as the repayment of principal of any outstanding Debentures, with such repayment to be made into escrow on terms and conditions SBA determines.

If you have outstanding Participating Securities or Earmarked Assets, you may make two types of optional Distributions under this § 107.1570: quarterly Distributions determined the same way as the required annual Distributions in § 107.1560, and Distributions allocated between SBA and your private investors in proportion to the capital contributions of each. You must notify SBA of any planned distribution under this section 10 business days before the distribution date, unless SBA permits otherwise.

(a) Quarterly Distributions subject to conditions in § 107.1560. (1) You may make Distributions under this paragraph (a) as of the end of any fiscal quarter, giving SBA (or its designated agent or Trustee) a percentage share determined under § 107.1560(e).

(2) Such Distributions are subject to all the provisions in § 107.1560 (a)(1), (a)(3), (a)(4), (d), (f)(2), and (g).

(3) You may make such Distributions only on the next Payment Date following the end of your fiscal quarter.

(4) The total amount of such Distributions may not exceed the result of the following computation:

(i) Your Retained Earnings Available for Distribution as of the end of your fiscal quarter; minus

(ii) All previous Distributions under this paragraph (a) or § 107.1560 that were applied as redemptions or repayments of Leverage; plus

(iii) All previous Distributions under paragraph (b) of this section that reduced your Retained Earnings Available for Distribution.

(b) Other optional Distributions. On any Payment Date, you may make additional Distributions to your private investors and to SBA (or its designated agent or Trustee) under this paragraph (b).

(1) Conditions for making a Distribution. You may make a Distribution under this paragraph (b) only if:

(i) You have distributed all Earned Prioritized Payments, earned Adjustments, and earned Charges, so that the balance in your Distribution Account is zero (see § 107.1520).

(ii) You have distributed all Profit Participation computed under § 107.1530 which you are required to distribute under § 107.1560 or permitted to distribute under paragraph (a) of this section, as appropriate, and you have made all required Distributions under § 107.1560.

(iii) You satisfy the liquidity requirement in § 107.1505 or obtain SBA's prior written approval of the Distribution.

(iv) You do not have a condition of Capital Impairment.

(v) The Distribution does not reduce your Regulatory Capital (excluding commitments from Institutional Investors) below the minimum required under § 107.210, unless SBA approves the reduction as part of a plan of liquidation.

(vi) The Distribution does not cause you to have excess Leverage contrary to section 303 of the Act.

(2) SBA's share of Distribution. (i) If your Capital Impairment Percentage under § 107.1840 is zero, SBA's percentage share of any Distribution under this paragraph (b) equals:

(ii) If your Capital Impairment Percentage under § 107.1840 is greater than zero, you must modify the formula in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section by replacing Leverageable Capital with:

(3) How SBA will apply Distributions. Any amounts you distribute to SBA, or its designated agent or Trustee, under this paragraph (b) will be applied as a repayment or redemption of Leverage in the order set forth in § 107.1560(g)(3) through (g)(5).

(4) Effect of Distributions on Retained Earnings Available for Distribution. Any amounts you distribute to non-SBA investors under this paragraph (b) must reduce your Retained Earnings Available for Distribution to zero before reducing your Private Capital.

(5) Permitted exception to § 107.585. You may make any Distribution permitted by this paragraph (b), even if the result is a reduction in your Regulatory Capital that would otherwise be prohibited under § 107.585.

(a) Permitted Distributions on other than Payment Dates. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in §§ 107.1540 through 107.1570, you may make Distributions on dates other than Payment Dates as follows:

(1) Required annual Distributions under § 107.1540(a)(1), annual Distributions under § 107.1550, and any Distributions under § 107.1560 must be made no later than the second Payment Date following the end of your fiscal year.

(2) Required Distributions under § 107.1540(b) must be made no later than the first Payment Date following the end of the applicable fiscal quarter;

(3) Optional Distributions under § 107.1540(a)(2) and § 107.1570 may be made on any date.

(4) Quarterly Distributions under § 107.1550 must be made no earlier than the last day of the calendar quarter for which the Distribution is being made and no later than the first Payment Date following the end of such calendar quarter.

(b) Conditions for making Distribution. All Distributions under this section are subject to the following conditions:

(1) You must obtain SBA's written approval before the distribution date;

(2) The ending date of the period for which you compute your Earmarked Profits, Prioritized Payments, Adjustments, Charges, Profit Participation, Retained Earnings Available for Distribution, liquidity ratio, Capital Impairment, and any other applicable computations required under §§ 107.1500 through 107.1570, must be:

(i) The distribution date, or

(ii) If your Distribution includes annual Distributions under §§ 107.1540(a)(1), 107.1550 and/or 107.1560, your most recent fiscal year end;

(3) If your Distribution includes an amount which SBA will apply as a redemption of Participating Securities, the effective date of such redemption, for all purposes including future computations of Prioritized Payments, will be the next Payment Date following the distribution date.

(a) In-Kind Distributions while Licensee has outstanding Participating Securities. A Distribution under §§ 107.1540, 107.1560 or 107.1570 may consist of securities (an “In-Kind Distribution”). Such a Distribution must satisfy the conditions in this paragraph (a).

(1) You may distribute only Distributable Securities.

(2) You must distribute each security pro-rata to all investors and to SBA or its designated agent or Trustee, based on the amounts that each party would receive if the Distribution were in cash.

(3) You must impute a gain (loss) on each security being distributed as if it were being sold, using the value of the security as of the declaration date of the Distribution (if you are a Corporate Licensee) or the distribution date (if you are a Partnership Licensee).

(4) You must deposit SBA's share of securities being distributed with a disposition agent designated by SBA. As an alternative, if you agree, SBA may direct you to dispose of its shares. In this case, you must promptly remit the proceeds to SBA.

(b) In-Kind Distributions after Licensee has redeemed all Participating Securities. This paragraph (b) applies from the time you redeem all your Participating Securities until you dispose of all your Earmarked Assets.

(1) You may make an In-Kind Distribution of an Earmarked Asset only if you pay SBA the lower of:

(i) An amount equal to the Unrealized Appreciation on the asset; or

(ii) The full amount of your Accumulated Prioritized Payments and unpaid Adjustments.

(2) You must obtain SBA's prior written approval of any In-Kind Distribution of Earmarked Assets that are not Distributable Securities, specifically including approval of the valuation of the assets.

You may, in SBA's discretion, retire a Debenture through the issuance of Participating Securities. To do so, you must:

(a) Obtain SBA's approval to issue Participating Securities;

(b) Pay all unpaid accrued interest on the Debenture, plus any applicable prepayment penalties, fees, and other charges;

(c) Have outstanding Equity Capital Investments (at cost) equal to the amount of the Debenture being refinanced; and

(d) Classify all your existing Loans and Investments as Earmarked Assets.

This section applies to companies licensed on or before March 31, 1993 that apply to issue Participating Securities.

(a) Election to exclude pre-existing portfolio. You may choose to exclude all (but not a portion) of your Loans and Investments as of March 31, 1993, from classification as Earmarked Assets if:

(1) The proceeds of your first issuance of Participating Securities are not used to refinance outstanding Debentures (see § 107.1585(a)). SBA will consider payment or prepayment of any outstanding Debenture to be a refinancing unless you demonstrate to SBA's satisfaction that you can pay the Debenture principal without relying on the proceeds of the Participating Securities.

(2) SBA, in its sole discretion, approves the exclusion.

(b) Treatment of pre-existing portfolio if not excluded. If you do not choose to exclude your Loans and Investments as of March 31, 1993, they will be Earmarked Assets for all purposes.

(c) Requirements for Licensee's first issuance of Participating Securities. When you apply for your first issuance of Participating Securities, you must comply with the following:

(1) For each of your Loans and Investments, you must submit:

(i) The most recent annual report (or fiscal year-end financial statements) and the most recent interim financial statements of the Small Business; and

(ii) Your valuation reports on the Small Business, prepared as of the end of each of your last three fiscal years. If you have applied for Participating Securities on the basis of interim financial statements, you must also submit a valuation report as of your interim financial statement date.

(2) If you have negative Undistributed Net Realized Earnings and/or a net Unrealized Loss on Securities Held, SBA may require you to undergo a quasi-reorganization in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

(3) If your financial statements accompanying the Participating Securities application are for an interim period, you must have your SBA-approved independent public accountant perform a limited-scope audit of the statements. For purposes of this paragraph (d)(3), “limited scope audit” means auditing procedures sufficient to enable the independent public accountant to express an opinion on the Statement of Financial Position and the accompanying Schedule of Loans and Investments.

(a) Authorization. Sections 319(a) and (b) of the Act authorize SBA or its CRA to issue TCs, and SBA to guarantee the timely payment of the principal and interest thereon. Any guarantee by SBA of such TC is limited to the principal and interest due on the Debentures or the Redemption Price of and Prioritized Payments on Participating Securities in any Trust or Pool backing such TC. The full faith and credit of the United States is pledged to the payment of all amounts due under the guarantee of any TC.

(b) Periodic exercise of authority. SBA will issue guarantees of Debentures and Participating Securities under section 303 and of TCs under section 319 of the Act at six month intervals, or at shorter intervals, taking into account the amount and number of such guarantees or TCs.

(c) SBA authority to arrange public or private fundings of Leverage. SBA in its discretion may arrange for public or private financing under its guarantee authority. Such financing arranged by SBA may be accomplished by the sale of individual Debentures or Participating Securities, aggregations of Debentures or Participating Securities, or Pools or Trusts of Debentures or Participating Securities.

(d) Pass-through provisions. TCs shall provide for a pass-through to their holders of all amounts of principal and interest paid on the Debentures, or the Redemption Price of and Prioritized Payments on the Participating Securities, in the Pool or Trust against which they are issued.

(e) Formation of a Pool or Trust holding Leverage Securities. SBA shall approve the formation of each Pool or Trust. SBA may, in its discretion, establish the size of the Pools and their composition, the interest rate on the TCs issued against Trusts or Pools, fees, discounts, premiums and other charges made in connection with the Pools, Trusts, and TCs, and any other characteristics of a Pool or Trust it deems appropriate.

(a) The rights, if any, of a Licensee to prepay any Debenture or make early redemption of any Participating Security are established by the terms of such securities, and no such right is created or denied by the regulations in this part.

(b) SBA's rights to purchase or prepay any Debenture without premium are established by the terms of the Guaranty Agreement relating to the Debenture. SBA's rights to redeem, at any time, any Participating Security without premium are established by the terms of the Guaranty Agreement relating to the Participating Security.

(c) Any prepayment of a Debenture or early redemption of a Participating Security pursuant to the terms of the Guaranty Agreement relating to such securities, shall reduce the SBA guarantee of timely payment of principal and interest on a TC in proportion to the amount of principal or Redemption Price that such prepaid Debenture or redeemed Participating Security represents in the Trust or Pool backing such TC.

(d) SBA shall be discharged from its guarantee obligation to the holder or holders of any TC, or any successor or transferee of such holder, to the extent of any such prepayment, whether or not such successor or transferee shall have notice of any such prepayment.

(e) Interest on prepaid Debentures and Prioritized Payments on Participating Securities shall accrue only through the date of such voluntary prepayment or SBA payment, as the case may be.

(f) In the event that all Debentures or Participating Securities constituting a Trust or Pool are prepaid, the TCs backed by such Trust or Pool shall be redeemed by payment of the unpaid principal and interest on the TCs; Provided, however, that in the case of the prepayment of a Debenture pursuant to the provisions of the Guaranty Agreement relating to the Debenture, the CRA shall pass through pro rata to the holders of the TCs any such prepayments including any prepayment penalty paid by the obligor Licensee pursuant to the terms of the Debenture.

(a) Agents. SBA will appoint or cause to be appointed agent(s) to perform functions necessary to market and service Debentures, Participating Securities, or TCs pursuant to this part.

(1) Selling Agent. As a condition of guaranteeing a Debenture or Participating Security, SBA shall cause each Licensee to appoint a Selling Agent to perform functions which include, but are not limited to:

(i) Selecting qualified entities to become pool or Trust assemblers (“Poolers”).

(ii) Receiving guaranteed Debentures and Participating Securities as well as negotiating the terms and conditions of periodic offerings of Debentures and/or TCs with Poolers on behalf of Licensees.

(iii) Directing and coordinating periodic sales of Debentures and Participating Securities and/or TCs.

(iv) Arranging for the production of the Offering Circular, certificates, and such other documents as may be required from time to time.

(2) Fiscal Agent. SBA shall appoint a Fiscal Agent to:

(i) Establish performance criteria for Poolers.

(ii) Monitor and evaluate the financial markets to determine those factors that will minimize or reduce the cost of funding Debentures or Participating Securities.

(iii) Monitor the performance of the Selling Agent, Poolers, CRA, and the Trustee.

(iv) Perform such other functions as SBA, from time to time, may prescribe.

(3) Central Registration Agent. Pursuant to a contract entered into with SBA, the CRA, as SBA's agent, will do the following with respect to the Pools or Trust Certificates for the Debentures or Participating Securities:

(i) Form an SBA-approved Pool or Trust;

(ii) Issue the TCs in the form prescribed by SBA;

(iii) Transfer the TCs upon the sale of original issue TCs in any secondary market transaction;

(iv) Receive payments from Licensees;

(v) Make periodic payments as scheduled or required by the terms of the TCs, and pay all amounts required to be paid upon prepayment of Debentures or redemption of Participating Securities;

(vi) Hold, safeguard, and release all Debentures and Participating Securities constituting Trusts or Pools upon instructions from SBA;

(vii) Remain custodian of such other documentation as SBA shall direct by written instructions;

(viii) Provide for the registration of all pooled Debentures and Participating Securities, all Pools and Trusts, and all TCs;

(ix) Perform such other functions as SBA may deem necessary to implement the provisions of this section.

(b) Functions. The function of locating purchasers, and negotiating and closing the sale of Debentures, Participating Securities and TCs, may be performed either by SBA or an agent appointed by SBA. Nothing in the regulations in this part shall be interpreted to prevent the CRA from acting as SBA's agent for this purpose.

(a) Disclosure to purchasers. Prior to any sale of a Debenture, Participating Security, or TC, SBA shall require the seller, or the broker or dealer as agent for the seller, to disclose to the purchaser, in a form prescribed or approved by SBA, specified information on the terms, conditions, and yield of such instrument.

(b) Brokers and Dealers. Each broker, dealer, and Pool or Trust assembler approved by SBA pursuant to these regulations shall either be regulated by a Federal financial regulatory agency, or be a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), and shall be in good standing in respect to compliance with the financial, ethical, and reporting requirements of such body. They also shall be in good standing with SBA as determined by the SBA Associate Administrator for Investment (see paragraph (d) of this section) and shall provide a fidelity bond or insurance in such amount as SBA may require.

(c) Suspension and/or termination of Broker or Dealer. SBA shall exclude from the sale and all other dealings in Debentures, Participating Securities or TCs any broker or dealer:

(1) If such broker's or dealer's authority to engage in the securities business has been revoked or suspended by a supervisory agency. When such authority has been suspended, such broker or dealer will be suspended by SBA for the duration of such suspension by the supervisory agency.

(2) If such broker or dealer has been indicted or otherwise formally charged with a misdemeanor or felony bearing on its fitness, such broker or dealer may be suspended while the charge is pending. Upon conviction, participation may be terminated.

(3) If such broker or dealer has suffered an adverse final civil judgment, holding that such broker or dealer has committed a breach of trust or violation of law or regulation protecting the integrity of business transactions or relationships, participation in the market for Debentures, Participating Securities or TCs may be terminated.

(4) If such broker or dealer has failed to make full disclosure of the information required by SBA in paragraph (a) of this section, such broker's or dealer's participation in the market for Debentures, Participating Securities or TCs may be terminated.

(d) Termination/suspension proceedings. A broker's or dealer's participation in the market for Debentures, Participating Securities or TCs will be conducted in accordance with part 134 of this chapter. SBA may, for any of the reasons stated in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(4) of this section, suspend the privilege of any broker or dealer to participate in this market. SBA shall give written notice at least ten (10) business days prior to the effective date of such suspension. Such notice shall inform the broker or dealer of the opportunity for a hearing pursuant to part 134 of this chapter.

The CRA and any broker, dealer and Pool or Trust assembler operating under the regulations in this part shall make all books, records and related materials associated with Debentures, Participating Securities and TCs available to SBA for review and copying purposes. Such access shall be at such party's primary place of business during normal business hours.

Upon such conditions and for such consideration as it deems reasonable, SBA may sell, assign, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any Preferred Security, Debenture, Participating Security, or other security held by or on behalf of SBA in connection with Leverage. Upon notice by SBA, Licensee will make all payments of principal, dividends, interest, Prioritized Payments, and redemptions as shall be directed by SBA. Licensee will be liable for all damage or loss which SBA may sustain by reason of such disposal, up to the amount of Licensee's liability under such security, plus court costs and reasonable attorney's fees incurred by SBA.

SBA may, upon such conditions and for such consideration as it deems reasonable, collect or compromise all claims relating to Preferred or Participating Securities or obligations held or guaranteed by SBA, and all legal or equitable rights accruing to SBA.

If SBA agrees to guarantee a Licensee's Debentures or Participating Securities, such guarantee will be unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Debentures or Participating Securities or any other circumstances which might constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor. Pursuant to its guarantee, SBA will make timely payments of principal and interest on the Debentures or the Redemption Price of and Prioritized Payments on the Participating Securities.

(a) Applicability of this section. This section applies to Leverage issued on or after April 25, 1994. For Leverage issued before April 25, 1994, you must comply with paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section and the Capital Impairment regulations in this part in effect when you issued your Leverage. For all Leverage issued, you must also comply with any contractual provisions to which you have agreed.

(b) Significance of Capital Impairment condition. If you have a condition of Capital Impairment, you are not in compliance with the terms of your Leverage. As a result, SBA has the right to impose the applicable remedies for noncompliance in §§ 107.1810(g) and 107.1820(f).

(c) Definition of Capital Impairment condition. You have a condition of Capital Impairment if your Capital Impairment Percentage, as computed in § 107.1840, exceeds:

(1) For Section 301(d) Licensees, 75 percent.

(2) For Section 301(c) Licensees, the appropriate percentage from the following table:

(d) Phase-in of maximum permitted Capital Impairment Percentages for Section 301(c) Licensees. If you are a Section 301(c) Licensee, regardless of your maximum permitted Capital Impairment Percentage under paragraph (c) of this section, you will not have a condition of Capital Impairment if:

(1) Your Capital Impairment Percentage does not exceed 50 percent; and

(2) You have not reached your first fiscal year end occurring after April 25, 1995.

(e) Quarterly computation requirement and procedure. You must determine whether you have a condition of Capital Impairment as of the end of each fiscal quarter. You must notify SBA promptly if you are capitally impaired.

(f) SBA's right to determine Licensee's Capital Impairment condition. SBA may make its own determination of your Capital Impairment condition at any time.

(a) General. This section contains the procedures you must use to determine your Capital Impairment Percentage if you have outstanding Leverage issued after April 25, 1994. You must compare your Capital Impairment Percentage to the maximum permitted under § 107.1830(c) to determine whether you have a condition of Capital Impairment.

(b) Preliminary impairment test. If you satisfy the preliminary impairment test, your Capital Impairment Percentage is zero and you do not have to perform any more procedures in this § 107.1840. Otherwise, you must continue with paragraph (c) of this section. You satisfy the test if the following amounts are both zero or greater:

(1) The sum of Undistributed Net Realized Earnings, as reported on SBA Form 468, and Includible Non-Cash Gains.

(2) Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Securities Held.

(c) How to compute your Capital Impairment Percentage. (1) If you have an Unrealized Gain on Securities Held, compute your Adjusted Unrealized Gain using paragraph (d) of this section. If you have an Unrealized Loss on Securities Held, continue with paragraph (c)(2) of this Section.

(2) Add together your Undistributed Net Realized Earnings, your Includible Non-cash Gains, and either your Unrealized Loss on Securities Held or your Adjusted Unrealized Gain.

(3) If the sum in paragraph (c)(2) of this section is zero or greater, your Capital Impairment Percentage is zero.

(4) If the sum in paragraph (c)(2) of this section is less than zero, drop the negative sign, divide by your Regulatory Capital (excluding Treasury Stock), and multiply by 100. The result is your Capital Impairment Percentage.

(d) How to compute your Adjusted Unrealized Gain. (1) Subtract Unrealized Depreciation from Unrealized Appreciation. This is your “Net Appreciation”.

(2) Determine your Unrealized Appreciation on Publicly Traded and Marketable securities. This is your “Class 1 Appreciation”.

(3) Determine your Unrealized Appreciation on securities that are not Publicly Traded and Marketable and meet the following criteria, which must be substantiated to the satisfaction of SBA (this is your “Class 2 Appreciation”):

(i) The Small Business that issued the security received a significant subsequent equity financing by an investor whose objectives were not primarily strategic and at a price that conclusively supports the Unrealized Appreciation;

(ii) Such financing represents a substantial investment in the form of an arm's length transaction by a sophisticated new investor in the issuer's securities; and

(iii) Such financing occurred within 24 months of the date of the Capital Impairment computation, or the Small Business' pre-tax cash flow from operations for its most recent fiscal year was at least 10 percent of the Small Business' average contributed capital for such fiscal year.

(4) Perform the appropriate computation from the following table:

(5) Reduce the gain computed in paragraph (d)(4) of this section by your estimate of related future income tax expense. Subject to any adjustment required by paragraph (d)(6) of this section, the result is your Adjusted Unrealized Gain for use in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

(6) If any securities that are the source of either Class 1 or Class 2 Appreciation are pledged or encumbered in any way, you must reduce the Adjusted Unrealized Gain computed in paragraph (d)(5) of this section by the amount of the related borrowing or other obligation, up to the amount of the Unrealized Appreciation on the securities.

The provisions in this § 107.1850 apply only if at least two-thirds of your outstanding Leverage consists of Participating Securities, and at least two-thirds of your Loans and Investments (at cost) consist of Equity Capital Investments.

(a) Forbearance period for Participating Securities issuers. During the first forty-eight (48) months following your first issuance of Participating Securities, you will not have a condition of Capital Impairment if your Capital Impairment Percentage is below 85 percent.

(b) Extended forbearance period for early stage investors. If at least two-thirds of your Loans and Investments (at cost) are in Start-Up Financings, the forbearance period in paragraph (a) of this section is extended to 60 months.

(c) Forbearance based on actions by Licensee. The provisions of this paragraph (c) apply only during the fifth and sixth years following your first issuance of Participating Securities. If your Capital Impairment Percentage, as determined either by you or by SBA, exceeds the maximum permitted under § 107.1830(c) but is below 85 percent, you will not have a condition of Capital Impairment if you do either of the following within thirty (30) days of such determination:

(1) Increase your Regulatory Capital by a cash contribution placed in an escrow account or other account satisfactory to SBA, for its benefit. The contribution must equal, during the fifth year, 15 percent of your outstanding Leverage or, during the sixth year, 30 percent.

(2) Provide a guarantee, satisfactory to SBA and for its benefit, for the amount of the cash contribution required in paragraph (c)(1) of this section. SBA will credit any escrowed funds or guarantee received in the fifth year toward the requirements for the sixth year.

(d) Conditions for forbearance under paragraph (c) of this section. (1) You cannot count any funds placed in an escrow or other account under paragraph (c) of this section as Leverageable Capital.

(2) Any fee and/or any claim to repayment by the party making the capital contribution or by the guarantor must be deferred and subordinate to all outstanding Leverage plus any unpaid Earned Prioritized Payments and earned Adjustments.

(3) If there is an acceleration or mandatory redemption under § 107.1810 or § 107.1820, any funds in the escrow account and/or any guarantee received under paragraph (c) of this section will be applied toward repaying any amounts due SBA.

(4) If you reduce your Capital Impairment Percentage to zero, SBA will release and return any escrowed funds and/or any guarantee received under paragraph (c) of this section.

A NMVC Company must be a newly formed for-profit entity or, subject to § 108.150, a newly formed for-profit subsidiary of an existing entity. It must be organized under State law solely for the purpose of performing the functions and conducting the activities contemplated under the Act. It may be organized as a corporation (“Corporate NMVC Company”), a limited partnership (“Partnership NMVC Company”), or a limited liability company (“LLC NMVC Company”).

An Applicant must show, to the satisfaction of SBA, that its current or proposed management team is qualified and has the knowledge, experience, and capability in Community Development Finance or Relevant Venture Capital Finance, necessary for investing in the types of businesses contemplated by the Act, the regulations in this part and its business plan. In determining whether an Applicant's current or proposed management team has sufficient qualifications, SBA will consider information provided by the Applicant and third parties concerning the background, capability, education, training and reputation of its general partners, managers, officers, key personnel, and investment committee and governing board members. The Applicant must designate at least one individual as the official responsible for contact with SBA.

The primary mission of a NMVC Company must be economic development of one or more LI Areas.

A NMVC Company must identify the specific LI Areas in which it intends to make Developmental Venture Capital investments and provide Operational Assistance under the NMVC program.

A NMVC Company must have its Management Expenses approved by SBA at the time of designation as a NMVC Company. (See § 108.520 for the definition of Management Expenses.)

(a) Diversity requirement. You must have diversity between management and ownership in order to be a NMVC Company. To establish diversity, you must meet the requirements in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section.

(b) Percentage ownership requirement. No Person or group of Persons who are Affiliates of one another may own or control, directly or indirectly, more than 70 percent of your Regulatory Capital or your Leverageable Capital.

(c) Non-affiliation requirement. At least 30 percent of your Regulatory Capital and Leverageable Capital must be owned and controlled by three Persons unaffiliated with your management and unaffiliated with each other, whose investments are significant in dollar and percentage terms as determined by SBA. Such Persons must not be your Associates (except for their status as your shareholders, limited partners or members) and must not Control, be Controlled by, or be under Common Control with any of your Associates. A single “acceptable” Institutional Investor may be substituted for two or three of the three investors who are otherwise required. The following Institutional Investors are “acceptable” for this purpose:

(1) Entities whose overall activities are regulated and periodically examined by state, Federal or other governmental authorities satisfactory to SBA;

(2) Entities listed on the New York Stock Exchange;

(3) Entities that are publicly-traded and that meet both the minimum numerical listing standards and the corporate governance listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange:

(4) Public or private employee pension funds;

(5) Trusts, foundations, or endowments, but only if exempt from Federal income taxation; and

(6) Other Institutional Investors satisfactory to SBA.

(d) Voting requirement. The investors required for you to satisfy diversity may not delegate their voting rights to any Person who is your Associate, or who Controls, is Controlled by, or is under Common Control with any of your Associates, without prior SBA approval.

(e) Requirement to maintain diversity. You must maintain management-ownership diversity while you are a NMVC Company. If, at any time, you no longer have the required management-ownership diversity, you must:

(1) Notify SBA within 10 days; and

(2) Re-establish diversity within six months.

(a) Entity General Partner. (1) A general partner which is a corporation, limited liability company or partnership (an “Entity General Partner”) shall be organized under state law solely for the purpose of serving as the general partner of one or more NMVC companies.

(2) SBA must approve any person who will serve as an officer, director, manager, or general partner of the Entity General Partner. This provision must be stated in an Entity General Partner's Certificate of Incorporation, operating agreement, limited partnership agreement or other similar governing instrument.

(3) An Entity General Partner is subject to the same examination and reporting requirements as a NMVC Company under sections 361 and 362 of the Act. The restrictions and obligations imposed upon a NMVC Company by §§ 108.1810, 108.30, 108.410 through 108.450, 108.470, 108.500, 108.510, 108.585, 108.600, 108.680, 108.690 through 108.692, and 108.1910 apply also to an Entity General Partner of a NMVC Company.

(4) The general partner(s) of your Entity General Partner(s) will be considered your general partner.

(5) If your Entity General Partner is a limited partnership, its limited partners may be considered your Control Person(s) if they meet the definition for Control Person in § 108.50.

(b) Other requirements for Partnership NMVC Companies. If you are a Partnership NMVC Company:

(1) You must have a minimum duration of 10 years or two years following the maturity of your last-maturing Leverage security, whichever is longer. After 10 years, if all Leverage has been repaid or redeemed and all amounts due SBA, its agent, or Trustee have been paid, the Partnership NMVC Company may be terminated by a vote of your partners;

(2) None of your general partner(s) may be removed or replaced by your limited partners without prior written approval of SBA;

(3) Any transferee of, or successor in interest to, your general partner shall have only the rights and liabilities of a limited partner pending SBA's written approval of such transfer or succession; and

(4) You must incorporate all the provisions in this paragraph (b) in your limited partnership agreement.

(c) Obligations of a Control Person. All Control Persons are bound by the disciplinary provisions of sections 365 and 366 of the Act and by the conflict-of-interest rules under § 108.730. The term NMVC Company, as used in §§ 108.30, 108.460, and 108.680, includes all of the NMVC Company's Control Persons. The conditions specified in § 108.1810 and § 108.1910 apply to all general partners.

(d) Liability of general partner for partnership debts to SBA. Subject to section 365 of the Act, your general partner is not liable solely by reason of its status as a general partner for repayment of any Leverage or debts you owe to SBA unless SBA, in the exercise of reasonable investment prudence, and with regard to your financial soundness, determines otherwise prior to the purchase or guaranty of your Leverage.

(e) Special Leverage requirement. Before your first issuance of Leverage, you must furnish SBA with evidence that you qualify as a partnership for tax purposes, either by a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or by an opinion of counsel.

You must meet the requirements of §§ 108.200-108.230 in order to qualify for designation as a NMVC Company and to receive Leverage.

You must have Regulatory Capital of at least $5,000,000 and Leverageable Capital of at least $500,000 to become a NMVC Company.

(a) General. Private Capital means the contributed capital of a NMVC Company, plus unfunded binding commitments by Institutional Investors (including commitments evidenced by a promissory note) to contribute capital to a NMVC Company.

(b) Contributed capital. For purposes of this section, contributed capital means the paid-in capital and paid-in surplus of a Corporate NMVC Company, the members' paid-in capital of a LLC NMVC Company, or the partners' paid-in capital of a Partnership NMVC Company, in each case subject to the limitations in paragraph (c) of this section.

(c) Exclusions from Private Capital. Private Capital does not include:

(1) Funds borrowed by a NMVC Company from any source.

(2) Funds obtained through the issuance of Leverage.

(3) Funds obtained directly from any Federal agency or department.

(4) Any portion of a commitment from an Institutional Investor with a net worth of less than $10 million that exceeds 10 percent of such Institutional Investor's net worth.

(5) A commitment from an investor if SBA determines that the collectability of the commitment is questionable.

(d) Limitations on including non-cash capital contributions in Private Capital. Private Capital does not include capital contributions in a form other than cash, except as provided in this paragraph (d). Subject to SBA's prior approval, Private Capital may include payments made on behalf of an Applicant or Conditionally Approved NMVC Company before the Applicant or Conditionally Approved NMVC Company becomes a NMVC Company for organizational expenses and Management Expenses incurred by the Applicant or the Conditionally Approved NMVC Company prior to its becoming a NMVC Company.

(e) Contributions with borrowed funds. You may not accept any capital contribution made with funds borrowed by a Person seeking to own an equity interest (whether direct or indirect, beneficial or of record) of at least 10 percent of your Private Capital. This exclusion does not apply if:

(1) Such Person's net worth is at least twice the amount borrowed; or

(2) SBA gives its prior written approval of the capital contribution.

You must obtain SBA's prior written approval for any proposed transfer or issuance of ownership interests that results in the ownership (beneficial or of record) by any Person, or group of Persons acting in concert, of at least 10 percent of any class of your stock, partnership capital or membership interests.

You must obtain SBA's prior written approval for any proposed transaction or event that results in Control by any Person(s) not previously approved by SBA.

Without prior written SBA approval, no change of ownership or Control may take effect and no officer, director, employee or other Person acting on your behalf shall:

(a) Register on your books any transfer of ownership interest to the proposed new owner(s);

(b) Permit the proposed new owner(s) to exercise voting rights with respect to such ownership interest (including directly or indirectly procuring or voting any proxy, consent or authorization as to such voting rights at any meeting of shareholders, partners or members);

(c) Permit the proposed new owner(s) to participate in any manner in the conduct of your affairs (including exercising control over your books, records, funds or other assets; participating directly or indirectly in any disposition thereof; or serving as an officer, director, partner, manager, employee or agent); or

(d) Allow ownership or Control to pass to another Person.

SBA approval is contingent upon full disclosure of the real parties in interest, the source of funds for the new owners' interest, and other data requested by SBA. As a condition of approving a proposed transfer of control, SBA may:

(a) Require an increase in your Regulatory Capital;

(b) Require the new owners or the transferee's Control Person(s) to assume, in writing, personal liability for your Leverage, effective only in the event of their direct or indirect participation in any transfer of Control not approved by SBA; or

(c) Require compliance with any other conditions set by SBA, including compliance with the requirements for minimum capital and management-ownership diversity as in effect at such time for new NMVC Companies.

(a) You must notify SBA in writing, within 30 calendar days, of the terms of any transaction in which:

(1) Any Person, or group of Persons acting in concert, pledges shares of your stock (or equivalent ownership interests) as collateral for indebtedness; and

(2) The shares pledged are at least 10 percent of your Regulatory Capital.

(b) If the transaction creates a change of ownership or Control, you must comply with § 108.400 or § 108.410, as appropriate.

Without SBA's prior written approval, you must not have an officer, director, manager, Control Person, or owner (with a direct or indirect ownership interest of at least 10 percent) who is also:

(a) An officer, director, manager, Control Person, or owner (with a direct or indirect ownership interest of at least 10 percent) of another NMVC Company; or

(b) An officer or director of any Person that directly or indirectly controls, or is controlled by, or is under Common Control with, another NMVC Company.

You may not merge, consolidate, change form of organization (corporation or partnership) or reorganize without SBA's prior written approval. Any such merger or consolidation will be subject to § 108.440.

You must engage only in the activities contemplated by the Act and in no other activities.

You may not represent or imply to anyone that the SBA, the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or officers has approved any ownership interests you have issued or obligations you have incurred. Be certain to include a statement to this effect in any solicitation to investors. Example: You may not represent or imply that “SBA stands behind the NMVC Company” or that “Your capital is safe because SBA's experts review proposed investments to make sure they are safe for the NMVC Company.”

(a) Valuation guidelines. You must prepare, document and report the valuations of your Loans and Investments in accordance with the Valuation Guidelines for SBICs issued by SBA. These guidelines may be obtained from SBA's Investment Division.

(b) SBA approval of valuation policy. You must have a written valuation policy approved by SBA for use in determining the value of your Loans and Investments. You must either:

(1) Adopt without change the model valuation policy set forth in section III of the Valuation Guidelines for SBICs; or

(2) Obtain SBA's prior written approval of an alternative valuation policy.

(c) Responsibility for valuations. Your board of directors, managing members, or general partner(s) will be solely responsible for adopting your valuation policy and for using it to prepare valuations of your Loans and Investments for submission to SBA. If SBA reasonably believes that your valuations, individually or in the aggregate, are materially misstated, it reserves the right to require you to engage, at your expense, an independent third party acceptable to SBA to substantiate the valuations.

(d) Frequency of valuations. (1) You must value your Loans and Investments at the end of the second quarter of your fiscal year, and at the end of your fiscal year.

(2) On a case-by-case basis, SBA may require you to perform valuations more frequently.

(3) You must report material adverse changes in valuations at least quarterly, within thirty days following the close of the quarter.

(e) Review of valuations by independent public accountant. (1) For valuations performed as of the end of your fiscal year, your independent public accountant must review your valuation procedures and the implementation of such procedures, including adequacy of documentation.

(2) The independent public accountant's report on your audited annual financial statements (SBA Form 468) must include a statement that your valuations were prepared in accordance with your approved valuation policy.

(a) Computer capability. You must have a personal computer with a modem, and be able to use this equipment to prepare reports (using SBA provided software) and transmit them to SBA. In addition, you must have access to the Internet and the capability to send and receive electronic mail via the Internet.

(b) Facsimile capability. You must be able to receive facsimile messages 24 hours per day at your primary office.

(c) Accessible office. You must maintain an office that is convenient to the public and is open for business during normal working hours.

You must adopt a plan to safeguard your assets and monitor the reliability of your financial data, personnel, Portfolio, funds and equipment. You must provide your bank and custodian with a certified copy of your resolution or other formal document describing your control procedures.

The following shall constitute a violation of this part:

(a) Nonperformance. Nonperformance of any of the requirements of any Debenture or of any written agreement with SBA.

(b) False statement. In any document submitted to SBA:

(1) Any false statement knowingly made; or

(2) Any misrepresentation of a material fact; or

(3) Any failure to state a material fact. A material fact is any fact that is necessary to make a statement not misleading in light of the circumstances under which the statement was made.

Without SBA's prior written approval, for a period of two years after the date of your most recent issuance of Leverage (or the receipt of any SBA Assistance as defined in part 105 of this chapter), you are not permitted to employ, offer employment to, or retain for professional services, any person who:

(a) Served as an officer, attorney, agent, or employee of SBA on or within one year before such date; and

(b) As such, occupied a position or engaged in activities which, in SBA's determination, involved discretion with respect to the granting of SBA Assistance.

You may employ an Investment Adviser/Manager who will be subject to the supervision of your board of directors, managing members, or general partner. If you have Leverage or plan to seek Leverage, you must obtain SBA's prior written approval of the management contract. SBA's approval of an Investment Adviser/Manager for one NMVC Company does not indicate approval of that manager for any other NMVC Company.

(a) Management contract. The contract must:

(1) Specify the services the Investment Adviser/Manager will render to you and to the Small Businesses in your Portfolio; and

(2) Indicate the basis for computing Management Expenses.

(b) Material change to approved management contract. If there is a material change, both you and SBA must approve such change in advance. If you are uncertain if the change is material, submit the proposed revision to SBA.

SBA must approve your initial Management Expenses and any increases in your Management Expenses.

(a) Definition of Management Expenses. Management Expenses include:

(1) Salaries;

(2) Office expenses;

(3) Travel;

(4) Business development;

(5) Office and equipment rental;

(6) Bookkeeping; and

(7) Expenses related to developing, investigating and monitoring investments.

(b) Management Expenses do not include services provided by specialized outside consultants, outside lawyers and independent public accountants, if they perform services not generally performed by a venture capital company.

(a) Permitted investments of idle funds. Funds not invested in Small Businesses must be maintained in:

(1) Direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal and interest by, the United States, which mature within 15 months from the date of the investment; or

(2) Repurchase agreements with federally insured institutions, with a maturity of seven days or less. The securities underlying the repurchase agreements must be direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal and interest by, the United States. The securities must be maintained in a custodial account at a federally insured institution; or

(3) Certificates of deposit with a maturity of one year or less, issued by a federally insured institution; or

(4) A deposit account in a federally insured institution, subject to a withdrawal restriction of one year or less; or

(5) A checking account in a federally insured institution; or

(6) A reasonable petty cash fund.

(b) Deposit of funds in excess of the insured amount. (1) You are permitted to deposit funds in a federally insured institution in excess of the institution's insured amount, but only if the institution is “well capitalized” in accordance with the definition set forth in regulations of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, as amended (12 CFR 325.103).

(2) Exception: You may make a temporary deposit (not to exceed 30 days) in excess of the insured amount, in a transfer account established to facilitate the receipt and disbursement of funds or to hold funds necessary to honor Commitments issued.

(c) Deposit of funds in Associate institution. A deposit in, or a repurchase agreement with, a federally insured institution that is your Associate is not considered a Financing of such Associate under § 108.730, provided the terms of such deposit or repurchase agreement are no less favorable than those available to the general public.

(a) Definition. In this section, “secured third-party debt” means any non-SBA debt secured by any of your assets, including secured guarantees and other contingent obligations that you voluntarily assume and secured lines of credit.

(b) General rule. You must get SBA's written approval before you incur any secured third-party debt or refinance any debt with secured third-party debt, including any renewal of a secured line of credit, increase in the maximum amount available under a secured line of credit, or expansion of the scope of a security interest or lien. For purposes of this paragraph (b), “expansion of the scope of a security interest or lien” does not include the substitution of one asset or group of assets for another, provided the asset values (as reported on your most recent annual Form 468) are comparable.

(c) Conditions for SBA approval. As a condition of granting its approval under this section, SBA may impose such restrictions or limitations as it deems appropriate, taking into account your historical performance, current financial position, proposed terms of the secured debt and amount of aggregate debt you will have outstanding (including Leverage). SBA will not favorably consider any requests for approval which include a blanket lien on all your assets, or a security interest in your investor commitments in excess of 125 percent of the proposed borrowing.

(d) Thirty-day approval. Unless SBA notifies you otherwise within 30 days after it receives your request, you may consider your request automatically approved if:

(1) You are in regulatory compliance;

(2) The security interest in your assets is limited to either those assets being acquired with the borrowed funds or an asset coverage ratio of no more than 2:1;

(3) Your request is for approval of a secured line of credit that would not cause your total outstanding borrowings (not including Leverage) to exceed 50 percent of your Leverageable Capital.

You must obtain SBA's prior written approval to reduce your Regulatory Capital by more than two percent in any fiscal year. At all times, you must retain sufficient Regulatory Capital to meet the minimum capital requirements in the Act and § 108.210, and sufficient Leverageable Capital to avoid having excess Leverage in violation of section 355(d) of the Act.

(a) Maintaining your accounting records. You must establish and maintain your accounting records using SBA's standard chart of accounts for SBICs, unless SBA approves otherwise. You may obtain this chart of accounts from SBA.

(b) Location of records. You must keep the following records at your principal place of business or, in the case of paragraph (b)(3) of this section, at the branch office that is primarily responsible for the transaction:

(1) All your accounting and other financial records;

(2) All minutes of meetings of directors, stockholders, executive committees, partners, or other officials; and

(3) All documents and supporting materials related to your business transactions, except for any items held by a custodian under a written agreement between you and a Portfolio Concern or non-SBA lender, or any securities held in a safe deposit box, or by a licensed securities broker in an amount not exceeding the broker's per-account insurance coverage.

(c) Preservation of records. You must retain all the records that are the basis for your financial reports. Such records must be preserved for the periods specified in this paragraph (c), and must remain accessible for the first two years of the preservation period.

(1) You must preserve for at least 15 years or, in the case of a Partnership NMVC Company or LLC NMVC Company, at least two years beyond the date of liquidation:

(i) All your accounting ledgers and journals, and any other records of assets, asset valuations, liabilities, equity, income, and expenses.

(ii) Your Articles, bylaws, minute books, and NMVC Company application.

(iii) All documents evidencing ownership of the NMVC Company including ownership ledgers, and ownership transfer registers.

(2) You must preserve for at least six years all supporting documentation (such as vouchers, bank statements, or canceled checks) for the records listed in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(3) After final disposition of any item in your Portfolio, you must preserve for at least six years:

(i) Financing applications and Financing instruments.

(ii) All loan, participation, and escrow agreements.

(iii) Size status declarations (SBA Form 480).

(iv) Any capital stock certificates and warrants of the Portfolio Concern that you did not surrender or exercise.

(v) All other documents and supporting material relating to the Portfolio Concern, including correspondence.

(4) You may substitute a microfilm or computer-scanned or generated copy for the original of any record covered by this paragraph (c).

(d) Additional requirement. You must comply with the recordkeeping and record retention requirements set forth in Circular A-110 of the Office of Management and Budget. (OMB circulars are available from the addresses in 5 CFR 1310.3.)

For each of your Loans and Investments, you must have the documents listed in this section. You must keep these documents in your files and make them available to SBA upon request.

(a) SBA Form 480, the Size Status Declaration, executed both by you and by the concern you are financing. By executing this document, both parties certify that the concern is a Small Business. For securities purchased from an underwriter in a public offering, you may substitute a prospectus showing that the concern is a Small Business.

(b) SBA Form 652, a certification by the concern you are financing that it will not illegally discriminate (see part 112 of this chapter).

(c) A certification by the concern you are financing of the intended use of the proceeds. For securities purchased from an underwriter in a public offering, you may substitute a prospectus indicating the intended use of proceeds.

(d) For each Low-Income Investment, a certification by the concern you are financing as to the basis for its qualification as a Low-Income Enterprise.

All the information required by this section is subject to the requirements of § 108.600 and must be in English.

(a) Information for initial Financing decision. Before extending any Financing, you must require the applicant to submit such financial statements, plans of operation (including intended use of financing proceeds), cash flow analyses, projections, and such community economic development information about the company, as are necessary to support your investment decision. The information submitted must be consistent with the size and type of the business and the amount of the proposed Financing.

(b) Updated financial and community economic development information. (1) The terms of each Financing must require the Portfolio Concern to provide, at least annually, sufficient financial and community economic development information to enable you to perform the following required procedures:

(i) Evaluate the financial condition of the Portfolio Concern for the purpose of valuing your investment;

(ii) Determine the continued eligibility of the Portfolio Concern;

(iii) Verify the use of Financing proceeds; and

(iv) Evaluate the community economic development impact of the Financing.

(2) The president, chief executive officer, treasurer, chief financial officer, general partner, or proprietor of the Portfolio Concern must certify the information submitted to you.

(3) For financial and valuation purposes, you may accept a complete copy of the Federal income tax return filed by the Portfolio Concern (or its proprietor) in lieu of financial statements, but only if appropriate for the size and type of the business involved.

(4) The requirements in this paragraph (b) do not apply when you acquire securities from an underwriter in a public offering (see § 108.825). In that case, you must keep copies of all reports furnished by the Portfolio Concern to the holders of its securities.

(c) Information required for examination purposes. You must obtain any information requested by SBA's examiners for the purpose of verifying the certifications made by a Portfolio Concern under § 108.610. In this regard, your Financing documents must contain provisions requiring the Portfolio Concern to give you and/or SBA's examiners access to its books and records for such purpose.

(a) Annual filing of Form 468. For each fiscal year, you must submit to SBA financial statements and supplementary information prepared on SBA Form 468. You must file Form 468 on or before the last day of the third month following the end of your fiscal year, except for the information required under paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section, which must be filed on or before the last day of the fifth month following the end of your fiscal year.

(1) Audit of Form 468. An independent public accountant acceptable to SBA must audit the annual Form 468.

(2) Insurance requirement for public accountant. Unless SBA approves otherwise, your independent public accountant must carry at least $1,000,000 of Errors and Omissions insurance, or be self-insured and have a net worth of at least $1,000,000.

(b) Interim filings of Form 468. When requested by SBA, you must file interim reports on Form 468. SBA may require you to file the entire form or only certain statements and schedules. You must file such reports on or before the last day of the month following the end of the reporting period. When you submit a request for a draw under an SBA Leverage commitment, you must also comply with any applicable filing requirements set forth in § 108.1220.

(c) Standards for preparation of Form 468. You must prepare SBA Form 468 in accordance with SBA's Accounting Standards and Financial Reporting Requirements for Small Business Investment Companies, which you may obtain from SBA.

(d) Where to file Form 468. Submit all filings of Form 468 to the Office of New Markets Venture Capital in the Investment Division of SBA.

(e) Reporting of social, economic, or community development impact information on Form 468. Your annual filing of SBA Form 468 must include an assessment of the social, economic, or community development impact of each Financing. This assessment must specify the fulltime equivalent jobs created, the impact of the Financing on the revenues and profits of the business and on taxes paid by the business and its employees, and a listing of the number and percentage of employees who reside in LI Areas.

(f) Reporting of community development information. For each Financing of a Low-Income Enterprise, your Form 468 must include an assessment of such Financing with respect to:

(1) The social, economic or community development benefits achieved as a result of the Financing;

(2) How and to what extent such benefits fulfilled the goals of your comprehensive business plan and Participation Agreement;

(3) Whether you consider the Financing or the results of the Financing to have fulfilled the objectives of the NMVC program; and

(4) Whether, and if so, how you achieved accountability to the residents of the LI Area in connection with that Financing.

For each Financing you make (excluding guarantees), you must submit a Portfolio Financing Report on SBA Form 1031 within 30 days of the closing date.

You must determine the value of your Loans and Investments in accordance with § 108.503. You must report such valuations to SBA within 90 days of the end of the fiscal year in the case of annual valuations, and within 30 days following the close of other reporting periods. You must report material adverse changes in valuations at least quarterly, within thirty days following the close of the quarter.

(a) Reports to owners. You must give SBA a copy of any report you furnish to your investors, including any prospectus, letter, or other publication concerning your financial operations or those of any Portfolio Concern.

(b) Documents filed with SEC. You must give SBA a copy of any report, application or document you file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(c) Litigation reports. When you become a party to litigation or other proceedings, you must give SBA a report within 30 days that describes the proceedings and identifies the other parties involved and your relationship to them.

(1) The proceedings covered by this paragraph (c) include any action by you, or by your security holder(s) in a personal or derivative capacity, against an officer, director, Investment Adviser or other Associate of yours for alleged breach of official duty.

(2) SBA may require you to submit copies of the pleadings and other documents SBA may specify.

(3) Where proceedings have been terminated by settlement or final judgment, you must promptly advise SBA of the terms.

(4) This paragraph (c) does not apply to collection actions or proceedings to enforce your ordinary creditors' rights.

(d) Notification of criminal charges. If any officer, director, or general partner of the NMVC Company, or any other person who was required by SBA to complete a personal history statement, is charged with or convicted of any criminal offense other than a misdemeanor involving a minor motor vehicle violation, you must report the incident to SBA within 5 calendar days. Such report must fully describe the facts that pertain to the incident.

(e) Reports concerning Operational Assistance grant funds. You must comply with all reporting requirements set forth in Circular A-110 of the Office of Management and Budget and any grant award document executed between you and SBA.

(f) Other reports. You must file any other reports SBA may require in writing.

(a) Changes to be reported for post-approval. This section applies to any changes in your Articles, ownership, capitalization, management, operating area, or investment policies that do not require SBA's prior approval. You must report such changes to SBA within 30 days for post approval.

(b) Approval by SBA. You may consider any change submitted under this section to be approved unless SBA notifies you to the contrary within 90 days after receiving it. SBA's approval is contingent upon your full disclosure of all relevant facts and is subject to any conditions SBA may prescribe.

All NMVC companies must submit to annual examinations by or at the direction of SBA for the purpose of evaluating regulatory compliance.

You must make all books, records and other pertinent documents and materials available for the examination, including any information required by the examiner under § 108.620(c). In addition, the agreement between you and the independent public accountant performing your audit must provide that any information in the accountant's working papers be made available to SBA upon request.

(a) General. SBA will assess fees for examinations in accordance with this section. Unless SBA determines otherwise on a case by case basis, SBA will not assess fees for special examinations to obtain specific information.

(b) Base fee. A base fee of $3,500 will be assessed, subject to adjustment in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.

(c) Adjustments to base fee. The base fee will be decreased based on the following criteria:

(1) If you have no outstanding regulatory violations at the time of the commencement of the examination and SBA did not identify any violations as a result of the most recent prior examination, you will receive a 15% discount on your base fee; and

(2) If you were fully responsive to the letter of notification of examination (that is, you provided all requested documents and information within the time period stipulated in the notification letter in a complete and accurate manner, and you prepared and had available all information requested by the examiner for on-site review), you will receive a 10% discount on your base fee.

(d) Delay fee. If, in the judgment of SBA, the time required to complete your examination is delayed due to your lack of cooperation or the condition of your records, SBA may assess an additional fee of up to $500 per day.

You are permitted to provide financial assistance and management services only to a Small Business. To determine whether an applicant meets the size standards for a Small Business, you may use either the financial size standards in § 121.301(c)(1) of this chapter or the industry standard covering the industry in which the applicant is primarily engaged, as set forth in § 121.301(c)(2) of this chapter.

(a) Low-Income Enterprise Financings. At the close of each of your fiscal years—

(1) At least 80 percent of your Portfolio Concerns must be Low-Income Enterprises in which you have an Equity Capital Investment; and

(2) For all Financings you have extended, you must have invested at least 80 percent (in total dollars) in Equity Capital Investments in Low-Income Enterprises.

(b) Non-compliance with this section. If you have not reached the percentages required in paragraph (a) of this section at the end of any fiscal year, then you must be in compliance by the end of the following fiscal year. However, you will not be eligible for additional Leverage until such time as you reach the required percentages (see § 108.1120).

(a) Relenders or reinvestors. You are not permitted to finance any business that is a relender or reinvestor. Relenders or reinvestors are businesses whose primary business activity involves, directly or indirectly, providing funds to others, purchasing debt obligations, factoring, or long-term leasing of equipment with no provision for maintenance or repair.

(b) Passive Businesses. You are not permitted to finance a passive business.

(1) Definition. A business is passive if:

(i) It is not engaged in a regular and continuous business operation (for purposes of this paragraph (b), the mere receipt of payments such as dividends, rents, lease payments, or royalties is not considered a regular and continuous business operation); or

(ii) Its employees are not carrying on the majority of day to day operations, and the company does not provide effective control and supervision, on a day to day basis, over persons employed under contract; or

(iii) It passes through substantially all of the proceeds of the Financing to another entity.

(2) Exception for pass-through of proceeds to subsidiary. With the prior written approval of SBA, you may finance a passive business if it is a Small Business and it passes substantially all the proceeds through to one or more subsidiary companies, each of which is an eligible Small Business that is not passive. For the purpose of this paragraph (b) (2), “subsidiary company” means a company in which at least 50 percent of the outstanding voting securities are owned by the Financed passive business.

(3) Exception for certain Partnership NMVC companies. With the prior written approval of SBA, if you are a Partnership NMVC Company, you may form one or more wholly owned corporations in accordance with this paragraph (b) (3). The sole purpose of such corporation(s) must be to provide Financing to one or more eligible, unincorporated Small Businesses. You may form such corporation(s) only if a direct Financing to such Small Businesses would cause any of your investors to incur unrelated business taxable income under section 511 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (26 U.S.C. 511). Your investment of funds in such corporation(s) will not constitute a violation of § 108.730(a).

(c) Real Estate Businesses. (1) You are not permitted to finance:

(i) Any business classified under subsector 5311 (Lessors of Real Estate) of the NAICS Manual; or

(ii) Any business listed under subsector 5312 (Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers) unless at least 80 percent of the revenue is derived from non-Affiliate sources.

(2) You are not permitted to finance a business, regardless of NAICS classification, if the Financing is to be used to acquire or refinance real property, unless the Small Business:

(i) Is acquiring an existing property and will use at least 51 percent of the usable square footage for an eligible business purpose; or

(ii) Is building or renovating a building and will use at least 67 percent of the usable square footage for an eligible business purpose; or

(iii) Occupies the subject property and uses at least 67 percent of the usable square footage for an eligible business purpose.

(d) Project Financing. You are not permitted to finance a business if:

(1) The assets of the business are to be reduced or consumed, generally without replacement, as the life of the business progresses, and the nature of the business requires that a stream of cash payments be made to the business's financing sources, on a basis associated with the continuing sale of assets. Examples include real estate development projects and oil and gas wells; or

(2) The primary purpose of the Financing is to fund production of a single item or defined limited number of items, generally over a defined production period, and such production will constitute the majority of the activities of the Small Business. Examples include motion pictures and electric generating plants.

(e) Farm land purchases. You are not permitted to finance the acquisition of farmland. Farmland means land, which is or is intended to be used for agricultural or forestry purposes, such as the production of food, fiber, or wood, or is so taxed or zoned.

(f) Public interest. You are not permitted to finance any business if the proceeds are to be used for purposes contrary to the public interest, including but not limited to activities which are in violation of law, or inconsistent with free competitive enterprise.

(g) Foreign investment. (1) General rule. You are not permitted to finance a business if:

(i) The funds will be used substantially for a foreign operation; or

(ii) At the time of the Financing or within one year thereafter, more than 49 percent of the employees or tangible assets of the Small Business are located outside the United States (unless you can show, to SBA's satisfaction, that the Financing was used for a specific domestic purpose).

(2) Exception. This paragraph (g) does not prohibit a Financing used to acquire foreign materials and equipment or foreign property rights for use or sale in the United States.

(h) Financing NMVC companies or SBICs. You are not permitted to provide funds, directly or indirectly, that the Small Business will use:

(1) To purchase stock in or provide capital to a NMVC Company or SBIC; or

(2) To repay an indebtedness incurred for the purpose of investing in a NMVC Company or SBIC.

(a) General rule. You must not self-deal to the prejudice of a Small Business, the NMVC Company, its shareholders or partners, or SBA. Unless you obtain a prior written exemption from SBA for special instances in which a Financing may further the purposes of the Act despite presenting a conflict of interest, you must not directly or indirectly:

(1) Provide Financing to any of your Associates, except for a Small Business that satisfies all of the following conditions:

(i) Your Associate relationship with the Small Business is described by paragraph (8) or (9) of the definition of Associate in § 108.50;

(ii) No Person triggering the Associate relationship identified in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section is a Close Relative or Secondary Relative of any Person described in paragraph (1), (2), (4), or (5) of the definition of Associate in § 108.50; and

(iii) No single Associate of yours has either a voting interest or an economic interest in the Small Business exceeding 20 percent, and no two or more of your Associates have either a voting interest or an economic interest exceeding 33 percent. Economic interests shall be computed on a fully diluted basis, and both voting and economic interests shall exclude any interest owned through the NMVC Company.

(2) Provide Financing to an Associate of another NMVC Company if one of your Associates has received or will receive any direct or indirect Financing or a Commitment from that NMVC Company or a third NMVC Company (including Financing or Commitments received under any understanding, agreement, or cross dealing, reciprocal or circular arrangement).

(3) Borrow money from:

(i) A Small Business Financed by you;

(ii) An officer, director, or owner of at least a 10 percent equity interest in such business; or

(iii) A Close Relative of any such officer, director, or equity owner.

(4) Provide Financing to a Small Business to discharge an obligation to your Associate or free other funds to pay such obligation. This paragraph (a)(4) does not apply if the obligation is to an Associate Lending Institution and is a line of credit or other obligation incurred in the normal course of business.

(b) Rules applicable to Associates. Without SBA' s prior written approval, your Associates must not, directly or indirectly:

(1) Borrow money from any Person described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section.

(2) Receive from a Small Business any compensation in connection with Assistance you provide (except as permitted under § 108.825(c)), or anything of value for procuring, attempting to procure, or influencing your action with respect to such Assistance.

(c) Applicability of other laws. You are also bound by any restrictions in Federal or State laws governing conflicts of interest and fiduciary obligations.

(d) Financings with Associates. (1) Financings with Associates requiring prior approval. Without SBA's prior written approval, you may not Finance any business in which your Associate has either a voting equity interest or total equity interests (including potential interests) of at least five percent, except as otherwise permitted under paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(2) Other Financings with Associates. If you and an Associate provide Financing to the same Small Business, either at the same time or at different times, you must be able to demonstrate to SBA's satisfaction that the terms and conditions are (or were) fair and equitable to you, taking into account any differences in the timing of each party's financing transactions.

(3) Exceptions to paragraphs (d)(1) and (d)(2) of this section. A Financing that falls into one of the following categories is exempt from the prior approval requirement in paragraph (d)(1) of this section or is presumed to be fair and equitable to you for the purposes of paragraph (d)(2) of this section, as appropriate:

(i) Your Associate is a Lending Institution that is providing financing under a credit facility in order to meet the operational needs of the Small Business, and the terms of such financing are usual and customary.

(ii) Your Associate invests in the Small Business on the same terms and conditions and at the same time as you.

(iii) Both you and your Associate are NMVC companies.

(e) Use of Associates to manage Portfolio Concerns. To protect your investment, you may designate an Associate to serve as an officer, director, or other participant in the management of a Small Business. You must identify any such Associate in your records available for SBA's review under § 108.600. Without SBA's prior written approval, the Associate must not:

(1) Have any other direct or indirect financial interest in the Portfolio Concern that exceeds, or has the potential to exceed, the percentages of the Portfolio Concern's equity set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(2) Receive any income or anything of value from the Portfolio Concern unless it is for your benefit, with the exception of director's fees, expenses, and distributions based upon the Associate's ownership interest in the Concern.

(f) 1940 and 1980 Act Companies: SEC exemptions. If you are a 1940 or 1980 Act Company and you receive an exemption from the Securities and Exchange Commission for a transaction described in this section, you need not obtain SBA's approval of the transaction. However, you must promptly notify SBA of the transaction.

(g) Restriction on options obtained by NMVC Company's management and employees. Your employees, officers, directors, managing members or general partners, or the general partners of the management company that is providing services to you or to your general partner, may obtain options in a Financed Small Business only if:

(1) They participate in the Financing on a pari passu basis with you; or

(2) SBA gives its prior written approval; or

(3) The options received are compensation for service as a member of the board of directors of the Small Business, and such compensation does not exceed that paid to other outside directors. In the absence of such directors, fees must be reasonable when compared with amounts paid to outside directors of similar companies.

(a) Without SBA's prior written approval, you may provide Financing or a Commitment to a Small Business only if the resulting amount of your aggregate outstanding Financings and Commitments to such Small Business and its Affiliates does not exceed 20 percent of the sum of:

(1) Your Regulatory Capital as of the date of the Financing or Commitment; plus

(2) Any permitted Distribution(s) you made during the five years preceding the date of the Financing or Commitment which reduced your Regulatory Capital.

(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, you must measure each outstanding Financing at its current cost plus any amount of the Financing that was previously written off.

(a) Effect on NMVC Company of a change in size of a Portfolio Concern. If a Portfolio Concern no longer qualifies as a Small Business you may keep your investment in the concern and:

(1) Subject to the overline limitations of § 108.740, you may provide additional Financing to the concern up to the time it makes a public offering of its securities.

(2) Even after the concern makes a public offering, you may exercise any stock options, warrants, or other rights to purchase Equity Securities which you acquired before the public offering, or fund Commitments you made before the public offering.

(b) Effect of a change in business activity occurring within one year of NMVC Company's initial Financing. (1) Retention of Investment. Unless you receive SBA's written approval, you may not keep your investment in a Portfolio Concern, small or otherwise, which becomes ineligible by reason of a change in its business activity within one year of your initial investment.

(2) Request for SBA 's approval to retain investment. If you request that SBA approve the retention of your investment, your request must include sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the change in business activity was caused by an unforeseen change in circumstances and was not contemplated at the time the Financing was made.

(3) Additional Financing. If SBA approves your request to retain an investment under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, you may provide additional Financing to the Portfolio Concern to the extent necessary to protect against the loss of the amount of your original investment, subject to the overline limitations of § 108.740.

(c) Effect of a change in business activity occurring more than one year after the initial Financing. If a Portfolio Concern becomes ineligible because of a change in business activity more than one year after your initial Financing you may:

(1) Retain your investment; and

(2) Provide additional Financing to the Portfolio Concern to the extent necessary to protect against the loss of the amount of your original investment, subject to the overline limitations of § 108.740.

You may not, inadvertently or otherwise:

(a) Become a general partner in any unincorporated business; or

(b) Become jointly or severally liable for any obligations of an unincorporated business.

(a) General rule. At the request of a Small Business or where necessary to protect your existing investment, you may guarantee the monetary obligation of a Small Business to any non-Associate creditor.

(b) Exception. You may not issue a guaranty if:

(1) You would become subject to State regulation as an insurance, guaranty or surety business; or

(2) The amount of the guaranty plus any direct Financings to the Small Business exceed the overline limitations of § 108.740, except that a pledge of the Equity Securities of the issuer or a subordination of your lien or creditor position does not count toward your overline.

(c) Pledge of NMVC Company's assets as guaranty. For purposes of this section, a guaranty with recourse only to specific asset(s) you have pledged is equal to the fair market value of such asset(s) or the amount of the debt guaranteed, whichever is less.

(a) Securities purchased through or from an underwriter. You may purchase the securities of a Small Business through or from an underwriter if:

(1) You purchase such securities within 90 days of the date the public offering is first made;

(2) Your purchase price is no more than the original public offering price; and

(3) The amount paid by you for the securities (less ordinary and reasonable underwriting charges and commissions) has been, or will be, paid to the Small Business, and the underwriter certifies in writing that this requirement has been met.

(b) Recordkeeping requirements. You must keep records available for SBA's inspection which show the relevant details of the transaction, including, but not limited to, date, price, commissions, and the underwriter's certifications required under paragraphs (a)(3) and (c) of this section.

(c) Underwriter's requirements. The underwriter must certify whether it is your Associate. You may pay reasonable and customary commissions and expenses to an Associate underwriter for the portion of an offering that you purchase.

(d) Securities purchased from another NMVC Company or from SBA. You may purchase from, or exchange with, another NMVC Company, Portfolio securities (or any interest therein). Such purchase or exchange may only be made on a non-recourse basis. You may not have more than one-third of your total assets (valued at cost) invested in such securities. If you have previously sold Portfolio securities (or any interest therein) on a recourse basis, you shall include the amount for which you may be contingently liable in your overline computation.

(e) Purchases of securities from other non-issuers. You may purchase securities of a Small Business from a non-issuer not previously described in this section if such acquisition is a reasonably necessary part of the overall sound Financing of the Small Business.

Except with SBA's prior written approval, you are not permitted to dispose of assets (including assets acquired in liquidation) to any Associate. As a prerequisite to such approval, you must demonstrate that the proposed terms of disposal are at least as favorable to you as the terms obtainable elsewhere.

(a) General. This section applies to management services that you or your Associate provide to a Small Business during the term of a Financing or prior to a Financing. It does not apply to management services that your Associate provides to a Small Business that you do not finance. It also does not apply to Operational Assistance that you or your Associate provide to a Smaller Enterprise that you have Financed or in which you expect to make a Financing, for which neither you nor your Associate may charge the Smaller Enterprise.

(b) SBA approval. You must obtain SBA's prior written approval of any management services fees and other fees described in this section that you or your Associate charge.

(c) Permitted management services fees. You or your Associate may provide management services to a Small Business financed by you if:

(1) You or your Associate have entered into a written contract with the Small Business;

(2) The fees charged are for services actually performed;

(3) Services are provided on an hourly fee, project fee, or other reasonable basis;

(4) You can demonstrate to SBA, upon request, that the rate does not exceed the prevailing rate charged for comparable services by other organizations in the geographic area of the Small Business; and

(5) At least 50 percent of any management services fees paid to your Associate by a Small Business for management services provided by the Associate is allocated back to you for your benefit.

(d) Fees for service as a board member. You or your Associate may charge a Small Business Financed by you for services provided as members of the Small Business' board of directors. The fees must not exceed those paid to other outside board members. In the absence of such board members, fees must be reasonable when compared with amounts paid to outside directors of similar companies. Fees may be in the form of cash, warrants, or other payments. At least 50 percent of any such fees paid to your Associate by a Small Business for service by the Associate as a board member must be allocated back to you for your benefit.

(e) Transaction fees. (1) You or your Associate may charge reasonable transaction fees for work performed such as preparing a Small Business for a public offering, private offering, or sale of all or part of the business, and for assisting with the transaction. Fees may be in the form of cash, notes, stock, and/or options. At least 50 percent of any such fees paid to your Associate by a Small Business for transactions work done by the Associate must be allocated back to you for your benefit.

(2) Your Associate may charge market rate investment banking fees to a Small Business on that portion of a Financing that you do not provide.

(f) Recordkeeping requirements. You must keep a record of hours spent and amounts charged to the Small Business, including expenses charged.

(a) Type of Leverage available. You may apply for Leverage from SBA in the form of a guarantee of your Debentures.

(b) Applying for Leverage. The Leverage application process has two parts. You must first apply for SBA's conditional commitment to reserve a specific amount of Leverage for your future use. You may then apply to draw down Leverage against the commitment. See §§ 108.1200 through 108.1240.

(c) Where to send your application. Send all Leverage applications to SBA, Investment Division Office of New Markets Venture Capital, 409 Third Street, SW., Washington, DC 20416.

To be eligible for Leverage, you must be in compliance with the Act, the regulations in this part, and your Participation Agreement.

There is no fee for the issuance of Debentures by a NMVC Company.

If you issue Leverage, you automatically agree to the terms and conditions in § 108.1810 as it exists at the time of issuance. The effect of these terms and conditions is the same as if they were fully incorporated in the terms of your Leverage.

The face amount of a NMVC Company's outstanding Debentures may not exceed 150 percent of its Leverageable Capital.

(a) Authorization. Section 356 of the Act authorizes SBA to issue TCs and to guarantee the timely payment of the principal and interest thereon. Any guarantee by SBA of such TC is limited to the principal and interest due on the Debentures in any Trust or Pool backing such TC. The full faith and credit of the United States is pledged to the payment of all amounts due under the guarantee of any TC.

(b) SBA authority to arrange public or private fundings of Leverage. SBA in its discretion may arrange for public or private financing under its guarantee authority. Such financing arranged by SBA may be accomplished by the sale of individual Debentures, aggregations of Debentures, or Pools or Trusts of Debentures.

(c) Pass-through provisions. TCs shall provide for a pass-through to their holders of all amounts of principal and interest paid on the Debentures in the Pool or Trust against which they are issued.

(d) Formation of a Pool or Trust holding Leverage Securities. SBA shall approve the formation of each Pool or Trust. SBA may, in its discretion, establish the size of the Pools and their composition, the interest rate on the TCs issued against Trusts or Pools, fees, discounts, premiums and other charges made in connection with the Pools, Trusts, and TCs, and any other characteristics of a Pool or Trust it deems appropriate.

(a) Agents. SBA may appoint or cause to be appointed agent(s) to perform functions necessary to market and service Debentures or TCs pursuant to this part.

(1) Selling Agent. As a condition of guaranteeing a Debenture, SBA may cause each NMVC Company to appoint a Selling Agent to perform functions that include, but are not limited to:

(i) Selecting qualified entities to become pool or Trust assemblers (“Poolers”).

(ii) Receiving guaranteed Debentures as well as negotiating the terms and conditions of sales or periodic offerings of Debentures and/or TCs on behalf of NMVC companies.

(iii) Directing and coordinating periodic sales of Debentures and/or TCs.

(iv) Arranging for the production of Offering Circulars, certificates, and such other documents as may be required from time to time.

(2) Fiscal Agent. SBA shall appoint a Fiscal Agent to:

(i) Establish performance criteria for Poolers.

(ii) Monitor and evaluate the financial markets to determine those factors that will minimize or reduce the cost of funding Debentures.

(iii) Monitor the performance of the Selling Agent, Poolers, CRA, and the Trustee.

(iv) Perform such other functions as SBA, from time to time, may prescribe.

(3) Central Registration Agent. Pursuant to a contract entered into with SBA, the CRA, as SBA's agent, will do the following with respect to the Pools or Trust Certificates for the Debentures:

(i) Form an SBA-approved Pool or Trust;

(ii) Issue the TCs in the form prescribed by SBA;

(iii) Transfer the TCs upon the sale of original issue TCs in any secondary market transaction;

(iv) Receive payments from NMVC companies;

(v) Make periodic payments as scheduled or required by the terms of the TCs, and pay all amounts required to be paid upon prepayment of Debentures;

(vi) Hold, safeguard, and release all Debentures constituting Trusts or Pools upon instructions from SBA;

(vii) Remain custodian of such other documentation as SBA shall direct by written instructions;

(viii) Provide for the registration of all pooled Debentures, all Pools and Trusts, and all TCs;

(ix) Perform such other functions as SBA may deem necessary to implement the provisions of this section.

(b) Functions. Either SBA or an agent appointed by SBA may perform the function of locating purchasers, and negotiating and closing the sale of Debentures and TCs. Nothing in the regulations in this part shall be interpreted to prevent the CRA from acting as SBA's agent for this purpose.

(a) Brokers and Dealers. Each broker, dealer, and Pool or Trust assembler approved by SBA pursuant to these regulations shall either be regulated by a Federal financial regulatory agency, or be a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), and shall be in good standing in respect to compliance with the financial, ethical, and reporting requirements of such body. They also shall be in good standing with SBA as determined by the SBA Associate Administrator for Investment (see paragraph (c) of this section) and shall provide a fidelity bond or insurance in such amount as SBA may require.

(b) Suspension and/or termination of Broker or Dealer. SBA shall exclude from the sale and all other dealings in Debentures or TCs any broker or dealer:

(1) If such broker's or dealer's authority to engage in the securities business has been revoked or suspended by a supervisory agency. When such authority has been suspended, SBA will suspend such broker or dealer for the duration of such suspension by the supervisory agency.

(2) If such broker or dealer has been indicted or otherwise formally charged with a misdemeanor or felony bearing on its fitness, such broker or dealer may be suspended while the charge is pending. Upon conviction, participation may be terminated.

(3) If such broker or dealer has suffered an adverse final civil judgment holding that such broker or dealer has committed a breach of trust or violation of law or regulation protecting the integrity of business transactions or relationships, participation in the market for Debentures or TCs may be terminated.

(c) Termination/suspension proceedings. A broker's or dealer's participation in the market for Debentures or TCs will be conducted in accordance with part 134 of this chapter. SBA may, for any of the reasons stated in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(3) of this section, suspend the privilege of any broker or dealer to participate in this market. SBA shall give written notice at least ten (10) business days prior to the effective date of such suspension. Such notice shall inform the broker or dealer of the opportunity for a hearing pursuant to part 134 of this chapter.

The CRA and any broker, dealer and Pool or Trust assembler operating under the regulations in this part shall make all books, records and related materials associated with Debentures and TCs available to SBA for review and copying purposes. Such access shall be at such party's primary place of business during normal business hours.

Upon such conditions and for such consideration as it deems reasonable, SBA may sell, assign, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any Debenture held by or on behalf of SBA. Upon notice by SBA, a NMVC Company will make all payments of principal and interest as shall be directed by SBA. A NMVC Company will be liable for all damage or loss which SBA may sustain by reason of such disposal, up to the amount of the NMVC Company's liability under such security, plus court costs and reasonable attorney's fees incurred by SBA.

SBA may, upon such conditions and for such consideration as it deems reasonable, collect or compromise all claims relating to obligations held or guaranteed by SBA, and all legal or equitable rights accruing to SBA.

If SBA agrees to guarantee a NMVC Company's Debentures, such guarantee will be unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Debentures or any other circumstances that might constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor. Pursuant to its guarantee, SBA will make timely payments of principal and interest on the Debentures.

(a) Significance of Capital Impairment condition. If you have a condition of Capital Impairment, you are not in compliance with the terms of your Leverage. As a result, SBA has the right to impose the applicable remedies for noncompliance in § 108.1810(g).

(b) Definition of Capital Impairment condition. You have a condition of Capital Impairment if your Capital Impairment Percentage, as computed in § 108.1840, exceeds 70 percent.

(c) Quarterly computation requirement and procedure. You must determine whether you have a condition of Capital Impairment as of the end of each fiscal quarter. You must notify SBA promptly if you are capitally impaired.

(d) SBA's right to determine NMVC Company's Capital Impairment condition. SBA may make its own determination of your Capital Impairment condition at any time.

(a) General. This section contains the procedures you must use to determine your Capital Impairment Percentage. You must compare your Capital Impairment Percentage to the maximum permitted under § 108.1830(b) to determine whether you have a condition of Capital Impairment.

(b) Preliminary impairment test. If you satisfy the preliminary impairment test, your Capital Impairment Percentage is zero and you do not have to perform any more procedures in this section. Otherwise, you must continue with paragraph (c) of this section. You satisfy the test if the following amounts are both zero or greater:

(1) The sum of Undistributed Net Realized Earnings, as reported on SBA Form 468, and Includible Non-Cash Gains.

(2) Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Securities Held.

(c) How to compute your Capital Impairment Percentage. (1) If you have an Unrealized Gain on Securities Held, compute your Adjusted Unrealized Gain using paragraph (d) of this section. If you have an Unrealized Loss on Securities Held, continue with paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

(2) Add together your Undistributed Net Realized Earnings, your Includible Non-cash Gains, and either your Unrealized Loss on Securities Held or your Adjusted Unrealized Gain.

(3) If the sum in paragraph (c)(2) of this section is zero or greater, your Capital Impairment Percentage is zero.

(4) If the sum in paragraph (c)(2) of this section is less than zero, drop the negative sign, divide by your Regulatory Capital (excluding Treasury Stock), and multiply by 100. The result is your Capital Impairment Percentage.

(d) How to compute your Adjusted Unrealized Gain. (1) Subtract Unrealized Depreciation from Unrealized Appreciation. This is your “Net Appreciation”.

(2) Determine your Unrealized Appreciation on Publicly Traded and Marketable securities. This is your ”Class I Appreciation”.

(3) Determine your Unrealized Appreciation on securities that are not Publicly Traded and Marketable and meet the following criteria, which must be substantiated to the satisfaction of SBA (this is your “Class 2 Appreciation”):

(i) The Small Business that issued the security received a significant subsequent equity financing by an investor whose objectives were not primarily strategic and at a price that conclusively supports the Unrealized Appreciation;

(ii) Such financing represents a substantial investment in the form of an arm's length transaction by a sophisticated new investor in the issuer's securities; and

(iii) Such financing occurred within 24 months of the date of the Capital Impairment computation, or the Small Business' pre-tax cash flow from operations for its most recent fiscal year was at least 10 percent of the Small Business' average contributed capital for such fiscal year.

(4) Perform the appropriate computation from the table in § 107.1840(d)(4) of this chapter.

(5) Reduce the gain computed in paragraph (d) (4) of this section by your estimate of related future income tax expense. Subject to any adjustment required by paragraph (d)(6) of this section, the result is your Adjusted Unrealized Gain for use in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

(6) If any securities that are the source of either Class 1 or Class 2 Appreciation are pledged or encumbered in any way, you must reduce the Adjusted Unrealized Gain computed in paragraph (d)(5) of this section by the amount of the related borrowing or other obligation, up to the amount of the Unrealized Appreciation on the securities.

The purpose of these Title IX regulations is to effectuate Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (except sections 904 and 906 of those Amendments) (20 U.S.C. 1681, 1682, 1683, 1685, 1686, 1687, 1688), which is designed to eliminate (with certain exceptions) discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance, whether or not such program or activity is offered or sponsored by an educational institution as defined in these Title IX regulations. The effective date of these Title IX regulations shall be September 29, 2000.

As used in these Title IX regulations, the term:

Administratively separate unit means a school, department, or college of an educational institution (other than a local educational agency) admission to which is independent of admission to any other component of such institution.

Admission means selection for part-time, full-time, special, associate, transfer, exchange, or any other enrollment, membership, or matriculation in or at an education program or activity operated by a recipient.

Applicant means one who submits an application, request, or plan required to be approved by an official of the Federal agency that awards Federal financial assistance, or by a recipient, as a condition to becoming a recipient.

Designated agency official means Assistant Administrator for Equal Employment and Civil Rights Compliance.

Educational institution means a local educational agency (LEA) as defined by 20 U.S.C. 8801(18), a preschool, a private elementary or secondary school, or an applicant or recipient that is an institution of graduate higher education, an institution of undergraduate higher education, an institution of professional education, or an institution of vocational education, as defined in this section.

Federal financial assistance means any of the following, when authorized or extended under a law administered by the Federal agency that awards such assistance:

(1) A grant or loan of Federal financial assistance, including funds made available for:

(i) The acquisition, construction, renovation, restoration, or repair of a building or facility or any portion thereof; and

(ii) Scholarships, loans, grants, wages, or other funds extended to any entity for payment to or on behalf of students admitted to that entity, or extended directly to such students for payment to that entity.

(2) A grant of Federal real or personal property or any interest therein, including surplus property, and the proceeds of the sale or transfer of such property, if the Federal share of the fair market value of the property is not, upon such sale or transfer, properly accounted for to the Federal Government.

(3) Provision of the services of Federal personnel.

(4) Sale or lease of Federal property or any interest therein at nominal consideration, or at consideration reduced for the purpose of assisting the recipient or in recognition of public interest to be served thereby, or permission to use Federal property or any interest therein without consideration.

(5) Any other contract, agreement, or arrangement that has as one of its purposes the provision of assistance to any education program or activity, except a contract of insurance or guaranty.

Institution of graduate higher education means an institution that:

(1) Offers academic study beyond the bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree, whether or not leading to a certificate of any higher degree in the liberal arts and sciences;

(2) Awards any degree in a professional field beyond the first professional degree (regardless of whether the first professional degree in such field is awarded by an institution of undergraduate higher education or professional education); or

(3) Awards no degree and offers no further academic study, but operates ordinarily for the purpose of facilitating research by persons who have received the highest graduate degree in any field of study.

Institution of professional education means an institution (except any institution of undergraduate higher education) that offers a program of academic study that leads to a first professional degree in a field for which there is a national specialized accrediting agency recognized by the Secretary of Education.

Institution of undergraduate higher education means:

(1) An institution offering at least two but less than four years of college-level study beyond the high school level, leading to a diploma or an associate degree, or wholly or principally creditable toward a baccalaureate degree; or

(2) An institution offering academic study leading to a baccalaureate degree; or

(3) An agency or body that certifies credentials or offers degrees, but that may or may not offer academic study.

Institution of vocational education means a school or institution (except an institution of professional or graduate or undergraduate higher education) that has as its primary purpose preparation of students to pursue a technical, skilled, or semiskilled occupation or trade, or to pursue study in a technical field, whether or not the school or institution offers certificates, diplomas, or degrees and whether or not it offers full-time study.

Recipient means any State or political subdivision thereof, or any instrumentality of a State or political subdivision thereof, any public or private agency, institution, or organization, or other entity, or any person, to whom Federal financial assistance is extended directly or through another recipient and that operates an education program or activity that receives such assistance, including any subunit, successor, assignee, or transferee thereof.

Student means a person who has gained admission.

Title IX means Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Public Law 92-318, 86 Stat. 235, 373 (codified as amended at 20 U.S.C. 1681-1688) (except sections 904 and 906 thereof), as amended by section 3 of Public Law 93-568, 88 Stat. 1855, by section 412 of the Education Amendments of 1976, Public Law 94-482, 90 Stat. 2234, and by Section 3 of Public Law 100-259, 102 Stat. 28, 28-29 (20 U.S.C. 1681, 1682, 1683, 1685, 1686, 1687, 1688).

Title IX regulations means the provisions set forth at §§ 113.100 through 113.605.

Transition plan means a plan subject to the approval of the Secretary of Education pursuant to section 901(a)(2) of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. 1681(a)(2), under which an educational institution operates in making the transition from being an educational institution that admits only students of one sex to being one that admits students of both sexes without discrimination.

(a) Remedial action. If the designated agency official finds that a recipient has discriminated against persons on the basis of sex in an education program or activity, such recipient shall take such remedial action as the designated agency official deems necessary to overcome the effects of such discrimination.

(b) Affirmative action. In the absence of a finding of discrimination on the basis of sex in an education program or activity, a recipient may take affirmative action consistent with law to overcome the effects of conditions that resulted in limited participation therein by persons of a particular sex. Nothing in these Title IX regulations shall be interpreted to alter any affirmative action obligations that a recipient may have under Executive Order 11246, 3 CFR, 1964-1965 Comp., p. 339; as amended by Executive Order 11375, 3 CFR, 1966-1970 Comp., p. 684; as amended by Executive Order 11478, 3 CFR, 1966-1970 Comp., p. 803; as amended by Executive Order 12086, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 230; as amended by Executive Order 12107, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 264.

(c) Self-evaluation. Each recipient education institution shall, within one year of September 29, 2000:

(1) Evaluate, in terms of the requirements of these Title IX regulations, its current policies and practices and the effects thereof concerning admission of students, treatment of students, and employment of both academic and non-academic personnel working in connection with the recipient's education program or activity;

(2) Modify any of these policies and practices that do not or may not meet the requirements of these Title IX regulations; and

(3) Take appropriate remedial steps to eliminate the effects of any discrimination that resulted or may have resulted from adherence to these policies and practices.

(d) Availability of self-evaluation and related materials. Recipients shall maintain on file for at least three years following completion of the evaluation required under paragraph (c) of this section, and shall provide to the designated agency official upon request, a description of any modifications made pursuant to paragraph (c)(2) of this section and of any remedial steps taken pursuant to paragraph (c)(3) of this section.

(a) General. Either at the application stage or the award stage, Federal agencies must ensure that applications for Federal financial assistance or awards of Federal financial assistance contain, be accompanied by, or be covered by a specifically identified assurance from the applicant or recipient, satisfactory to the designated agency official, that each education program or activity operated by the applicant or recipient and to which these Title IX regulations apply will be operated in compliance with these Title IX regulations. An assurance of compliance with these Title IX regulations shall not be satisfactory to the designated agency official if the applicant or recipient to whom such assurance applies fails to commit itself to take whatever remedial action is necessary in accordance with § 113.110(a) to eliminate existing discrimination on the basis of sex or to eliminate the effects of past discrimination whether occurring prior to or subsequent to the submission to the designated agency official of such assurance.

(b) Duration of obligation. (1) In the case of Federal financial assistance extended to provide real property or structures thereon, such assurance shall obligate the recipient or, in the case of a subsequent transfer, the transferee, for the period during which the real property or structures are used to provide an education program or activity.

(2) In the case of Federal financial assistance extended to provide personal property, such assurance shall obligate the recipient for the period during which it retains ownership or possession of the property.

(3) In all other cases such assurance shall obligate the recipient for the period during which Federal financial assistance is extended.

(c) Form. (1) The assurances required by paragraph (a) of this section, which may be included as part of a document that addresses other assurances or obligations, shall include that the applicant or recipient will comply with all applicable Federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination. These include but are not limited to: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1681-1683, 1685-1688).

(2) The designated agency official will specify the extent to which such assurances will be required of the applicant's or recipient's subgrantees, contractors, subcontractors, transferees, or successors in interest.

If a recipient sells or otherwise transfers property financed in whole or in part with Federal financial assistance to a transferee that operates any education program or activity, and the Federal share of the fair market value of the property is not upon such sale or transfer properly accounted for to the Federal Government, both the transferor and the transferee shall be deemed to be recipients, subject to the provisions of §§ 113.205 through 113.235(a).

(a) Effect of other Federal provisions. The obligations imposed by these Title IX regulations are independent of, and do not alter, obligations not to discriminate on the basis of sex imposed by Executive Order 11246, 3 CFR, 1964-1965 Comp., p. 339; as amended by Executive Order 11375, 3 CFR, 1966-1970 Comp., p. 684; as amended by Executive Order 11478, 3 CFR, 1966-1970 Comp., p. 803; as amended by Executive Order 12087, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 230; as amended by Executive Order 12107, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 264; sections 704 and 855 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295m, 298b-2); Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.); the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (29 U.S.C. 206); and any other Act of Congress or Federal regulation.

(b) Effect of State or local law or other requirements. The obligation to comply with these Title IX regulations is not obviated or alleviated by any State or local law or other requirement that would render any applicant or student ineligible, or limit the eligibility of any applicant or student, on the basis of sex, to practice any occupation or profession.

(c) Effect of rules or regulations of private organizations. The obligation to comply with these Title IX regulations is not obviated or alleviated by any rule or regulation of any organization, club, athletic or other league, or association that would render any applicant or student ineligible to participate or limit the eligibility or participation of any applicant or student, on the basis of sex, in any education program or activity operated by a recipient and that receives Federal financial assistance.

The obligation to comply with these Title IX regulations is not obviated or alleviated because employment opportunities in any occupation or profession are or may be more limited for members of one sex than for members of the other sex.

(a) Designation of responsible employee. Each recipient shall designate at least one employee to coordinate its efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under these Title IX regulations, including any investigation of any complaint communicated to such recipient alleging its noncompliance with these Title IX regulations or alleging any actions that would be prohibited by these Title IX regulations. The recipient shall notify all its students and employees of the name, office address, and telephone number of the employee or employees appointed pursuant to this paragraph.

(b) Complaint procedure of recipient. A recipient shall adopt and publish grievance procedures providing for prompt and equitable resolution of student and employee complaints alleging any action that would be prohibited by these Title IX regulations.

(a) Notification of policy. (1) Each recipient shall implement specific and continuing steps to notify applicants for admission and employment, students and parents of elementary and secondary school students, employees, sources of referral of applicants for admission and employment, and all unions or professional organizations holding collective bargaining or professional agreements with the recipient, that it does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the educational programs or activities that it operates, and that it is required by Title IX and these Title IX regulations not to discriminate in such a manner. Such notification shall contain such information, and be made in such manner, as the designated agency official finds necessary to apprise such persons of the protections against discrimination assured them by Title IX and these Title IX regulations, but shall state at least that the requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to employment therein, and to admission thereto unless §§ 113.300 through 113.310 do not apply to the recipient, and that inquiries concerning the application of Title IX and these Title IX regulations to such recipient may be referred to the employee designated pursuant to § 113.135, or to the designated agency official.

(2) Each recipient shall make the initial notification required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section within 90 days of September 29, 2000 or of the date these Title IX regulations first apply to such recipient, whichever comes later, which notification shall include publication in:

(i) Newspapers and magazines operated by such recipient or by student, alumnae, or alumni groups for or in connection with such recipient; and

(ii) Memoranda or other written communications distributed to every student and employee of such recipient.

(b) Publications. (1) Each recipient shall prominently include a statement of the policy described in paragraph (a) of this section in each announcement, bulletin, catalog, or application form that it makes available to any person of a type, described in paragraph (a) of this section, or which is otherwise used in connection with the recruitment of students or employees.

(2) A recipient shall not use or distribute a publication of the type described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section that suggests, by text or illustration, that such recipient treats applicants, students, or employees differently on the basis of sex except as such treatment is permitted by these Title IX regulations.

(c) Distribution. Each recipient shall distribute without discrimination on the basis of sex each publication described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, and shall apprise each of its admission and employment recruitment representatives of the policy of nondiscrimination described in paragraph (a) of this section, and shall require such representatives to adhere to such policy.

Except as provided in §§ 113.205 through 113.235(a), these Title IX regulations apply to every recipient and to each education program or activity operated by such recipient that receives Federal financial assistance.

(a) Exemption. These Title IX regulations do not apply to any operation of an educational institution or other entity that is controlled by a religious organization to the extent that application of these Title IX regulations would not be consistent with the religious tenets of such organization.

(b) Exemption claims. An educational institution or other entity that wishes to claim the exemption set forth in paragraph (a) of this section shall do so by submitting in writing to the designated agency official a statement by the highest-ranking official of the institution, identifying the provisions of these Title IX regulations that conflict with a specific tenet of the religious organization.

These Title IX regulations do not apply to an educational institution whose primary purpose is the training of individuals for a military service of the United States or for the merchant marine.

(a) Social fraternities and sororities. These Title IX regulations do not apply to the membership practices of social fraternities and sororities that are exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, 26 U.S.C. 501(a), the active membership of which consists primarily of students in attendance at institutions of higher education.

(b) YMCA, YWCA, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Camp Fire Girls. These Title IX regulations do not apply to the membership practices of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), the Girl Scouts, the Boy Scouts, and Camp Fire Girls.

(c) Voluntary youth service organizations. These Title IX regulations do not apply to the membership practices of a voluntary youth service organization that is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, 26 U.S.C. 501(a), and the membership of which has been traditionally limited to members of one sex and principally to persons of less than nineteen years of age.

(a) Admissions to educational institutions prior to June 24, 1973, are not covered by these Title IX regulations.

(b) Administratively separate units. For the purposes only of this section, §§ 113.225 and 113.230, and §§ 113.300 through 113.310, each administratively separate unit shall be deemed to be an educational institution.

(c) Application of §§ 113.300 through 113.310. Except as provided in paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section, §§ 113.300 through 113.310 apply to each recipient. A recipient to which §§ 113.300 through 113.310 apply shall not discriminate on the basis of sex in admission or recruitment in violation of §§ 113.300 through 113.310.

(d) Educational institutions. Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section as to recipients that are educational institutions, §§ 113.300 through 113.310 apply only to institutions of vocational education, professional education, graduate higher education, and public institutions of undergraduate higher education.

(e) Public institutions of undergraduate higher education. §§ 113.300 through 113.310 do not apply to any public institution of undergraduate higher education that traditionally and continually from its establishment has had a policy of admitting students of only one sex.

(a) Application. This section applies to each educational institution to which §§ 113.300 through 113.310 apply that:

(1) Admitted students of only one sex as regular students as of June 23, 1972; or

(2) Admitted students of only one sex as regular students as of June 23, 1965, but thereafter admitted, as regular students, students of the sex not admitted prior to June 23, 1965.

(b) Provision for transition plans. An educational institution to which this section applies shall not discriminate on the basis of sex in admission or recruitment in violation of §§ 113.300 through 113.310.

(a) Submission of plans. An institution to which § 113.225 applies and that is composed of more than one administratively separate unit may submit either a single transition plan applicable to all such units, or a separate transition plan applicable to each such unit.

(b) Content of plans. In order to be approved by the Secretary of Education, a transition plan shall:

(1) State the name, address, and Federal Interagency Committee on Education Code of the educational institution submitting such plan, the administratively separate units to which the plan is applicable, and the name, address, and telephone number of the person to whom questions concerning the plan may be addressed. The person who submits the plan shall be the chief administrator or president of the institution, or another individual legally authorized to bind the institution to all actions set forth in the plan.

(2) State whether the educational institution or administratively separate unit admits students of both sexes as regular students and, if so, when it began to do so.

(3) Identify and describe with respect to the educational institution or administratively separate unit any obstacles to admitting students without discrimination on the basis of sex.

(4) Describe in detail the steps necessary to eliminate as soon as practicable each obstacle so identified and indicate the schedule for taking these steps and the individual directly responsible for their implementation.

(5) Include estimates of the number of students, by sex, expected to apply for, be admitted to, and enter each class during the period covered by the plan.

(c) Nondiscrimination. No policy or practice of a recipient to which § 113.225 applies shall result in treatment of applicants to or students of such recipient in violation of §§ 113.300 through 113.310 unless such treatment is necessitated by an obstacle identified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section and a schedule for eliminating that obstacle has been provided as required by paragraph (b)(4) of this section.

(d) Effects of past exclusion. To overcome the effects of past exclusion of students on the basis of sex, each educational institution to which § 113.225 applies shall include in its transition plan, and shall implement, specific steps designed to encourage individuals of the previously excluded sex to apply for admission to such institution. Such steps shall include instituting recruitment programs that emphasize the institution's commitment to enrolling students of the sex previously excluded.

(a) This section, which applies to all provisions of these Title IX regulations, addresses statutory amendments to Title IX.

(b) These Title IX regulations shall not apply to or preclude:

(1) Any program or activity of the American Legion undertaken in connection with the organization or operation of any Boys State conference, Boys Nation conference, Girls State conference, or Girls Nation conference;

(2) Any program or activity of a secondary school or educational institution specifically for:

(i) The promotion of any Boys State conference, Boys Nation conference, Girls State conference, or Girls Nation conference; or

(ii) The selection of students to attend any such conference;

(3) Father-son or mother-daughter activities at an educational institution or in an education program or activity, but if such activities are provided for students of one sex, opportunities for reasonably comparable activities shall be provided to students of the other sex;

(4) Any scholarship or other financial assistance awarded by an institution of higher education to an individual because such individual has received such award in a single-sex pageant based upon a combination of factors related to the individual's personal appearance, poise, and talent. The pageant, however, must comply with other nondiscrimination provisions of Federal law.

(c) Program or activity or program means:

(1) All of the operations of any entity described in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (iv) of this section, any part of which is extended Federal financial assistance:

(i)(A) A department, agency, special purpose district, or other instrumentality of a State or of a local government; or

(B) The entity of such State or local government that distributes such assistance and each such department or agency (and each other State or local government entity) to which the assistance is extended, in the case of assistance to a State or local government;

(ii)(A) A college, university, or other postsecondary institution, or a public system of higher education; or

(B) A local educational agency (as defined in section 8801 of title 20), system of vocational education, or other school system;

(iii)(A) An entire corporation, partnership, or other private organization, or an entire sole proprietorship—

(1) If assistance is extended to such corporation, partnership, private organization, or sole proprietorship as a whole; or

(2) Which is principally engaged in the business of providing education, health care, housing, social services, or parks and recreation; or

(B) The entire plant or other comparable, geographically separate facility to which Federal financial assistance is extended, in the case of any other corporation, partnership, private organization, or sole proprietorship; or

(iv) Any other entity that is established by two or more of the entities described in paragraphs (c)(1)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this section.

(2)(i) Program or activity does not include any operation of an entity that is controlled by a religious organization if the application of 20 U.S.C. 1681 to such operation would not be consistent with the religious tenets of such organization.

(ii) For example, all of the operations of a college, university, or other postsecondary institution, including but not limited to traditional educational operations, faculty and student housing, campus shuttle bus service, campus restaurants, the bookstore, and other commercial activities are part of a “program or activity” subject to these Title IX regulations if the college, university, or other institution receives Federal financial assistance.

(d)(1) Nothing in these Title IX regulations shall be construed to require or prohibit any person, or public or private entity, to provide or pay for any benefit or service, including the use of facilities, related to an abortion. Medical procedures, benefits, services, and the use of facilities, necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman or to address complications related to an abortion are not subject to this section.

(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit a penalty to be imposed on any person or individual because such person or individual is seeking or has received any benefit or service related to a legal abortion. Accordingly, subject to paragraph (d)(1) of this section, no person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any academic, extracurricular, research, occupational training, employment, or other educational program or activity operated by a recipient that receives Federal financial assistance because such individual has sought or received, or is seeking, a legal abortion, or any benefit or service related to a legal abortion.

(a) General. No person shall, on the basis of sex, be denied admission, or be subjected to discrimination in admission, by any recipient to which §§ 113.300 through §§ 113.310 apply, except as provided in §§ 113.225 and §§ 113.230.

(b) Specific prohibitions. (1) In determining whether a person satisfies any policy or criterion for admission, or in making any offer of admission, a recipient to which §§ 113.300 through 113.310 apply shall not:

(i) Give preference to one person over another on the basis of sex, by ranking applicants separately on such basis, or otherwise;

(ii) Apply numerical limitations upon the number or proportion of persons of either sex who may be admitted; or

(iii) Otherwise treat one individual differently from another on the basis of sex.

(2) A recipient shall not administer or operate any test or other criterion for admission that has a disproportionately adverse effect on persons on the basis of sex unless the use of such test or criterion is shown to predict validly success in the education program or activity in question and alternative tests or criteria that do not have such a disproportionately adverse effect are shown to be unavailable.

(c) Prohibitions relating to marital or parental status. In determining whether a person satisfies any policy or criterion for admission, or in making any offer of admission, a recipient to which §§ 113.300 through 113.310 apply:

(1) Shall not apply any rule concerning the actual or potential parental, family, or marital status of a student or applicant that treats persons differently on the basis of sex;

(2) Shall not discriminate against or exclude any person on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom, or establish or follow any rule or practice that so discriminates or excludes;

(3) Subject to § 113.235(d), shall treat disabilities related to pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom in the same manner and under the same policies as any other temporary disability or physical condition; and

(4) Shall not make pre-admission inquiry as to the marital status of an applicant for admission, including whether such applicant is “Miss” or “Mrs.” A recipient may make pre-admission inquiry as to the sex of an applicant for admission, but only if such inquiry is made equally of such applicants of both sexes and if the results of such inquiry are not used in connection with discrimination prohibited by these Title IX regulations.

A recipient to which §§ 113.300 through 113.310 apply shall not give preference to applicants for admission, on the basis of attendance at any educational institution or other school or entity that admits as students only or predominantly members of one sex, if the giving of such preference has the effect of discriminating on the basis of sex in violation of §§ 113.300 through 113.310.

(a) Nondiscriminatory recruitment. A recipient to which §§ 113.300 through 113.310 apply shall not discriminate on the basis of sex in the recruitment and admission of students. A recipient may be required to undertake additional recruitment efforts for one sex as remedial action pursuant to § 113.110(a), and may choose to undertake such efforts as affirmative action pursuant to § 113.110(b).

(b) Recruitment at certain institutions. A recipient to which §§ 113.300 through 113.310 apply shall not recruit primarily or exclusively at educational institutions, schools, or entities that admit as students only or predominantly members of one sex, if such actions have the effect of discriminating on the basis of sex in violation of §§ 113.300 through 113.310.

(a) General. Except as provided elsewhere in these Title IX regulations, no person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any academic, extracurricular, research, occupational training, or other education program or activity operated by a recipient that receives Federal financial assistance. Sections 113.400 through 113.455 do not apply to actions of a recipient in connection with admission of its students to an education program or activity of a recipient to which §§ 113.300 through 113.310 do not apply, or an entity, not a recipient, to which §§ 113.300 through 113.310 would not apply if the entity were a recipient.

(b) Specific prohibitions. Except as provided in §§ 113.400 through 113.455, in providing any aid, benefit, or service to a student, a recipient shall not, on the basis of sex:

(1) Treat one person differently from another in determining whether such person satisfies any requirement or condition for the provision of such aid, benefit, or service;

(2) Provide different aid, benefits, or services or provide aid, benefits, or services in a different manner;

(3) Deny any person any such aid, benefit, or service;

(4) Subject any person to separate or different rules of behavior, sanctions, or other treatment;

(5) Apply any rule concerning the domicile or residence of a student or applicant, including eligibility for in-state fees and tuition;

(6) Aid or perpetuate discrimination against any person by providing significant assistance to any agency, organization, or person that discriminates on the basis of sex in providing any aid, benefit, or service to students or employees;

(7) Otherwise limit any person in the enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity.

(c) Assistance administered by a recipient educational institution to study at a foreign institution. A recipient educational institution may administer or assist in the administration of scholarships, fellowships, or other awards established by foreign or domestic wills, trusts, or similar legal instruments, or by acts of foreign governments and restricted to members of one sex, that are designed to provide opportunities to study abroad, and that are awarded to students who are already matriculating at or who are graduates of the recipient institution; Provided, that a recipient educational institution that administers or assists in the administration of such scholarships, fellowships, or other awards that are restricted to members of one sex provides, or otherwise makes available, reasonable opportunities for similar studies for members of the other sex. Such opportunities may be derived from either domestic or foreign sources.

(d) Aids, benefits or services not provided by recipient. (1) This paragraph (d) applies to any recipient that requires participation by any applicant, student, or employee in any education program or activity not operated wholly by such recipient, or that facilitates, permits, or considers such participation as part of or equivalent to an education program or activity operated by such recipient, including participation in educational consortia and cooperative employment and student-teaching assignments.

(2) Such recipient:

(i) Shall develop and implement a procedure designed to assure itself that the operator or sponsor of such other education program or activity takes no action affecting any applicant, student, or employee of such recipient that these Title IX regulations would prohibit such recipient from taking; and

(ii) Shall not facilitate, require, permit, or consider such participation if such action occurs.

(a) Generally. A recipient shall not, on the basis of sex, apply different rules or regulations, impose different fees or requirements, or offer different services or benefits related to housing, except as provided in this section (including housing provided only to married students).

(b) Housing provided by recipient. (1) A recipient may provide separate housing on the basis of sex.

(2) Housing provided by a recipient to students of one sex, when compared to that provided to students of the other sex, shall be as a whole:

(i) Proportionate in quantity to the number of students of that sex applying for such housing; and

(ii) Comparable in quality and cost to the student.

(c) Other housing. (1) A recipient shall not, on the basis of sex, administer different policies or practices concerning occupancy by its students of housing other than that provided by such recipient.

(2)(i) A recipient which, through solicitation, listing, approval of housing, or otherwise, assists any agency, organization, or person in making housing available to any of its students, shall take such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure itself that such housing as is provided to students of one sex, when compared to that provided to students of the other sex, is as a whole:

(A) Proportionate in quantity; and

(B) Comparable in quality and cost to the student.

(ii) A recipient may render such assistance to any agency, organization, or person that provides all or part of such housing to students of only one sex.

A recipient may provide separate toilet, locker room, and shower facilities on the basis of sex, but such facilities provided for students of one sex shall be comparable to such facilities provided for students of the other sex.

(a) A recipient shall not provide any course or otherwise carry out any of its education program or activity separately on the basis of sex, or require or refuse participation therein by any of its students on such basis, including health, physical education, industrial, business, vocational, technical, home economics, music, and adult education courses.

(b)(1) With respect to classes and activities in physical education at the elementary school level, the recipient shall comply fully with this section as expeditiously as possible but in no event later than one year from September 29, 2000. With respect to physical education classes and activities at the secondary and post-secondary levels, the recipient shall comply fully with this section as expeditiously as possible but in no event later than three years from September 29, 2000.

(2) This section does not prohibit grouping of students in physical education classes and activities by ability as assessed by objective standards of individual performance developed and applied without regard to sex.

(3) This section does not prohibit separation of students by sex within physical education classes or activities during participation in wrestling, boxing, rugby, ice hockey, football, basketball, and other sports the purpose or major activity of which involves bodily contact.

(4) Where use of a single standard of measuring skill or progress in a physical education class has an adverse effect on members of one sex, the recipient shall use appropriate standards that do not have such effect.

(5) Portions of classes in elementary and secondary schools, or portions of education programs or activities, that deal exclusively with human sexuality may be conducted in separate sessions for boys and girls.

(6) Recipients may make requirements based on vocal range or quality that may result in a chorus or choruses of one or predominantly one sex.

(a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any person on the basis of sex in the counseling or guidance of students or applicants for admission.

(b) Use of appraisal and counseling materials. A recipient that uses testing or other materials for appraising or counseling students shall not use different materials for students on the basis of their sex or use materials that permit or require different treatment of students on such basis unless such different materials cover the same occupations and interest areas and the use of such different materials is shown to be essential to eliminate sex bias. Recipients shall develop and use internal procedures for ensuring that such materials do not discriminate on the basis of sex. Where the use of a counseling test or other instrument results in a substantially disproportionate number of members of one sex in any particular course of study or classification, the recipient shall take such action as is necessary to assure itself that such disproportion is not the result of discrimination in the instrument or its application.

(c) Disproportion in classes. Where a recipient finds that a particular class contains a substantially disproportionate number of individuals of one sex, the recipient shall take such action as is necessary to assure itself that such disproportion is not the result of discrimination on the basis of sex in counseling or appraisal materials or by counselors.

(a) General. Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, in providing financial assistance to any of its students, a recipient shall not:

(1) On the basis of sex, provide different amounts or types of such assistance, limit eligibility for such assistance that is of any particular type or source, apply different criteria, or otherwise discriminate;

(2) Through solicitation, listing, approval, provision of facilities, or other services, assist any foundation, trust, agency, organization, or person that provides assistance to any of such recipient's students in a manner that discriminates on the basis of sex; or

(3) Apply any rule or assist in application of any rule concerning eligibility for such assistance that treats persons of one sex differently from persons of the other sex with regard to marital or parental status.

(b) Financial aid established by certain legal instruments. (1) A recipient may administer or assist in the administration of scholarships, fellowships, or other forms of financial assistance established pursuant to domestic or foreign wills, trusts, bequests, or similar legal instruments or by acts of a foreign government that require that awards be made to members of a particular sex specified therein; Provided, that the overall effect of the award of such sex-restricted scholarships, fellowships, and other forms of financial assistance does not discriminate on the basis of sex.

(2) To ensure nondiscriminatory awards of assistance as required in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, recipients shall develop and use procedures under which:

(i) Students are selected for award of financial assistance on the basis of nondiscriminatory criteria and not on the basis of availability of funds restricted to members of a particular sex;

(ii) An appropriate sex-restricted scholarship, fellowship, or other form of financial assistance is allocated to each student selected under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section; and

(iii) No student is denied the award for which he or she was selected under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section because of the absence of a scholarship, fellowship, or other form of financial assistance designated for a member of that student's sex.

(c) Athletic scholarships. (1) To the extent that a recipient awards athletic scholarships or grants-in-aid, it must provide reasonable opportunities for such awards for members of each sex in proportion to the number of students of each sex participating in interscholastic or intercollegiate athletics.

(2) A recipient may provide separate athletic scholarships or grants-in-aid for members of each sex as part of separate athletic teams for members of each sex to the extent consistent with this paragraph (c) and § 113.450.

(a) Assistance by recipient in making available outside employment. A recipient that assists any agency, organization, or person in making employment available to any of its students:

(1) Shall assure itself that such employment is made available without discrimination on the basis of sex; and

(2) Shall not render such services to any agency, organization, or person that discriminates on the basis of sex in its employment practices.

(b) Employment of students by recipients. A recipient that employs any of its students shall not do so in a manner that violates §§ 113.500 through 113.550.

Subject to § 113.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit, service, policy, or plan to any of its students, a recipient shall not discriminate on the basis of sex, or provide such benefit, service, policy, or plan in a manner that would violate §§ 113.500 through 113.550 if it were provided to employees of the recipient. This section shall not prohibit a recipient from providing any benefit or service that may be used by a different proportion of students of one sex than of the other, including family planning services. However, any recipient that provides full coverage health service shall provide gynecological care.

(a) Status generally. A recipient shall not apply any rule concerning a student's actual or potential parental, family, or marital status that treats students differently on the basis of sex.

(b) Pregnancy and related conditions. (1) A recipient shall not discriminate against any student, or exclude any student from its education program or activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student's pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom, unless the student requests voluntarily to participate in a separate portion of the program or activity of the recipient.

(2) A recipient may require such a student to obtain the certification of a physician that the student is physically and emotionally able to continue participation as long as such a certification is required of all students for other physical or emotional conditions requiring the attention of a physician.

(3) A recipient that operates a portion of its education program or activity separately for pregnant students, admittance to which is completely voluntary on the part of the student as provided in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, shall ensure that the separate portion is comparable to that offered to non-pregnant students.

(4) Subject to § 113.235(d), a recipient shall treat pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy and recovery therefrom in the same manner and under the same policies as any other temporary disability with respect to any medical or hospital benefit, service, plan, or policy that such recipient administers, operates, offers, or participates in with respect to students admitted to the recipient's educational program or activity.

(5) In the case of a recipient that does not maintain a leave policy for its students, or in the case of a student who does not otherwise qualify for leave under such a policy, a recipient shall treat pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, and recovery therefrom as a justification for a leave of absence for as long a period of time as is deemed medically necessary by the student's physician, at the conclusion of which the student shall be reinstated to the status that she held when the leave began.

(a) General. No person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, be treated differently from another person, or otherwise be discriminated against in any interscholastic, intercollegiate, club, or intramural athletics offered by a recipient, and no recipient shall provide any such athletics separately on such basis.

(b) Separate teams. Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, a recipient may operate or sponsor separate teams for members of each sex where selection for such teams is based upon competitive skill or the activity involved is a contact sport. However, where a recipient operates or sponsors a team in a particular sport for members of one sex but operates or sponsors no such team for members of the other sex, and athletic opportunities for members of that sex have previously been limited, members of the excluded sex must be allowed to try out for the team offered unless the sport involved is a contact sport. For the purposes of these Title IX regulations, contact sports include boxing, wrestling, rugby, ice hockey, football, basketball, and other sports the purpose or major activity of which involves bodily contact.

(c) Equal opportunity. (1) A recipient that operates or sponsors interscholastic, intercollegiate, club, or intramural athletics shall provide equal athletic opportunity for members of both sexes. In determining whether equal opportunities are available, the designated agency official will consider, among other factors:

(i) Whether the selection of sports and levels of competition effectively accommodate the interests and abilities of members of both sexes;

(ii) The provision of equipment and supplies;

(iii) Scheduling of games and practice time;

(iv) Travel and per diem allowance;

(v) Opportunity to receive coaching and academic tutoring;

(vi) Assignment and compensation of coaches and tutors;

(vii) Provision of locker rooms, practice, and competitive facilities;

(viii) Provision of medical and training facilities and services;

(ix) Provision of housing and dining facilities and services;

(x) Publicity.

(2) For purposes of paragraph (c)(1) of this section, unequal aggregate expenditures for members of each sex or unequal expenditures for male and female teams if a recipient operates or sponsors separate teams will not constitute noncompliance with this section, but the designated agency official may consider the failure to provide necessary funds for teams for one sex in assessing equality of opportunity for members of each sex.

(d) Adjustment period. A recipient that operates or sponsors interscholastic, intercollegiate, club, or intramural athletics at the elementary school level shall comply fully with this section as expeditiously as possible but in no event later than one year from September 29, 2000. A recipient that operates or sponsors interscholastic, intercollegiate, club, or intramural athletics at the secondary or postsecondary school level shall comply fully with this section as expeditiously as possible but in no event later than three years from September 29, 2000.

Nothing in these Title IX regulations shall be interpreted as requiring or prohibiting or abridging in any way the use of particular textbooks or curricular materials.

(a) General. (1) No person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in employment, or recruitment, consideration, or selection therefor, whether full-time or part-time, under any education program or activity operated by a recipient that receives Federal financial assistance.

(2) A recipient shall make all employment decisions in any education program or activity operated by such recipient in a nondiscriminatory manner and shall not limit, segregate, or classify applicants or employees in any way that could adversely affect any applicant's or employee's employment opportunities or status because of sex.

(3) A recipient shall not enter into any contractual or other relationship which directly or indirectly has the effect of subjecting employees or students to discrimination prohibited by §§ 113.500 through 113.550, including relationships with employment and referral agencies, with labor unions, and with organizations providing or administering fringe benefits to employees of the recipient.

(4) A recipient shall not grant preferences to applicants for employment on the basis of attendance at any educational institution or entity that admits as students only or predominantly members of one sex, if the giving of such preferences has the effect of discriminating on the basis of sex in violation of these Title IX regulations.

(b) Application. The provisions of §§ 113.500 through 113.550 apply to:

(1) Recruitment, advertising, and the process of application for employment;

(2) Hiring, upgrading, promotion, consideration for and award of tenure, demotion, transfer, layoff, termination, application of nepotism policies, right of return from layoff, and rehiring;

(3) Rates of pay or any other form of compensation, and changes in compensation;

(4) Job assignments, classifications, and structure, including position descriptions, lines of progression, and seniority lists;

(5) The terms of any collective bargaining agreement;

(6) Granting and return from leaves of absence, leave for pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, leave for persons of either sex to care for children or dependents, or any other leave;

(7) Fringe benefits available by virtue of employment, whether or not administered by the recipient;

(8) Selection and financial support for training, including apprenticeship, professional meetings, conferences, and other related activities, selection for tuition assistance, selection for sabbaticals and leaves of absence to pursue training;

(9) Employer-sponsored activities, including social or recreational programs; and

(10) Any other term, condition, or privilege of employment.

A recipient shall not administer or operate any test or other criterion for any employment opportunity that has a disproportionately adverse effect on persons on the basis of sex unless:

(a) Use of such test or other criterion is shown to predict validly successful performance in the position in question; and

(b) Alternative tests or criteria for such purpose, which do not have such disproportionately adverse effect, are shown to be unavailable.

(a) Nondiscriminatory recruitment and hiring. A recipient shall not discriminate on the basis of sex in the recruitment and hiring of employees. Where a recipient has been found to be presently discriminating on the basis of sex in the recruitment or hiring of employees, or has been found to have so discriminated in the past, the recipient shall recruit members of the sex so discriminated against so as to overcome the effects of such past or present discrimination.

(b) Recruitment patterns. A recipient shall not recruit primarily or exclusively at entities that furnish as applicants only or predominantly members of one sex if such actions have the effect of discriminating on the basis of sex in violation of §§113.500 through 113.550.

A recipient shall not make or enforce any policy or practice that, on the basis of sex:

(a) Makes distinctions in rates of pay or other compensation;

(b) Results in the payment of wages to employees of one sex at a rate less than that paid to employees of the opposite sex for equal work on jobs the performance of which requires equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and that are performed under similar working conditions.

A recipient shall not:

(a) Classify a job as being for males or for females;

(b) Maintain or establish separate lines of progression, seniority lists, career ladders, or tenure systems based on sex; or

(c) Maintain or establish separate lines of progression, seniority systems, career ladders, or tenure systems for similar jobs, position descriptions, or job requirements that classify persons on the basis of sex, unless sex is a bona fide occupational qualification for the positions in question as set forth in §113.550.

(a) “Fringe benefits” defined. For purposes of these Title IX regulations, fringe benefits means: Any medical, hospital, accident, life insurance, or retirement benefit, service, policy or plan, any profit-sharing or bonus plan, leave, and any other benefit or service of employment not subject to the provision of §113.515.

(b) Prohibitions. A recipient shall not:

(1) Discriminate on the basis of sex with regard to making fringe benefits available to employees or make fringe benefits available to spouses, families, or dependents of employees differently upon the basis of the employee's sex;

(2) Administer, operate, offer, or participate in a fringe benefit plan that does not provide for equal periodic benefits for members of each sex and for equal contributions to the plan by such recipient for members of each sex; or

(3) Administer, operate, offer, or participate in a pension or retirement plan that establishes different optional or compulsory retirement ages based on sex or that otherwise discriminates in benefits on the basis of sex.

(a) General. A recipient shall not apply any policy or take any employment action:

(1) Concerning the potential marital, parental, or family status of an employee or applicant for employment that treats persons differently on the basis of sex; or

(2) Which is based upon whether an employee or applicant for employment is the head of household or principal wage earner in such employee's or applicant's family unit.

(b) Pregnancy. A recipient shall not discriminate against or exclude from employment any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom.

(c) Pregnancy as a temporary disability. Subject to § 113.235(d), a recipient shall treat pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, recovery therefrom, and any temporary disability resulting therefrom as any other temporary disability for all job-related purposes, including commencement, duration, and extensions of leave, payment of disability income, accrual of seniority and any other benefit or service, and reinstatement, and under any fringe benefit offered to employees by virtue of employment.

(d) Pregnancy leave. In the case of a recipient that does not maintain a leave policy for its employees, or in the case of an employee with insufficient leave or accrued employment time to qualify for leave under such a policy, a recipient shall treat pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, and recovery therefrom as a justification for a leave of absence without pay for a reasonable period of time, at the conclusion of which the employee shall be reinstated to the status that she held when the leave began or to a comparable position, without decrease in rate of compensation or loss of promotional opportunities, or any other right or privilege of employment.

(a) Prohibitory requirements. The obligation to comply with §§113.500 through 113.550 is not obviated or alleviated by the existence of any State or local law or other requirement that imposes prohibitions or limits upon employment of members of one sex that are not imposed upon members of the other sex.

(b) Benefits. A recipient that provides any compensation, service, or benefit to members of one sex pursuant to a State or local law or other requirement shall provide the same compensation, service, or benefit to members of the other sex.

A recipient shall not in any advertising related to employment indicate preference, limitation, specification, or discrimination based on sex unless sex is a bona fide occupational qualification for the particular job in question.

(a) Marital status. A recipient shall not make pre-employment inquiry as to the marital status of an applicant for employment, including whether such applicant is “Miss” or “Mrs.”

(b) Sex. A recipient may make pre-employment inquiry as to the sex of an applicant for employment, but only if such inquiry is madeequally of such applicants of both sexes and if the results of such inquiry are not used in connection with discrimination prohibited by these Title IX regulations.

A recipient may take action otherwise prohibited by §§113.500 through 113.550 provided it is shown that sex is a bona fide occupational qualification for that action, such that consideration of sex with regard to such action is essential to successful operation of the employment function concerned. A recipient shall not take action pursuant to this section that is based upon alleged comparative employment characteristics or stereotyped characterizations of one or the other sex, or upon preference based on sex of the recipient, employees, students, or other persons, but nothing contained in this section shall prevent a recipient from considering an employee's sex in relation to employment in a locker room or toilet facility used only by members of one sex.

Within 60 days of September 29, 2000, each Federal agency that awards Federal financial assistance shall publish in the Federal Register a notice of the programs covered by these Title IX regulations. Each such Federal agency shall periodically republish the notice of covered programs to reflect changes in covered programs. Copies of this notice also shall be made available upon request to the Federal agency's office that enforces Title IX.

The investigative, compliance, and enforcement procedural provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d) (“Title VI”) are hereby adopted and applied to these Title IX regulations. These procedures may be found at 13 CFR part 112.