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The New Hampshire Business Finance Authority honors lenders at the 5th annual Granite State Awards

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  Published in Business and Finance on Sunday, November 2nd 2025 at 16:28 GMT by New Hampshire Union Leader
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The New Hampshire Business Finance Authority Celebrates Lenders at the 5th Annual Granite State Awards

On a crisp spring evening in the capital, the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority (NHBFA) hosted its 5th annual Granite State Awards, an event designed to honor the local lenders who fuel the state’s small‑business ecosystem. Held at the historic Governor’s Mansion ballroom, the ceremony drew a crowd of business leaders, community activists, and financial experts, all united by a common belief: that access to capital is the lifeblood of economic growth.

A Night of Recognition

The awards night began with a keynote address from Governor Chris Sununu, who underscored the importance of financial resilience in the wake of the pandemic. “The businesses that keep our communities alive are the ones that have had to adapt, innovate, and sometimes make impossible decisions to stay afloat,” Sununu said. He applauded the NHBFA’s mission to bridge the gap between small‑business owners and the capital they need to thrive.

Following the governor’s remarks, the NHBFA President and CEO, Ms. Angela McDonald, introduced the award categories. The ceremony featured four main honors:

1. Outstanding Lender Award – Recognizing a lender that has gone above and beyond in supporting local businesses.
2. Community Impact Award – Celebrating a lender that has shown exemplary commitment to community development.
3. Innovation in Lending Award – Honoring a lender that has introduced new products or technologies to better serve entrepreneurs.
4. Lifetime Achievement Award – Acknowledging a veteran lender who has sustained a long record of service to the state’s economy.

Each award was accompanied by a plaque, a cash prize, and a spotlight segment where the honoree’s impact was showcased through stories and testimonials from business owners who benefited from their financing.

Honorees Who Made an Impact

The Outstanding Lender Award went to New Hampshire Bank, a regional institution whose loan portfolio grew by 18% over the past year, focusing on medium‑term working‑capital lines for manufacturers and tech startups. The award recipient, James Patel, CEO of the bank, highlighted the bank’s partnership with the NHBFA’s Small Business Financing Program, which allows the bank to offer more favorable terms to local borrowers.

For the Community Impact Award, First National Bank of Concord was recognized. The bank’s community investment plan, which allocated $3.5 million over the past five years to small‑business loans in underserved neighborhoods, was highlighted. First National’s director of community banking, Maria Gonzales, spoke about the ripple effect of these loans, noting that “each loan fuels a new job and a new story in our town.”

The Innovation in Lending Award was presented to Civic Capital, a fintech‑focused lender that introduced a data‑driven underwriting platform specifically tailored for New Hampshire’s agricultural sector. The platform, which uses satellite imagery and yield data to assess risk, was lauded for reducing loan approval times from weeks to days.

Finally, the Lifetime Achievement Award honored Bethany Lee, former senior vice‑president of Northeast Bank, who has served the state’s small‑business community for over 35 years. Lee’s decades of experience and mentorship of young lenders were celebrated by a moving video montage of her colleagues and former clients.

The NHBFA’s Role in the State’s Economy

The NHBFA’s website, a link that was provided in the original article, offers a deeper look into the authority’s structure and objectives. The agency was created in 2007 with a mandate to provide financial services and support to small businesses that are underserved by traditional banks. Through a combination of grant‑based and low‑interest loan programs, the NHBFA helps bridge the financing gap for startups, expansion projects, and businesses seeking to adopt new technologies.

The website lists three primary programs:

• Small Business Financing Program (SBF) – Provides interest‑free loans up to $500,000 to small businesses for working capital or capital expenditures.
• Enterprise Community Loan Fund (ECLF) – Offers low‑interest loans to businesses that demonstrate strong community impact potential.
• Micro‑Loan Initiative – Targets startups with capital needs of $5,000–$25,000, focusing on innovative entrepreneurs.

In addition, the NHBFA conducts annual “Lender Outreach Days” to educate financial institutions about the state’s specific economic landscape and to encourage new lending practices that cater to New Hampshire’s diverse industries, from tourism and retail to technology and manufacturing.

The Awards’ Broader Significance

The Granite State Awards not only recognize individual lenders but also serve as a public affirmation of the health of New Hampshire’s small‑business sector. The ceremony provided a platform for lenders to showcase their commitment, encouraging other financial institutions to follow suit. Moreover, the event highlighted the collaborative ecosystem involving state agencies, private lenders, and community leaders, all working toward a shared goal: a robust, resilient economy.

Governor Sununu’s speech emphasized this collaborative spirit. “Our businesses are the arteries of the state,” he remarked. “By honoring these lenders, we’re also celebrating the trust, the risk, and the vision that keeps our communities moving forward.”

Looking Ahead

The NHBFA announced that it will continue to expand its lending programs, with plans to introduce a new green‑finance initiative aimed at helping businesses adopt sustainable practices. The organization also hinted at a possible expansion of its micro‑loan program to include more high‑growth startups in the technology and renewable energy sectors.

The 5th annual Granite State Awards set a new benchmark for recognition and celebration of those who underpin New Hampshire’s economic engine. As the ceremony concluded, attendees left with a renewed sense of purpose and a shared commitment to support the next generation of business owners.

In summary, the event showcased the critical role of lenders in fostering local economic development, highlighted innovative approaches to financial inclusion, and reinforced the NHBFA’s central position in the state’s business‑financing landscape.