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Discrimination in lending? Evidence from the Paycheck Protection Program

Author

Listed:
  • Rachel Atkins

    (NYU Stern School of Business)

  • Lisa Cook

    (Michigan State University and NBER)

  • Robert Seamans

    (NYU Stern School of Business)

Abstract

We assess the role of race in loans made through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP program, created by the U.S. government as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic, provides loans to small businesses so they can keep employees on their payroll. We argue that the historical record and PPP program design choices made it likely that many Black-owned businesses received smaller PPP loans than White-owned businesses. Using newly released data on the PPP program, we find that Black-owned businesses received loans that were approximately 50% lower than observationally similar White-owned businesses. The effect is marginally smaller in areas with more bank competition and disappeared over time as changes to the PPP program were implemented allowing for entry by fintechs and other non-traditional lenders. Plain English Summary We find that Black-owned businesses received loans through the Paycheck Protection Program that were approximately 50 percent lower than White-owned businesses with similar characteristics. However, this difference in loan size shrank over time as more non-bank lenders such as fintechs were allowed to participate in the program and began approving PPP loans. Loan size differences were also slightly smaller in zip codes containing a larger number of bank branches. These results are consistent with prior research which shows lending discrimination by commercial banks against Black borrowers. It is also consistent with studies showing that greater access to and competition among banks and other lenders can reduce discrimination. In light of these results we recommend that policy makers account for existing racial inequalities within banking or other systems in their program design to produce more equitable outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Rachel Atkins & Lisa Cook & Robert Seamans, 2022. "Discrimination in lending? Evidence from the Paycheck Protection Program," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 843-865, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:58:y:2022:i:2:d:10.1007_s11187-021-00533-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-021-00533-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Kristopher Deming & Stephan Weiler, 2023. "Banking Deserts and the Paycheck Protection Program," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 37(3), pages 259-276, August.
    2. Ashok K. Mishra & Gianna Short & Charles B. Dodson, 2024. "Racial disparities in farm loan application processing: Are Black farmers disadvantaged?," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 46(1), pages 111-136, March.
    3. Sant'Anna, Ana Claudia, 2023. "Examining the Relationship Between Women, Minority Farmers, and Diversity in the Leadership of Farm Credit Institutions," 97th Annual Conference, March 27-29, 2023, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 334564, Agricultural Economics Society - AES.
    4. Staples, Aaron J. & Krumel, Thomas P. Jr., 2022. "The Paycheck Protection Program & Small Business Performance: Evidence from Craft Breweries," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322484, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    5. Brett Barkley & Mark Schweitzer, 2023. "Credit Availability for Minority Business Owners in an Evolving Credit Environment," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 37(3), pages 230-242, August.
    6. John M. Griffin & Samuel Kruger & Prateek Mahajan, 2023. "Did FinTech Lenders Facilitate PPP Fraud?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 78(3), pages 1777-1827, June.

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