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 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:

T = .90 × (CA + LI)

(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.

[61 FR 3189, Jan. 31, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 5868, Feb. 5, 1998; 74 FR 33916, July 14, 2009]