Section 7(a)(15) of the Act authorizes SBA to guarantee a loan to a:

(a) Qualified employee trust (“ESOP”) to:

(1) Help finance the growth of its employer's small business; or

(2) Purchase ownership or voting control of the employer; and a

(b) Small business concern, if the proceeds from the loan are only used to make a loan to a qualified employee trust that results in the qualified employee trust owning at least 51 percent of the small business concern.

[85 FR 7648, Feb. 10, 2020]