Unitus Community Credit Union today announced the successful first-year results of its Small Business Lending program, powered by an innovative partnership with JUDI.AI. The program is expanding access to capital for local entrepreneurs and driving meaningful economic growth across the communities Unitus serves.
Small Businesses: The Backbone of the Economy
Small businesses form the backbone of both national and local economies. Nearly 40 million small businesses operate in the United States, with 90% employing fewer than 10 people. In Oregon alone, more than 400,000 small businesses represent over 99% of all companies and employ more than half of the state’s workforce.
Despite their importance, access to credit remains one of their greatest challenges.
Strong First-Year Performance
In 2025, Unitus made significant progress toward its three-year commitment to deliver $5 million in small business lending.
During the program’s inaugural year, Unitus:
- Originated more than 127 loans and lines of credit
- Delivered $2.6 million in total funding
- Expanded access to affordable capital across Oregon communities
Notably, over 83% of loans supported women-, veteran-, or minority-owned businesses. This positions Unitus ahead of plan and enabled the credit union to achieve more than half of its three-year Social Responsibility Commitment in just the first year.
Technology-Driven Innovation with JUDI.AI
A key driver of this progress is Unitus’ partnership with JUDI.AI, whose AI-powered cash flow underwriting platform is modernizing the small business lending experience.
Traditionally, small business lending has fallen into what many institutions consider the “underserved middle” — too small for commercial teams to prioritize, yet too complex for consumer lending. A $50,000 request is often reviewed with the same manual, paperwork-heavy process as a $5 million commercial loan, resulting in long turnaround times and approval rates that can fall below 30%.
JUDI.AI transforms this process by:
- Analyzing real-time bank transaction data
- Generating a dynamic view of cash flow
- Automatically categorizing transactions
- Applying AI-driven credit modeling
The platform eliminates the need for small businesses to provide financial statements or tax returns — often one of the most time-consuming and frustrating steps for entrepreneurs.
“With JUDI.AI, we dramatically improved consistency, reduced friction, and made the borrowing experience faster and more equitable,” said Brian Devereux, SVP/Chief Lending Officer at Unitus. “This is exactly the kind of innovation that strengthens our commitment to underserved entrepreneurs.”
Measurable Results
The impact has been significant:
- Lending decisions made in minutes
- Approval rates increased above 50%
- Loans funded within one to two days
- Reduced cost of delivery
- Maintained a relationship-first approach
Meeting Growing Demand
Demand for small business financing continues to rise. Eighty-three percent of small businesses plan to seek financing in 2026, yet 40% cite credit availability as a top concern.
While many large banks gravitate toward larger commercial deals, fintech lenders have captured market share by offering simplified applications and funding in under 48 hours — often at APRs exceeding 30%.
Unitus provides a community-centered alternative that combines speed, transparency, and fair pricing.
Expanding Impact Through Partnerships
Unitus further expanded its impact through a risk-sharing partnership with Business Oregon’s Capital Access Program. This collaboration enabled the credit union to fund six additional loans totaling $143,000 for businesses with limited financial history or collateral.
Looking Ahead
Unitus will continue accelerating its Small Business Lending program by:
- Expanding referral partnerships with community organizations and business networks
- Increasing branch training to better identify and support lending opportunities
- Launching pre-qualified credit offers for existing small business members
- Enhancing onboarding to help new entrepreneurs understand tools, services, and capital options early in their relationship
“These enhancements reflect our commitment to using intelligent automation, speed, and accessibility to transform small business lending,” said Steven Stapp, President/CEO. “We’re not just funding businesses; we’re fueling community prosperity.”