The U.S. Small Business Administration singled out The Loan Fund as one of America’s Top 25 Microlenders in 2015, praising its high repayment rate and its knack for serving entrepreneurs banks overlook. For staff in Albuquerque, the award validated long nights spent tweaking tiny loan packages that made a huge difference to a farm-to-table baker in Taos or a daycare center in Sunland Park. The accolade also sparked new bank partnerships inside New Mexico, unlocking fresh lines of capital that would soon be recycled into neighborhood businesses.