I always get confused - are loans to fire companies and townships considered small business loans? Where can i find some guidance that addresses these types of loans?

Loans to municipalities do not fall into the call report categories for small business loans. A loan to a fire company could be a loan to a municipality if it is run by the local government, or a non-profit if it is volunteer and organized that way. If non-profit, it would be reportable if secured by real estate. If not real estate secured, a loan to a non-profit is not reportable. Again, that is because of call report categories.

I would like to add a little twist to this for information. If a volunteer fire department (non-profit) in a very small community that is in a distressed area purchased a fire truck to help meet public safety needs of the community, could this loan be counted as a community development loan? The loan is not secured by real estate, so it would not be counted as a small business loan.

That would most likely qualify, particularly since it is a distressed area.

I agree. Thanks so much.

I threw out the following CDL loans in a middle/distressed area:

Loan for a tornado siren
Loan for 911 address signs
and also for the renovation of a public pool

The first two would be for public safety too. Is these items you would have counted?