The phrase "small business loan applications" refers to requests for loans that are made by small businesses. A small business is typically defined as a company with fewer than 100 employees and may have annual revenues of less than $5 million. Small business owners often need capital to start, expand or maintain their operations, and one common way they can obtain this funding is through a loan from a bank or other financial institution. A small business loan application typically includes information about the company's finances, its plans for using the loan proceeds, and its creditworthiness. The approval of such an application depends on factors like the borrower's ability to repay the loan, the collateral offered by the business, and the institution's assessment of the business's future prospects.