Securitization involves the repackaging of individual SBA Guaranteed loans made by financial institutions into pools of varying maturities for resale to intermediaries and final investors. Pool volume has been increasing at a rapid rate since the program's inception in 1985. National and regional investment companies, acting as intermediaries, are the major pool buyers. Investors in pools include banks, savings & loans associations, and pension funds. Securitization has resulted in a major secondary market for institutions that make SBA Guaranteed loans. Public policy goals are served by the increase in SBA lending activity that appears related to the securitization process.