7(a) Loan Guaranty Program

The 7(a) Loan Guaranty Program is one of the SBA's primary lending programs. it provides loans to small businesses unable to secure financing on reasonable terms through normal lending channels. The program operates through private-sector lenders that provide loans that are, in turn, guaranteed by the SBA - the Agency has no funds for direct lending or grants.

Other Types of Loans

SBA CAPLines Loan Program

Short term loans and revolving lines of credit designed to support small business short-term and cyclical working capital needs. There are five types of CAPLine Programs including the Seasonal Line, Contract Line, Builders Line, Standard Asset-Based Line, and Small Asset-Based Line.

Visit SBA Loan FAQs to learn how an SBA Loan Program works and where to apply.

SBA grant programs generally support nonprofit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments in an effort to expand and enhance small business technical and financial assistance. The SBA does not offer grants to start of expand small businesses.

• SCORE Counselors to America's Small Business
  More than 10,000 volunteers provide training and one-on-one confidential counseling at no charge.
• Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)
  SBDC's provide training, counseling, research and other specialized assistance at nearly 1000 locations nationwide.
  The SBDC website also provides useful Counseling Services in all functional areas of business management, including such areas as preventure feasibility, the business plan, marketing, record-keeping, financial planning, production, preparation of financial documentation for loan packaging and general management.
• Women's Business Centers
  SBA's network of more than 60 Women's Business Centers (WBC) [national site | state site] provide a wide range of services to women entrepreneurs at all levels of business development.

The Business Start-Up Kit offers information on entrepreneurial characteristics, getting started, sources and components of financing, regulations, local SBA resources, definitions of business terms, freqently asked questions.

Learn the basics for starting a new business with Frequently Asked Questions

Explore, Decide, Build, Connect and Succeed in business by discovering and using online resources including a student activities guide, a volunteer guide, and an assessment tool.
Visit www.mindyourownbiz.org.

"The SBA offers financing, training, and advocacy for small firms with offices in every state, including the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. In addition, the SBA works with thousands of lending, educational and training institutions nationwide. If your business is independently owned and operated, not dominant within its field, and falls within size standards, the SBA can be a useful resource."