The US Small Business Administration (SBA) offers financing, training, and advocacy for small firms. The SBA has 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.

Below are various programs that the SBA makes available to qualified partners. Partnering institutions may use these programs to help provide you with a business loan.

7(a) Loan Guaranty Program
7(a) Loan Guaranty Program (www.sba.gov/financing/sbaloan/7a.html) 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.

CDC – 504 Loans
504 Certified Development Company (CDC) Program
(www.sba.gov/financing/sbaloan/cdc504.html) provides growing businesses with long-term, fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets, such as land and buildings. A Certified Development Company (CDC) is a nonprofit corporation set up to contribute to the economic development of its community or region. CDCs work with the SBA and private sector lenders to provide financing to small businesses. There are about 290 CDCs nationwide. Each CDC covers a specific area.

MicroLoan Program
The MicroLoan Program
(www.sba.gov/financing/sbaloan/microloans.html) was developed to increase the availability of very small loans to prospective small business borrowers. Under this program, the SBA makes funds available to nonprofit intermediaries, who in turn make loans to eligible borrowers in amounts that range from under $100 to a maximum of $25,000. The average loan size is $10,000. Completed applications can usually be processed by the intermediary (www.sba.gov/financing/microparticipants.html) in a particular geographic location.

Other Types of Loans

• The SBA LowDoc Loan Program
  (www.sba.gov/financing/lendinvest/lowdoc.html) is a streamlined approach for small business borrowing up to $150,000.
• The SBA CapLines Loan Program
  (www.sba.gov/financing/loanprog/caplines.html) are 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.
• The SBA Export Working Capital (EWCP) Program
  (www.sba.gov/financing/loanprog/ewcp.html) is a combined effort of the SBA and Export-Import Bank designed to provide short-term working capital to small business exporters.
• The SBA Defense Loan and Technical Assistance (DELTA) Program
  (www.sba.gov/financing/loanprog/military.html) is a joint effort of the SBA and Department of Defense designed to provide financial and technical assistance to defense-dependent small businesses adversely affected by defense reductions.