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Small Businesses Have Many Options When It Comes to Loans

By: Moisés Reyes on Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Most small businesses will need some financial help from time to time. For many of them, a small business loan can be the difference between staying afloat and complete failure. If you find that you are in need of a small business loan, it is crucial to understand available small business solutions, particularly the different kinds of business loans available to small businesses and how to get approved for them.

Getting Approval for Small Business Loans

When it comes to obtaining financing for their operations, small businesses are typically most concerned with getting approved for whatever kind of loan they apply for. Therefore, it is important to understand what lenders will be looking at during the approval process for each particular kind of loan, since each business loan provider has its own set of criteria for approval of each kind of loan. Before you apply for lending, it is extremely important to first contact the lender and study their approval criteria so that you can decide whether or not your business meets these criteria before you authorize the lender to begin reviewing your business.

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Major Types of Small Business Loans

The major types of small business loans available are:

Micro Loan: a small loan, typically $5,000-$35,000, for small businesses starting up or recently established. All require some type of collateral and that owners fulfill training and business planning requirements. They can normally be used for practically any business purpose, including working capital, inventory, and supplies.
SBA Loan: an excellent source of funding from private-sector lenders, such as banks, that is supported by the Small Business Administration (SBA) of the U.S. government. The SBA offers several kinds of loan guarantee programs, and with an SBA loan, there is no limit to the amount of capital a business can request. Approval for SBA loans relies on the owner holding some level of stake in the business, a strong business plan, and a good personal credit score.
Franchise Financing: a specialized loan reserved for franchisees of established, well-known franchises.
Development Financing: a small business loan that provides long-term, fixed-rate financing for various major fixed assets, such as land and buildings. Designed to contribute to the economic development of communities, Certified Development Companies (CDC) work with the SBA and private-sector lenders, such as banks, to provide this kind of financing.
Import Export Loans: Export financing of goods and services in the U.S. through different loan, insurance, and guarantee programs.

Moisés Reyes is soon to graduate from the University of Central Florida with a double degree in English Literature and Business Economics. An aspiring actor and writer, Moisés plans on pursuing careers in both fields after graduation. With a passion for language, he understands the unwavering power both the written and spoken word can hold, and his goal is to harness this power into a career, whether it be interpreting language as an actor or using language to inform and entertain as a writer. Likewise, his background in business administration and economics has helped to inform much of his work, as he recognizes the deep connection between communication and the success of a business or economy.