Small Business Administration

The enacted budget sets funding for the Small Business Administration (SBA) at $546.6 million for FY09, excluding funds for the disaster loan program. Most of SBA's capital programs and its contracting and counseling programs have had their appropriations boosted above FY08 levels.

The budget act grants SBA the authority to back $17.5 billion in 7(a) loans and $7.5 billion in 504 loans to provide long-term capital for small businesses. SBA's Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program, received authority to back $3 billion in investments in private equity funds. The Surety Bond Guarantee Fund, which guarantees bond for small contractors, received $2 million in funding to leverage $1 billion in surety bonds. SBA's Microloan program was allocated $2.5 million to leverage more than $21 million in microloans to help provide entrepreneurs with access to small loans.

Other TBED-related SBA programs include:

• Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) - $110 million, including $1 million for Veterans Assistance and $1 million for energy efficiency programs;
• Women's Business Centers - $13.8 million to assist women-owned firms;
• Microloan Technical Assistance - $20 million to provide business based training and technical assistance to its microborrowers;
• SCORE - $5 million to provide one-on-one counseling to small business owners;
• Program for Investment in Micro-Entrepreneurs (PRIME) - $5 million to provide training and assistance to low-income entrepreurs;
• Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) - $2.5 million to create incentives for contracting with small firms;
• 7(j) Technical Assistance - $2.4 million to provide disadvantaged businesses with training;
• Veteran's Programs - $1.2 million, including $457,000 to create three new veteran's business outreach centers; and,
• National Women's Business Council - $775,000 to promote initiatives, policies and programs designed to support women's business enterprises.