Robert Jay Dilger
Senior Specialist in American National Government
Sean Lowry
Analyst in Public Finance
The Small Business Administration (SBA) administers several types of programs to support small businesses, including loan guaranty and venture capital programs to enhance small business access to capital; contracting programs to increase small business opportunities in federal contracting; direct loan programs for businesses, homeowners, and renters to assist their recovery from natural disasters; and small business management and technical assistance training programs to assist business formation and expansion.
Congressional interest in the SBA’s loan, venture capital, training, and contracting programs has increased in recent years, primarily because small businesses are viewed as a means to stimulate economic activity, create jobs, and assist in the national economic recovery. Many Members of Congress also regularly receive constituent inquiries about the SBA’s programs.
This report provides an overview of the SBA’s business loan guaranty programs (including the 7(a) loan guaranty program, the 504/Certified Development Company program, International Trade and Export Promotion Loan programs, and the Microloan program); venture capital programs (including the Small Business Investment Company program and the New Markets Venture Capital program); entrepreneurial development programs (including Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, and SCORE, among others); government contracting and business development programs (including the 8(a) Minority Small Business and Capital Ownership Development Program, the Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones) program, the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program, and the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program); and capital access programs (including the surety bond guarantee program).
Programmatic changes resulting from enactment of P.L. 111-5, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, P.L. 111-240, the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, and P.L. 112-239, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, are discussed. This report also provides an overview of the SBA’s budget and references other CRS reports that examine these programs in greater detail.
Date of Report: November 13, 2013
Number of Pages: 34
Order Number: RL33243
Price: $29.95
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