The current administration's "recovery" act includes funds for the SBA and here is what their site says:

The bill provides $730 million to SBA and makes changes to the agency?s lending and investment programs so that they can reach more small businesses that need help. The funding includes:

* $375 million for temporarily eliminating fees on SBA-backed loans and raising SBA's guarantee percentage on some loans to 90 percent. The elimination of fees, announced on March 16, will remain in effect until the end of the calendar year or until the funding is exhausted. The elimination of fees is retroactive to the day the Recovery Act was signed into law.
* $255 million for a new loan program to help small businesses meet existing debt payments
* $30 million for expanding SBA?s Microloan program, enough to finance up to $50 million in new lending and $24 million in technical assistance grants to microlenders
* $20 million for technology systems to streamline SBA?s lending and oversight processes
* $15 million for expanding SBA?s Surety Bond Guarantee program
* $25 million for staffing up to meet demands for new programs
* $10 million for the Office of Inspector General

If you call the SBA (local, regional, national) offices, you will be hard pressed to find anyone who can provide concrete information beyond , they are working out the details now.

Best wishes,
Aurora
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