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The U.S. Small Business Administration, also known as the SBA, is an agency which functions to provide small business programs and provide their owners with support in a variety of ways. They strive to strengthen and maintain the United States economy by helping small businesses and their families to recover from various disasters, including economic hardship. They work to protect the investments, interest, and services provided by these companies. They make it their mission to assist, counsel, and aid small businesses in any way that they can, including the granting of a SBA loan, assisting in the location or purchase of a physical place of business, advice on how to file necessary paperwork, and a host of other areas.

The U.S. Small Business Administration was established as a part of the Small Business Act, which was created in 1953. It operates as an independent agency, working under authority of this Act alone. The responsibility for small businesses is delegated to the SBA by the secretary of commerce. In turn, the agency serves as a mediator between the government regulations and the operation of a small business, as well as a direct source of assistance for the businesses and their owners.

Officials working within the SBA, such as the deputy administrator and chief administrator, are appointed to their respective positions by the President. These appointments must also be approved by the Congress. The administrators in different program areas and field office directors are hired by the chief or deputy administrators, while associate administrators in various offices are hired by their local departments.

The U.S. Small Business Administration operates as a whole, but through numerous separate offices that provide different small business programs and assistance. These offices are divided according to their specific small business programs, and further divided by location. For example, there may be one large Legislative and Congressional Affairs office at the headquarters, but a host of smaller offices may be scattered about the country. Programs which are often headquartered at the main office include Management and Administration, Hearings and Appeals, Civil Rights Compliance, Equal Employment Opportunity Offices, Customer Service, Marketing, Public Communications, Field Operations, and Disaster Assistance. Associated offices, which handle more specific small business situations, are located in various cities, and may include Native American Affairs, Veterans Affairs, Technology, Women's Business Ownership, International Trade, Minority Enterprise Development, Surety Guarantees, and Small Business Development offices. Various field offices serve to administer programs, provide loans, and monitor services for the local economy. Finally, the Inspector General keeps a close watch on all of the activities of the offices, such as checking for integrity, proper loan processing, and regulates how the SBA programs are administered.

Since its beginning, the U.S. Small Business Administration has provided assistance to more than 20 million small businesses. SBA loan numbers are estimated at about 219,000 loans, which have an estimated worth of around $45 billion, have been guaranteed through the administration. The SBA is therefore one of the largest financing entities for small businesses in the nation. Common SBA-backed loans and related programs include the Loan Guarantee Program, the 504 Fixed Asset Financing Program, MicroLoan Program, Economic Development Program, and the 8(a)-Business Development Program. In addition, individual homeowners may apply for low-interest, long-term loans in some cases for the repair or rebuilding of their property.

If a nationally declared disaster occurs, some small businesses may be eligible for low-interest, long-term loans to recover their losses as well. These type of SBA loan is called Disaster Loans. The SBA will aid in determining eligibility, and loans are given with the stipulation that the designated repairs be completed within a certain amount of time. If the repairs are not completed due to reasons beyond the control of the business owner, or if additional money is needed for the same reason, the SBA may agree to back a larger amount.

Anyone who is considering the establishment of a new small business are encouraged to contact the SBA. There are numerous programs to help along the way!