By Dianne Anderson

Aside from an all-out fake out, it's becoming drastically hard to put a happy face on the bad state of small business.

Ugly vacant storefronts dot the landscape from one side of the state to the other, fueled by a bad economy that makes it tough to find any good in the mix.

Still, the Small Business Administration said there are some positive moves for those who can  ride out the storm.

In all, the SBA received approximately $1 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to try to get lenders to loosen up credit for small businesses. Some of that money has made a significant impact. In the six months ending July 16, the agency reports that loan dollar volumes increased over 90 percent in 7(a) and 504 programs.

According to the SBA, through the funding about 1,380 lenders who hadn't extended loans within the past year were able to extend a 7(a) loan, a program to assist fledgling and existing small businesses get funding.

And loosening up that kind of lending is going to be key in jump-starting the jobs market again.

Rachel Baranick, acting Deputy District Director for the SBA, Santa Ana District Office, said that there are currently 30 million small businesses in the United States, and small businesses employ more than half of the private workforce.

“They generate more than half of the nation's Gross Domestic Product, and they accounted for 64% of the 22 and half million new jobs in the U.S.,” she said.

When Recovery Act provisions were intact, SBA could rise to 90 percent loan guarantee, the fees were reduced and the lending spiked.

Now, those provisions are gone, Congress is headed back for a vote, hoping to reconcile a bill to loosen up lending and spur more Recovery dollars. Everyone is waiting and wanting a new appropriation, she said.

Those dollars would then be available to community lenders through the Small Business Lending fund.

“Higher loan amounts available through SBA loans, and longer term funding. There's several provisions that they're hoping will get passed, but it's a wait and see game,” she said.

Small Business Administration-backed loans have been hit hard by millions of foreclosures and bankruptcies that gripped credit tighter, forcing lenders to hold back loans. Depending on the loan amount, she said that the SBA continues lending, and trying to mitigate risk to the lender with a guarantee of 75 to 80 percent.

Last year's Stimulus funding for SBA hit close to $1 billion, which has been used up through lending provisions, including the loan guarantee and fee waivers. Through that program, higher guarantees mitigated losses for lenders, and fee reductions, the borrowers didn't have to pay as much for their loans.

Currently, SBA has regular workshops and mentoring through Orange County Score, the Business Development Center, and Women's Business Center. There is one-on-one counseling offered free of charge.

Next month, the SBA will host a Veterans Conference for those interested in startups.

Also, Baranick said the agency has streamlined its approach for socially and economy disadvantaged applicants.

“Our 8(a) firms have done well so far this year, government contracting is probably a niche that sometimes businesses don't think of. The government buys everything from pens and pencils to paper to tanks and airplanes,” she said.

In Ontario on October 14, a day-long third annual faith-based summit will be held in conjunction with Ampac Tri-State Certified Development Corporation and Women's Business Center in San Bernardino with outreach and support to Inland Empire pastors.

The event is expected to further reach the African American community. In the past two years, the event has drawn several hundred people, and this year, there will also be an SBA loan fair on site.

“It's been very successful, and now we're hoping it will be more successful because we're adding the loan fair component. We'll have lenders out there,” she said.

For those businesses that are struggling and like free advice, she said the agency has a lot of resources.

In Orange County, she said that the agency holds regular $10-15 workshops on marketing strategies through SBDC, free SCORE counselors and the Women’s Business Center. They offer a lot of information.

“One-on-one counseling, they have training sessions, they put on various conferences. There's networking opportunity. A lot of it is either low cost or no charge,” she said. “There are resources to help you.”

For more information, call (714) 550-7420.