There’s no doubt about it: securing a loan today is considerably more difficult than it was a couple of years ago. Still, it’s not an impossible task, as the Birmingham Business Journal finds.

One place to turn to is Uncle Sam, in the form of the Small Business Administration.

The Small Business Administration, which helps banks by backing loans given out to small businesses, is one of the many avenues small business owners can pursue when trying to obtain a loan.

Jones said many lenders in today’s harsh environment are smiling upon guarantees from the SBA: “If you were a lender, would you rather lend money with or without a guarantee – if they are going to lend you anything at all.”

The SBA’s Community Express Program is an especially good option for business owners with a good credit score, experts say. The program provides up to $50,000 without having to put up any collateral.

“Here’s an opportunity for a person in business to have access to $50,000 unsecured,” Dickerson said. “There is a small amount of paperwork involved.”

Find out more on how to get a small business loan — and the importance of utilizing your personal credit score in the process — here.