On April 30 through May 6, the nation will celebrate National Small Business Week. This celebration, established by a proclamation by the President of the United States in 1963, recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.

While we often think of large corporations or manufacturing facilities as the job creators in our communities, it is really and truly the small businesses that are the economic engine of America. But what defines a small business? A small business is an independent business with fewer than 500 employees.

The impact of small businesses is anything but small. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business and create two out of three new jobs in the U.S. every year. In Georgia, which has been ranked the best state for business four years running, more than 99 percent of businesses are categorized as small.

In spite of our state’s accolades and welcoming environment for small businesses, entrepreneurs still find it difficult to obtain the financial resources they need to grow their businesses. Since the recession, small business loans from banks have declined by 20 percent, while loans to medium and large businesses have increased by 4 percent.

And that’s where the Small Business Assistance Corporation comes in. SBAC is a 501(c) nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution, a specialized financial institution that works in markets underserved by traditional financial institutions. We manage 13 different loan programs sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the State of Georgia, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the City of Savannah. In short, our mission is to provide business financing to communities in southeast Georgia and South Carolina’s Lowcountry.

By way of the Small Business Administration’s Financing Programs, we are able to offer support to small businesses seeking capital that might not otherwise qualify. These include the 7(a) Loan Program, which may be used to start a new business or assist in the operation or acquisition of an existing business. Our CDC Loan Program assists small businesses in financing the purchase of commercial real estate or equipment. And for low-income or minority business owners, as well as those with no credit history, our Microloan Program makes direct, guaranteed loans to intermediaries who then make smaller loans to businesses.

These are just a few of the ways the SBAC can help small businesses tap into available resources. Such resources are critical to gaining access to credit and capital, creating new jobs, and contributing to the nation’s gross domestic product. The success of small businesses means economic development for our entire country.