Focus

Although they may be difficult to find, there are faint signs the economy is beginning to rebound. One such sign is lending by the Small Business Administration (SBA).

According to SBA, the agency provided 37 percent more loans during the fourth quarter of 2009 than it did during the same period in 2008. During the fourth quarter of 2009, SBA processed 12,393 loans totaling $3.8 billion. During the fourth quarter of 2008, the agency processed 9,070 loans totaling $1.9 billion.

However, during the fourth quarter of 2007, SBA processed more than 20,000 loans. So though the news of increased lending is positive, it has yet to reach the levels seen before the recession.

SBA Spokesman Jonathan Swain told CNNMoney.com: "While there are some indicators that the economy is moving in the right direction, no one would say we are out of the woods yet."

Evidence of Swain's statement is found in the manner in which banks are lending money to businesses. Although large companies have been able to secure financing at a rate akin to pre-recession levels, small businesses still are struggling to find lenders willing to underwrite loans. The primary reason is the values of traditional assets used as collateral, such as real estate, have fallen.

The Department of the Treasury reports banks have decreased their small-business lending programs 4.3 percent, which translates to about $11 billion of credit.

However, SBA officials remain confident federal stimulus measures will continue to bolster the economy and small businesses.

According to CNNMoney.com, SBA plans to seek more federal money to continue its lending practices but will have to wait until Congress returns from its winter recess to determine how much money it will have available to lenders.

"The big takeaway that we have when we look at this is that we were successful in turning around SBA lending," Swain told CNNMoney.com.

Ambika Puniani Bailey is editor of Professional Roofing and NRCA's senior director of communications.