The USDA B&I loan guaranty program, historically underfunded and a difficult program to actually close loans through, is gaining renewed popularity under President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (“Recovery Act”). With Recovery Act funding, the USDA can guarantee up to 90% of a loan – 80% is normally the maximum guarantee. The one-time guarantee fee – normally 2% – is reduced to 1% and the annual renewal fee also is waived for loans made with Recovery Act funding. Most important, the program has guaranty capacity. Here’s a quick overview of the SBA program