Snow & Nealley President David Nealley recently expressed his frustration about the dearth of state help for Maine’s small businesses. It is understandably difficult for small-business owners to find the time to check out the various programs that might help them, but, in fact, many do exist.

The following is a partial list of those programs. Business owners with specific questions might try calling Maine’s Office of Business Development at 287-2656.

The Governor’s Training Initiative offers financial help to create and keep jobs. Support is available for specialized recruitment, high-performance skills, technical training, workplace safety and other services.

Employment Tax Increment Financing provides firms that add 15 or more qualified employees over two years with a reimbursement of either 30 percent or 50 percent of state income tax withholdings, for a period of up to 10 years.

Community Development Block Grants can offer funding for job creation for low- and moderate-income people. Its Business Assistance Program offers funding for capital equipment, commercial or industrial buildings or property improvements. Its Development Fund Loan Program offers up to $100,000 for business projects, up to 40 percent of project costs.

The Maine Products Marketing Program offers assistance to companies producing consumer goods and gets the word out about their products.

Finance Authority of Maine loan guarantees provide low-interest loans to small businesses. Fame’s direct loans through its Economic Recovery Loan Program and the Regional Economic Development Revolving Loan Program are targeted at companies that have exhausted other sources of financing.

FAME Commercial Loan Insurance Program insures commercial loans for businesses with at least 50 employees and $5 million in annual sales.

FAME Small Business and Veterans’ Small Business Loan Insurance insures up to 90 percent of a loan to $1 million. For qualifying veterans, the insurance can go to 100 percent of a loan as large as $1.25 million.

FAME Bond Programs allow small manufacturers to finance expansions through tax-exempt bonds, which mean lower interest rates for borrowers. The Finance Authority issued or approved $48 million in tax-exempt bonds last year.

Major Business Expansion Program uses Maine’s high credit rating to provide reduced rates to creditworthy businesses. The program is used for healthy businesses looking to grow and to attract out-of-state businesses.

Economic Recovery Loan Program is directed toward small businesses that otherwise cannot get help getting a promising company back on its feet.

Occupational Safety Loan Program is administered by the Department of Labor and provides low-cost loans for small businesses to purchase, improve or install equipment that reduces workplace hazards. Loans of up to $50,000 are available for a 3 percent annual interest rate.

Adaptive Equipment Loan Program is a revolving fund that makes low-interest, long-term loans available to businesses to buy technological aids for people with disabilities.

Maine Investment Program helps to provide lenders with capital, via FAME-insured loans, to, in turn, loan to small bsuinesses. Since its beginning in July 1996, 28 small businesses have used the program, borrowing $3.9 million.

Potato Marketing Improvement Plan provides direct loans to growers and packers for the contruction and retrofitting of modern potato storage.

Venture Capital Access Programs provide tax breaks and other incentives to encourage investment in Maine businesses. Through FAME, the Maine Seed Capital Tax Credit Program allows new small business to offer up to $180,000 in tax credits to prospective investors.

Energy Conservation Audits and Loan Programs offer free consultation for ways to save energy and provide up to $25,000 at 5 percent interest for a qualified businesses to pay for energy-conservation measures.

Gov. Angus King has made helping small businesses something of a mission during his time in office, and many of the programs listed above are the result of his administration’s work. And there are many more than these. Last year, FAME helped Maine 500 businesses with more than $100 million in direct loans, loan guarantees and tax credits. The state can’t save every business — it can’t, for instance, hand out bushels of money — but it does offer extended support for small companies in trouble or those looking to expand.

For business owners who can get away for a day, the Governor’s Regional Conferences on Small Business — nine conferences around the state starting next month — provide even more information about ways for business owners to increase their likelihood of success. There’s even a session on ways the state can help out.