Jimmie,
I have a question. I am retired, but I am advising a couple of friends on the island who are small business owners. I saw that provision where the "rules" for a SBA loan said that one could get an immediate $10,000 (an "advance" I believe they called it) before the entire loan came thru. I presumed this $10,000 was to assist the business owner to stay afloat until the rest of the loan amount became available. The rules did seem to say that this $10,000 did not have to be paid back (like free money). That struck me as strange indeed since the remainder (up to $10MM) would be a loan and be paid back; so why give the $10,000 away.
My surmise was that the "rules" were poorly worded. I'm going to guess that what they meant was the the business owner would not have to return the $10,000 advance in cash immediately, but that the $10,000 amount would be included in the loan balance and would get paid back over time just like the rest of the loan.
Do you know for sure which way it is. Is the $10,000 truly "free" money never to be thought of again; or is it just that the $10,000 "advance" would not have to be immediately returned?