"We look at historical data and do some averaging, " says John McDowell, spokesman for the Office of Advocacy.

FORBES: Whither Bush's Small-Biz Budget?

According to the SBA Office of Advocacy, the number of business loans dropped year over year from 27.2 million loans (in 2008) to 21.3 million loans (in 2011).

FORBES: Why Business Owners Should be Cheering for Alternative Lenders

Thursday on Capitol Hill, the Office of Advocacy for the for the U.S. Small Business Administration hosted a symposium for those groups to address their gripes with one another.

FORBES: Small Business Credit Crunch: A Supply or Demand Problem?