The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced its third highest year ever of SBA lending, with $29.6 billion going to small businesses through its 7(a) and 504 main loan programs in fiscal year 2013.

The total 7(a) loan dollar amount was $17.9 billion (46,406 loans); the total 504 loan dollar amount was $11.7 billion (7,700 loans).

The overall numbers for fiscal year 2013 were bettered only by SBA 7(a) and 504 loans of $30.25 billion (53,848 loans) and $30.5 billion (61,689 loans) in fiscal years 2011 and 2012, respectively.

Locally, SBA lending was also healthy in fiscal year 2013, with the Kansas City District approving 890 loans for a supported amount of $423,719,650.

“Under President Obama, SBA lending has reached record levels and we continue to get more capital into the hands of small business owners than ever before,” Acting SBA Administrator Jeanne Hulit said in a release. “Small businesses are the engine of our economy, and reaching our third highest year of SBA lending in FY 2013 demonstrates the strength and resiliency of America’s 28 million small businesses as they continue to recover from the Great Recession and drive our economy forward.”

The streamlining of the SBA’s Small Loan Advantage program, devoted to loans under $350,000, also helped to achieve positive results in fiscal year 2013. In addition to cutting paperwork, the SLA program supported close to 5,000 loans for almost $745 million – that’s a more than 300 percent increase in SLA loans and a more than 700 percent increase in the number of lenders.

Streamlining of the loan process also proved successful for the SBA’s Caplines program, which assists small businesses to acquire short-term capital. In fiscal year 2013, Caplines approved 682 loans for than $500 million. And in the last two fiscal years since Caplines was revamped, the program has approved 1,200 loans – compared to just 1,300 loans in the previous 15 years.