SCORE (Counselors to America's Small Business) continues the spring 2011 edition of its six-part free seminar series Tuesday, March 1, with "How To Get A Business Loan."

The seminar starts at 6 p.m. in Room 103 of Van Dusen Hall at Sandhills Community College. Registration is required and can be done by calling (910) 695-3938 or sending an e-mail to neelym@sandhills.edu.

Participants can also register at 5:30 p.m. on the day of the seminar.

The seminar series is jointly sponsored by the Sandhills chapter of SCORE and the Small Business Center of Sandhills Community College.

In this seminar, two speakers will present everything business owners need to know about obtaining a business loan.

Ray Manuel, from the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development in Fayetteville, will review the four Small Business Association-sponsored Community Express Loan programs. These programs have properties that are uniquely suited to small businesses. Every small business startup needs to be aware of these programs.

Patrick Mackie, business banker for First Citizens Bank, will discuss the loan process, including risk evaluation, credit scores, decision-making, collateral and many other aspects.

Manuel and Mackie will also answer questions from seminar attendees.

"In these challenging economic times, no small business will want to miss interacting with the financial people who have the view from the inside on what it takes to obtain a business loan," SCORE said in a news release. "This seminar is designed to replace the small business person's concern and fear with the confidence that he or she has it all together."

SCORE is a nationwide nonprofit association of experienced business people who provide free, confidential counseling to small business owners. The Sandhills Chapter is active in counseling, mentoring and presenting free business seminars.

Anyone wishing to speak to a SCORE counselor must register as a client at www.edmisscore.org/0364, and a counselors will contact you.

In addition to counseling by appointment, the Sandhills chapter of SCORE has drop-in service, for those who have registered, from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Fridays at the Moore County Chamber of Commerce building on U.S. 15-501 in Southern Pines. The phone number is (910) 692-3926.

More information on SCORE's counseling activity and a complete description of each seminar can be found at the Sandhills SCORE website, www.sandhillsscore.org.