Mary Patrick and her husband, Joe, of Midlothian recently took out a $40,000 line of credit to finance their Cuppy's of Richmond mobile café concession business.

Just attend a Richmond Kickers game, a NASCAR race, the Richmond Folk Festival or other event and you may see their 7-by-10-foot green-and-clear glass Cuppy's concession trailer.

They will be inside serving lattes, smoothies, coffee, hot chocolate, mochas and other popular specialty drinks.

The Patricks needed the credit line because their franchised Cuppy's location in Midlothian was losing money to bigger competitors. So they shuttered it and bought one, then another mobile unit and started driving to where the people are.

It was a good move, Mary Patrick said. "We have turned all of our focus to vending and concession. That is the lucrative side" of the business.

The Patricks were able, despite today's tight lending environment, to get their credit line from Peoples Bank of Virginia through the U.S. Small Business Administration's new Patriot Express program.

Maybe you can qualify for a loan or credit line, too. Apply if you're a member or veteran of the military, the Reserves, National Guard or a spouse or widow of any of these. Joe Patrick was in ROTC in college and served 10 years in the Army Reserve.

Here are program details:

The banks are lending. There are 43 approved Patriot Express lenders in the Richmond district. This includes all of Virginia except Fairfax and Loudoun counties, and the cities of Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax, SBA spokeswoman Peggy FaJohn said.

Since the program's inception last June, banks have granted 83 loans totaling $11.75 million in the district, she said.

Banks like the program because the government guarantees up to 85 percent of the loan if it goes south, she said.

Loan interest rates float with the prime rate. The maximum is 2.25 percent to 4.75 percent over prime, depending on the size and maturity of the loan. But banks are competitive with one another so their rates vary. Shop around for the best deal. You may even find one willing to charge less than 2.25 percent. The Patricks pay prime plus 2.

Use the loan for a variety of purposes. The Patricks use their line for working capital. The money also can be used for startup, expansion, equipment purchases, inventory or business-occupied real estate.

Apply for up to $500,000. The SBA guarantees 85 percent of loans up to $150,000 and 75 percent of loans from $150,000 to $500,000. For loans of more than $350,000, lenders are required to take all available collateral, possibly including the deed on your house.

The wait to get loan proceeds is not long. The Patricks waited about three weeks for their line to clear and said they filled out little paperwork. The SBA gives lenders an answer on the loan within 36 hours. Banks run the credit checks and give approval based on their lending criteria.

Take advantage of free business help. If you are thinking of starting or expanding a business, get guidance and counseling first. In the Richmond area, call the Small Business Development Center, (804) 783-9314; SCORE, (804) 771-2400, ext. 131; and, for women, New Visions New Venture, (804) 643-1081. Get free one-on-one counseling or pay a nominal fee for a workshop.

A veterans business development officer is on the premises at the SBA in Richmond, too.

Call the SBA to get started. Call (804) 771-2400, ext. 128. Read more about the program and eligibility requirements at www.sba.gov/patriotexpress.

Find the list of lenders. Go to www.sba.gov/va. Click on Patriot Express Lenders.

You will pay a loan fee. It will range from 1.7 percent to 2.25 percent of the loan amount. The fee can come out of loan proceeds if a portion of the loan is marked for working capital.

The Patriot Express program may not last forever. It will operate through Dec. 31, 2010, unless the SBA decides to continue it.