Banks are the principal source of outside capital for small businesses, but there have always been alternative forms of loan capital available, including credit unions, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), merchant cash advances, equipment leasing and factoring products. Historically, this segment of the market has been small compared to the $700 billion in small business bank credit assets. But since the onset of the financial crisis, and particularly during the economic recovery, there has been significant growth in innovative, online alternative funding for small businesses.