Entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes, from the small shop owner on the corner to the multi-million dollar super player. Finally, an organization called the Association for Enterprise Opportunity is watching out for the small shop owner and a lot more people with good ideas who are having trouble finding capital.

A trade association, AEO is a clearinghouse for more than 400 organizations who make "microloans," or loans valued less than $25,000. The average loan is about $12,000.

AEO requires its recipients to educate themselves on business practices in order to qualify for loans. While there are funding alternatives for the small business owner like the U.S. Small Business Administration, organizations like AEO have begun to form as alternatives to traditional sources.