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As the economy struggles to rebound, unemployment rates remain high and millions of Americans are still looking for work. As a result, many have considered following their entrepreneurial dreams and "creating" their own job rather than relying on corporate America to see them through. While hard times have kept demand for purchasing small businesses strong and a wide selection of options are on the market, most business buyers are facing one major challenge: accessing the capital required to buy one.

It's rare that a buyer has enough cash to buy a business outright, so traditionally they have relied on a variety of sources to finance the purchase. This is even more relevant today, when times are tough and cash is tight. Unfortunately, the primary source of capital for small business buyers - commercial and bank loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) 7(a) loan program – has dried up significantly during the past year. According to numbers released for the SBA's 2009 fiscal year, the 7(a) program made 36% fewer loans than it did in 2008.

These numbers might seem to paint a grim picture for aspiring buyers, but fortunately there are other ways to secure financing. If you're in the market but faced with a lack of capital and no clear idea of where to start, consider the following financing options:

Peer-to-peer lending networks

These networks remove the involvement of traditional lending institutions, instead allowing lending transactions to take place directly between individuals. If you want to use this route for a loan, you can do so via online companies such as Prosper.com and LendingClub.com. On these sites, loan seekers request a specific amount (typically up to $25,000) at a specific interest rate, and lenders fund all or portions of the loan. Lenders are paid back with interest over a set period of time. Buyers' success when using these networks depends largely on their credit ratings.