As a small business owner, you are likely familiar with the challenges — and necessity — of regularly raising cash. Some business owners may think this is only a consideration at the outset of creating a business before the project is really underway. But in practice, the need for additional cash infusions may arise at any time, particularly in fields where margins are tight.

There are many ways to raise cash, and no one way is superior. But the following types of loans are useful to understand as you work to keep your business fiscally sustainable and growing over time.

1. SBA Loans

For the uninitiated, SBA loans are a class of loans partially backed by the Small Business Administration, a federal agency. They can be procured through banks and other financial institutions. These loans are designed to support small businesses, and thus are essential for any small business owner to be familiar with.

SBA loans can be used to buy property, open a business, rebuild after a disaster, and more. Various subtypes of SBA loans include CDC/504 loans, 7(a) loans, lines of credit, and more. While they can sometimes be difficult to secure — requiring considerable documentation and paperwork — they can be enormously useful.

2. Asset-Based Loans

Asset-based loans can also be quite handy when you need cash. This type of loan is lent based on an asset you’ve put up for collateral. In order to raise enough funds, this should be something valuable, like a vehicle, equipment, inventory, or something else.

As a small business owner, these can be great if you need a substantial cash infusion. Just be sure you are able to repay the loan — or risk losing your collateral.

3. Lines of Credit

Finally, it’s important to be familiar with lines of credit. Like a business credit card, these loans offer rolling amounts of cash (up to a given limit) which then must be repaid, recharging the limit. Lines of credit are typically secured, and backed by collateral, or unsecured, and not backed by collateral. Secured lines of credit may have higher limits and better rates, but they do require collateral to get them. Regular use and payment of a credit line can also improve your business’ credit score.

These are only a few of the loans that every small business owner should understand. These loans can be extremely vital at all stages of the lifespan of your business.