Specifications include, but are not limited to: 1. Assessing the specific capital needs of small business in Rhode Island, including specific gaps in or obstacles to such capital by small businesses generally, subsets of small businesses or specific sectors of small businesses; 2. Identifying best practices for SSBCI programs in other states; 3. Designing and developing programs to increase liquidity in capital markets for small and minority-owned businesses. Such programs could include (i) funding loan loss reserves, (ii) creating state-sponsored venture capital funds (including possible targeted funds such as for tech transfer, bioscience or blue economy), (iii) creating state-sponsored direct loan programs (including governance thereof), (iv) establishing third party loan programs, (v) enhancing and leveraging existing SBA programs;
