Traditional bank lending has been fairly dry since the recession hit in 2008, and it’s not difficult to see why. Large institutions such as Bank of America and Chase have reported millions of dollars in small business loans, but critics hold that these credit packages have been reserved for the highly profitable ventures. The market’s just too risky – at least, for massive financial conglomerates.

So what’s a credit-hungry small business owner to do? Where can one find a loan package or investment that fits their small-time needs? First of all, don’t fret, because the days of relying entirely on big banks for financing are waning. Today’s marketplace offers a wide array of alternative lending resources for all kinds of startups and small ventures.

While the recession brought about a wave of new financing options to fill in the gap left by large banks, online platforms and social media may help drive this trend even further, making 2012 the year of alternative financing. Here are just a few of those opportunities:

1.) Small business cash advance - If an enterprise accepts credit card payments, alternative lenders can use their projected receipts to offer small business cash advances. To qualify, borrowers typically must receive a minimum of $4,000 in monthly credit card payments, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.

“After money is fronted to the business, that money is then repaid through automatic deductions from the business’s future credit card sales,” the NFIB explains. “Unlike personal cash advances, credit is not a major factor in being approved for a business cash advance. And since the money is automatically deducted from future purchases, monthly payments are lower when your sales are lower.”

2.) Peer-to-peer lending – The web has proved a vital resource for fledgling enterprises to find investors, donors and other financiers. Social networks such as Kickstarter.com, Prosper.com and LendingClub.com allow entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas to donors personally. Proposed legislation may broaden online P2P lending to include larger investments, but for now borrowers have to rely on small loans and donations to get by.

3.) Invoice factoring- This financing option addresses the frustration of a gap between sending invoices and receiving payment. Small business owners sell their invoices to third-party factoring firms at a discount rate – usually between 1 percent and 6 percent of the invoice’s total.

“The factoring firm typically has deep enough pockets to wait for the invoices to be paid, whereas the small business benefits from receiving instant access to capital,” the NFIB points out.

4.) Vendor financing – Put simply, vendor financing is like establishing a line of credit with a supplier instead of a bank. For firms that rely on a host of vendors for operational or equipment needs, it may help to establish a financing agreement with the supplier, wherein the vendor lends the small business funds to purchase its own products. Such a scenario is especially helpful when banks aren’t lending.