Despite the pinch of a national financial crisis, many business owners are seeking funding.

But efforts to secure that money is no pretty picture.

"It's been very difficult the last six to eight weeks," said Corby Lawrence, a Davidsonville resident who is the chief executive officer of SecurWireless, which creates wireless video-surveillance systems primarily for the homeland security market. "The financial crunch has had a real impact on our business."

A Millersville company that provides free aerial views of thousands of golf courses nationwide, GolfFlyover.com also is a growing company seeking funding from private...