Need Financing? 249 Franchises Ready to Help Think about starting up one of these franchises if financing is one of your biggest obstacles.

Ask just about anyone what the biggest obstacle to franchise ownership is nowadays and you'll get the same answer: financing. Unfortunately, the same economic conditions that have more people than ever dreaming about entrepreneurship also have banks and other financial sources clamping down on the funds they need to make those dreams come true.

But the situation is far from hopeless, as the following list shows. While the list is not intended to endorse or recommend any particular company, it represents the top 249 franchisors, as ranked in Entrepreneur's 2010 Franchise 500® , that help their franchisees obtain the financing they need to get their businesses off the ground and keep them going strong. Consider it a good starting point.