Over 1 thousand small-scale enterprises of different organization forms operate in the Republic of Mordovia nowadays. Over 85 thousand people are engaged in the small-scale entrepreneurship, which makes more about 30% of all working people engaged in the economy of the Republic. According to types of activities entrepreneurship covers almost all branches of economy, but most of small-scale enterprises (over 70% of the total number of small-scale enterprises) concentrate in three fields of economy: 14.4% - process industry, 19.2 - construction, 23.6% - wholesale and retail trade, 16.8% - agriculture. Small-scale entrepreneurship of the Republic provides over 60% of republican retail goods turnover, over 40% of wholesale goods turnover, over 50% of catering turnover and approximately a quarter of tax yield of republican budget.
During 1998-2008 four purpose Programs of development and state support of small-scale entrepreneurship were realized in the Republic of Mordovia, which on the whole provided basis for speeded up development of small-scale entrepreneurship in the recent years.
Important direction of state support of small-scale entrepreneurship in the Republic is attracting financial means from different sources for realization of high-performance entrepreneurship business-projects in priority directions of industrial sphere.

Infrastructure provision of small-scale business needs is of special significance. At present following facilities of infrastructure support of small-scale business continue its development and render necessary services to entrepreneurs: Chamber «Innovation and technology center of the Republic of Mordovia» Ltd, «Republican leasing company «Mordovia-Leasing» Ltd, Mordovian branch of autonomous non-commercial organization «Inter-regional centre of labour protection for small-scale and medium-sized enterprises», Republican centre of labour protection, State Company «Business-incubator of the Republic of Mordovia» etc. The Complex program of development and state support of small-scale entrepreneurship in the Republic of Mordovia in 2008-2010 is carried out for further activation of state support policy of small-scale business.
The Complex program has following main objectives: strengthening the role of small-scale entrepreneurship in the economy of the Republic, increase of its contribution in the sphere of goods manufacturing and rendering services of social importance, improving quality and competitiveness of commercial output, increase of small-scale business tax proceeds into budgets of different levels in conditions of development of inter-budget relations in the Republic of Mordovia, providing conditions for equalizing development potentials of small-scale entrepreneurship in municipal formations of the Republic of Mordovia.

The program plans to carry out measures, intended for qualitative and quantitative reforms within the branch, restructuring and reforming of small-scale enterprises, widening cooperation links between large-scale republican enterprises and small-scale business, realization of innovation and investment projects, efficient use and modernization of non-operating equipment, as well as vacant buildings and areas, production, final processing and sales of agricultural products, further development of civilized forms of trade and catering, service centers, etc.
Realization of actions of Complex program of development and state support of small-scale entrepreneurship in the Republic of Mordovia in 2008-2010, other actions of state support of small-scale entrepreneurship, further development of infrastructure support of small-scale business, and activity of entrepreneurs and their public organizations will allow achieving considerable positive results in the development of whole entrepreneurship branch of republican economy. It will also create new productions and additional workplaces, increase of growth rate of employment and self-employment of urban and rural population of the Republic, strengthening the role and importance of small-scale entrepreneurship in rural area economy, institutions of local governing, increase of budget inpayments of all levels.