The Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) encourages industrial and recreational projects by insuring mortgage loans, selling tax-exempt bonds to aid industrial development and natural-resource enterprises, authorizing municipalities to issue such revenue bonds, and guaranteeing loans to small businesses, veterans, and natural-resource enterprises. The Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), created in 1987, provides technical, financial, training, and marketing assistance for existing Maine businesses and companies interested in establishing operations in the state. The DECD offers programs in the areas of business development, tourism, and community development. In 2002, more than $500,000 were awarded to Maine's eight tourist regions, over 1,400 Maine companies received on-going assistance from a network of development specialists; and about 70 communities received federal assistance under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.