After an application for financial assistance has been received, certain information in the department's possession may be required to be made available for public inspection by applicable law. Certain other information shall be designated by the committee as confidential for protection of privacy interests and shall not be available to the public for inspection.

Criteria for determining what information shall be designated confidential as well as illustrative examples, are set out in the loan fund guidelines which are available upon request.

An applicant may request that specific information be kept confidential for protection of privacy interests. An applicant making such a request must provide the department with sufficient information to enable the department to independently determine the likelihood of invasion of privacy interests of a business or competitive detriment sufficient to justify confidentiality.