MICHIGAN CITY – Horizon Bancorp, the parent of Horizon Bank, has announced it will increase the money it makes available for small business loans over the next two years.

Horizon has received $12.5 million as its share of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Troubled Asset Relief Program. Horizon had purchased preferred shares in the program that was created as part of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010.

Under the program, banks participating in it are required to submit a two-year business plan to the Treasury Department on how it will make small business loans more readily available.