Experience of small businesses in Russia are just beginning their path to development. difficulties arise with the involvement of small businesses in the implementation of government development programmes. Small business in modern conditions to secure a visible prospect of development without the implementation of state support programmes. Ways and methods of regulation of development of the market economy are diverse. The total mass of the huge role is played by the program-target methods of regulation. The article describes the basic principles on the use of program-target approach to the development of a specific sector of the economy, as small businesses, designed to play an important role in getting the national economy out of crisis. The material in this publication is built from the need to maintain the connection between the theory of government regulation, practice of formation of development programs at the regional level and the needs of small businesses. Essential for the formation of entrepreneurship development programmes is to preserve the flexibility of small businesses in making management decisions related to the selection and change of activities. © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2017.