Financing Your Business

The following sources will help you locate sources of small business financing from the federal government.

Small Business Grants and Loans

• Small Business Guide to Government Grants and Loans
  Find out how to get government loans, grants and venture capital for your small business.
• SBA Loans and Financial Assistance
  Information about loans and other forms of financial assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

For Veterans

• Patriot Express Loan Initiative
  The SBA's Patriot Express program provides loans for veterans and members of the military community wanting to establish or expand small businesses.
• Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program
  Provides funds to eligible small businesses to meet its ordinary and necessary operating expenses that it could have met, but is unable to meet, because an essential employee was "called-up" to active duty in their role as a military reservist.

For Import/Export

• International Trade Loans
  An SBA loan program that encourages international trade for business that establish the loan will significantly expand or develop an export market, or that the business has been adversely affected by import competition.
• Export Working Capital Program
  This SBA program supports export financing to small businesses when financing is not available on reasonable terms. The program encourages lenders to offer export working capital loans by guaranteeing repayment of up to $1.5 million or 90 percent of a loan amount, whichever is less. A loan can support a single transaction or multiple sales on a revolving basis.

For Energy Efficiency Projects

• Energy Efficiency Loans and Financial Incentives
  Find money to pay for energy efficient upgrades to your facilities and financial incentives that can save you money such as tax credits, tax deductions, sales tax exemptions, property tax exemptions and rebates.
• State and Local Loan Programs
  Find a listing of state, local and regional programs that help small businesses become energy efficient.
• Innovation Grants for Green Technology Development
  Financial assistance for small businesses that develop green technologies.

For Specific Business Types

• Smartway Transport Partnership
  EPA partners with several lenders to make loans available to small trucking companies to help pay for technologies that will save fuel and money while reducing pollution
  
• Tennessee Valley Authority Loans and Financial Assistance
  TVA Economic Development offers a number of financing services and options to help new and existing companies with the financial resources they need to locate or expand in the Tennessee Valley.
  
• USDA Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program
  The Business and Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program helps create jobs and stimulates rural economies by providing financial backing for rural businesses.

Venture Capital Financing

• Active Capital
  A nationwide listing service that connects entrepreneurs with angel investors. Potential investors can obtain information on start-ups and expanding small businesses seeking $250,000 to $5,000,000 in venture capital. Active Capital's main benefit is that it allows entrepreneurs to directly access a nationwide network of investors while complying with federal and state securities regulations.
• Small Business Investment Corporations (SBICs)
  One of largest sources of investment funds, this SBA program provides help for businesses seeking capital by connecting business owners with authorized private partners. All SBICs are approved and licensed by SBA.
• New Markets Venture Capital (NMVC)
  Modeled after the SBIC program, the NMVC program makes equity investments in small businesses located in economically distressed communities in urban and rural areas.