Finding Alternatives to Small Business Loans
November 27th, 2009 | 
Author: In the midst of the global economic crisis, many small businesses are on the brink of closing down if not enough capital infusion is found. It is now even more difficult to get small business loans from banks, though. Ironically, the exact reasons why small businesses need such small business loans – the fact that business has slowed down and profitability has plummeted – are the same reasons why banks turn them down for loans.
Small businesses now have to be more resourceful in finding alternatives to small business loans.
Government Grants and Contracts Instead of Small Business Loans
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed by President Obama in February 2009 caused the pumping of billions of dollars for the revitalization of the economy. Because of it, there are plenty of government grants and contracts available to small businesses. These can be alternatives to small business loans.
But how can small businesses avail of the stimulus program?
The Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (APTAC) has the responsibility for helping small businesses obtain and perform federal, state and local government contracts. It has Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) throughout the country, ready to help small business owners to get registered and find opportunities in the area of government grants and contracts. Counselors assist small businesses in filling out bids, proposals and quotations.
The PTAC holds seminars teaching small business owners all the ins and outs of government legalese, including acronyms and registries. A one-day seminar with PTAC covers what small business owners may take months to learn on their own.
The PTAC then helps small businesses with Central Contractor Registration (CCR), a requirement for doing business with the federal government. This registration can be so complicated that some companies take two days to do it when the PTAC counselor can help them get through it in 15 minutes.
Local PTACs will be of help in acquiring state and municipal contracts.
Other resources that small business owners should consult include the Small Business Administration (SBA) which also coordinates with the APTAC; the General Services Administration (GSA) which acts as the government’s purchasing department and provides information on becoming an approved vendor; the Federal Business Opportunities website (fbo.gov) where federal contract opportunities currently available are posted; and the Small Business Innovation Research website (sbir.gov) where grant and funded research opportunities for small businesses are listed.
Cash Advances from Credit Card Services Instead of Small Business Loans
Another alternative to small business loans are cash advances from credit card services. This option is much easier than winning government grants and contracts.
Most small businesses are already availing of credit card services that enable them to accept payments by credit cards or debit cards. This is practically a requirement to doing business these days, with people hardly paying cash for goods and services. Many small business owners do not know that they could avail of cash advances from these credit card services, though, and that such advances can actually equal small business loans.
The amount that a small business can borrow is based on its average monthly income from credit card sales. This is so because the cash advance does not require collateral and future sales receivables from credit cards stand as the collateral. Payment will also be done through automatic deductions from those future credit card sales. There will be no set monthly amortizations. Instead, a certain percentage of the sales will be allotted as payment. The small business owner, therefore, need not worry over where to find cash for loan payments.
Cash advances from credit card services are the best bet of small business owners as alternatives to small business loans.
Watch the video related to small business loans
www.GovernmentGrantSource.net – Starting a small business can be very costly, as any entrepreneur knows. Thats why many people start looking for financing options. There are several choices, but if you want to remain in control of your business, you can rule out investors, which leaves you with government small business grants and small business loans. These are two very different options, so well take a closer look at them here. Get started applying for a government small business grant …
Help answer the question about small business loans
Does anyone have information on where to get small business loans for single parents?I have heard that there are small business loans and grants for single parents. I am a single father of a child and ive been interested in starting a business, but i dont have a large income or great credit. I was hoping someone had a link or went through the process that would be able to share their story and info. Thanks
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It was Mohammed Younus, the economist who put the word "microloan" on the map with the Grameen Bank in his native land of Bangladesh.
Here is his profile on the BBC website:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6047234.stm
You stand a greater chance of getting a government-guaranteed loan through the Small Business Administration http://www.sba.gov/financing than a government grant. Read the SBA Financing page to learn about criteria needed for borrowing
It is hard to find grants to start a business. Unlike the myths that some perpetuate, federal government and even private foundations hardly give grant money for a for-profit business. And yes, grants mean PAPERWORK – lots and lots of it, that is why a cottage industry of grant writers was born.
Nonetheless, you can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov – these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support a for-profit venture.
Even if you buy books on "how to get grants" or list that supposedly has information on grants — all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently. But still the info is the same – hardly any grants for starting a for profit business.
Even SBA does NOT give out grants. From the SBA website http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html
"The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments."
Here is a listing of federal grants for small businesses. See if there is any available for individuals for starting a business — THERE'S NONE.
http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.BROWSE_BENEF_RPT.show
Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT – Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program
Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs
I suggest you read the following books to get ideas of how to finance your business:
Financing Your Small Business http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1572484500/powerhomebizguid
Small Business Financing: How and Where To Get It http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0808007386/powerhomebizguid
Financing the Small Business: A Complete Guide to Obtaining Bank Loans and All Other Types of Financing http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580626815/powerhomebizguid
The SBA Loan Book http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/158062202X/powerhomebizguid
Angel Capital : How to Raise Early-Stage Private Equity Financing http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471690635/powerhomebizguid
Financing Your Small Business (Barron's Business Library Series) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764124897/powerhomebizguid
The Small Business Administration has an office dedicated to women entrepreneurs – the Office of Women's Business Entrepreneurship. Here is their webpage on lending programs available to women http://www.sba.gov/womeninbusiness/wlending.html
It is hard to find grants to start a business — even for women and minorities. Unlike the myths that some perpetuate, federal government and even private foundations hardly give grant money for a for-profit business.
Nonetheless, you can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov – these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support a for-profit venture.
Even SBA does NOT give out grants. From the SBA website http://www.sba.gov/mostrequesteditems/CON_FAQ2.html
"The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments."
Here is a listing of federal grants for small businesses. See if there is any available for individuals for starting a business — THERE'S NONE.
http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.BROWSE_BENEF_RPT.show
Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT – Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program
Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs
I suggest you read the following books to get ideas of how to finance your business:
Financing Your Small Business http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1572484500/powerhomebizguid
Small Business Financing: How and Where To Get It http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0808007386/powerhomebizguid
Financing the Small Business: A Complete Guide to Obtaining Bank Loans and All Other Types of Financing http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580626815/powerhomebizguid
The SBA Loan Book http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/158062202X/powerhomebizguid
Angel Capital : How to Raise Early-Stage Private Equity Financing http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471690635/powerhomebizguid
Financing Your Small Business (Barron's Business Library Series) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764124897/powerhomebizguid
For private grants, you may want to check the Foundation Center's Foundation Grants for Individuals Online http://gtionline.fdncenter.org . It's a subscription based website ($9.95 per month) but their opening blurb only says that the database is ideal for "students, artists, academic researchers, libraries and financial aid offices." Entrepreneurs are apparently not one of them, so I take it they also don't have listings of private foundations who give grants to would-be entrepreneurs.
If you don’t get Fox Business…DEMAND IT!
I'm not sure if this is the same person you saw on the Daily Show, however I think it's Grameen Bank, whose founder won the Nobel Peace Price. Attached to the Bank is the Grameen Foundation. The bank makes microloans to deserving persons to start or fund small businesses in developing countries. Check out the website of the Foundation to donate much needed funds:
There is a non-profit organization called Prison Entrepreneurship Program which is described as "a Houston-based nonprofit organization that leverages the skills of senior business executives to constructively redirect these talents and equip inmates and former inmates with entrepreneurial training—enabling them to productively re-enter society."
http://prisonentrepreneurship.org/
As for small business loans, felons typically find it hard to get one, even SBA. SBA adopts a "cautious" approach to lending to felons and oftentimes bases its decision on how serious the crime committed was and whether there is strong likelihood that the offense will be repeated again.
No, they're not. In fact, they take much longer to take (add another 3 -6 weeks processing time for normal loans)
If you're applying for a loan and if it is a big amount, SBA may consider other factors aside from your business credit:
http://www.sba.gov/services/financialassistance/eligibility/qualify/index.html
- A business plan explaining what the business is
- Your background and experience in the business — in my experience, this is KEY in the eyes of the bank because they want to make sure that you know what you are doing and that you can make the business work. If you don't have any experience with the business, have someone on board that knows the business to give banks assurance that someone will guide you
- Your credit factors because it shows your dependability and how well you handle credit. They will do a credit check on you and poor credit history may be frowned upon, or even reason for the disapproval of your loan application
- Your collateral. Banks, even SBA guaranteed loans, want the borrower to show collateral. They want to be guaranteed that somewhere somehow they can get payment from you
- Condition or terms of loans. Banks would want to know three important things: "How much money are you requesting? What will it be used for? and For how long will it be needed?" Banks oftentimes prefer to approve loans for items that can be identified, has lasting value, and can be repossessed and sold if things fail.
- Equity investment
SBA.gov is a great source…..what out for scam artists posing as sanctioed govyt lenders though. Also…it takes time, plan on more time than you'd imagine
It will depend on your personal credit even though it is for a business. The bank will evaluate the ability the company is able to pay back the loan and that is how they determine the amount to loan you. In this economic climate, you will not be able to get a loan without significant financial commitment from you such as cash and collateral.
Business loans are a lot more complicated then mortgages. Take a business course at your local community college before you try this.
A true business credit card is a line of credit that is taken in the name of the business, under the business' credit. Activity, whether good or bad, is reflected on your business' credit report through D&B and other financial institutions, and the liability for any debts incurred and bills owed is with the business.However, some companies out there offer "business" credit cards which they require a person guarantee for. These institutions will often ask for a personal guarantee, and will almost always ask for a social security number from the person applying for the card. If this is the case, the credit card is not a business credit card, but is simply a personal credit card which is used for the business. The business is not liable for bills and debts – you are.When applying for a credit card for your business, watch out for areas asking for your SSN (and not your TaxID or EIN) and be wary of any credit card that asks for a personal guarantee. By ensuring that your credit card is in the name of your business, you can help to build your business' credit, while avoiding creating problems with your own.
Many companies offer a list of credit cards that are issued under the business name only. Those lists typically run $300-$900, depending on the quality of the information inquiring. I would suggest starting your search online via google or yahoo. Search for "strong business credit" (just like that in quotes) to find services that sell the information.
Good luck,
Ilya Bodner
Small Business Owner
Initial Underwriting Group
If in the USA, check out the Small Business Administration, they can be very helpful on a new business start up.
I Think it would be easier to get a personal loan and use the money for your business. A Business loan is not easy to get if you have little experience or starting a new business.
The reason being the new businesses often fail. It's might be easier to get a personal loan.
Even if you apply for a business loan you will need to personally guarantee the loan, therefore why go through all the red tape of applying for a business loan?
Another benefit to taking out a personal loan is that when your business makes a profit you can repay the loan to yourself tax free. Rather than than taking that money as profit from the business.
Hope this helps
I would say you that many banks would only lead you around £10,000 pounds or $14,000 to start your business and you will need:
-Strong business plan
-Produce projected profits
-Have a good idea, product or service
I would consider getting an enterpruneur to finance the business.
Dragons Den -BBC1
Anglesden.com
since u do not say what or where u are planning to do this it is a guess.
land loans are often separate from business loans.
working capital for 2yrs is a long shoot.
You might want to try a credit union. I don't think that there is a best bank for loans it has to do with credit.
The rate would depend on a lot of factors. But because this is a made up business, let's say that everything the bank looks at (credit reports, financial statements, collateral, etc) is perfect. If the loan is secured by real estate the rate most likely will be fixed at about 7.25% with monthly principal and interest payments based on an amortization period up to 25 years. If the loan is secured by the company's assets, the rate would be closer to 7.75% and probably a variable rate based on the 5 or 10 year Treasury Bill plus a spread added to it. Monthly payments would still be principal and interest, but the term and the amortization period would be shorter than above – closer to 5 years.
Dual citizenship has nothing to do with getting a business loan.
Many of the National banks and some community banks have small business loan programs. When getting a loan here are things the bank looks for:
A business plan detailing the product/service,, customer,location, and financial analysis.
Your business experience and how well you understand this industry. Can you make this business work. Do you have personnel on your staff to supplement your lack of skills.
Credit history which demonstrates your ability to handle credit. Your personal credit score needs to be well above average.
What collateral do you have and how can you guarantee the loan in case of problems.
Terms – How much, How long and For what? Can the what be reposed in case of problems?
Your equity. They like to see you putting up more than 25% of what you need.
You could try the SBA Microloan Program where you can get up to $35K. http://www.sba.gov/services/financialassistance/basics/sbarole/LOANPROG_MICRO.html .