3. Microloan Program
For small (up to $35,000), short-term loans, the SBA's Microloan Program may be right to give your business the help it needs. The loans may be used for working capital or the purchase of inventory, furniture or fixtures, supplies, machinery, and/or equipment. The target audience is small businesses and not-for-profit child-care centers that need small-scale financing and perhaps some technical assistance for the purpose of starting up or expanding. These loans are administered through certain designated microloan lenders, which are nonprofit organizations with experience in financing small loans and providing businesses with technical assistance.
Dig Deeper: The Best Lenders for Small Business
How to Secure an SBA Loan: The Application
Applying for an SBA loan is like applying for a regular commercial loan -- except this may be the last resort for your businesses because you have to have been turned down for a business loan on your own. It's not as simple as walking into an SBA office and asking for a loan application. You need to do all the necessary homework and put together all the necessary paperwork that you would before approaching a commercial bank. That means you need to review your personal credit history and be prepared to discuss. You need to assemble the historical financial reports from your business. And you need to have a business plan.
Most borrowers should seek some assistance from a party who has experience in preparing SBA loan packages and is aware of the lenders' criteria, Anderson says. Help can usually be obtained from SCORE, Small Business Development Centers, Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and consultants who are available in many communities.
"It is important to understand that lenders need considerable information to justify making a loan and to support their request for an SBA guarantee," Anderson says. "Succeeding in small business is often difficult, and lenders, while willing to take some risk, must protect themselves from losing money on the loan. Lenders need to be convinced that you are likely to pay back the loan with the interest specified."
The following steps will help you put together a winning SBA loan package:
• Review your credit report. "A major consideration for a lender to make a loan is the 'character' of the borrower," Anderson says. "Lenders want to loan money to people who have a positive track record for paying their obligations as agreed." The "Fair Isaac Credit Score" (FICO) is one measure used to evaluate character. Credit scores can range from 300-850, and it is very important that you have a relatively high score to be able to secure a SBA loan. While some SBA loans may be made with FICO scores below 700, potential borrowers with scores in the high 700s or 800s are generally greeted with respect by lenders. You can review your credit reports -- for free -- from all three credit-reporting companies -- Experian, Equifax and TransUnion -- once per year to insure that they are accurate. You need to be prepared because the bank will pull the credit reports on you. If you find mistakes on your credit reports, take steps to correct those mistakes and bring the e-mails, letters, and other correspondence with you to the bank when applying for a loan. "When you go to the bank, you can say, 'It's a mistake. It's not me.' And you have the letter to show them," says Cruz. "At least it's not a surprise to you. You don't want to be surprised." Professionals also can provide guidance for improving credit scores. Personal income tax reports for three years will be required for all parties that own at least 20 percent of the company's equity. A weak FICO Score from a 20 percent to 25 percent owner can badly damage the obtaining of a SBA Small Business Loan.
• Develop your business plan. You need to have a business plan that states in writing what your business is, what you need money for, and why you will be successful. If you have a 25-page business plan already, you can update the Executive Summary section with information about your financing needs. If you don't have a business plan, you need to develop one -- even a five-page document will be more impressive than none at all. Templates and software are available online to provide valuable guidance. For example, SCORE has a template that provides considerable help. Inc. also has a guide on how to write a business plan. "It is useful to have an experienced businessperson review and critique the draft business plan," Anderson says. In addition, Cruz adds, have someone review your plan for grammar and spelling.
