No matter how experienced you are in business, managing a small business isn’t easy. Aside from the issues that small business owners face concerning operations and recruitment, the biggest challenge is obtaining capital. In fact, most small business owners rarely have sufficient cash to fund their businesses so they turn to small business grants or loans to help their businesses thrive in the market.
Raising funds for business use may take awhile, particularly in a setting where small business owners are dealing with positions similar to borrowers that have bad credit. Being self-employed is regarded as a bad credit case due to the unfixed income generated through small business. In fact, small business owners will pay fixed loan installments if they have not generated enough revenue on a certain month. Banks and other lending institutions are often not open to meet the demands of small business owners.
Fortunately, there are business funds available from federal agencies. Federal funding may include, but not limited to, small business grants for women, veterans, people with disabilities, and minority-owned businesses.
If you’re looking for loans, you can take advantage of government-guaranteed loans. However, similar to bank loans, they can be difficult to obtain. The process can also be painstakingly time-consuming. It’s not unusual for prospective borrowers to bail out before their loans are approved.
If you want to apply for federal-guaranteed loans, you can find low interest rates and reasonable repayment terms. You can check out the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that offer these kinds of loans.
The following SBA loans available for small businesses are:
General Small Business Loans (7(a) Loan)
SBA offers loans to businesses so eligibility requirements are based on certain business factors and its principals. Once you have scored a 7(a) loan, its proceeds, may be utilized to institute new businesses or assist in the operation, acquisition or expansion of an existing small business. SBA loans have specific terms that are negotiated between an SBA-approved lender and the borrower. There are also two 7(a) loan process options and special purpose loans.
Microloan Program
SBA’s Microloan Program awards short-term loans to entrepreneurs to assist them with their small business concerns and to specific types of nonprofit childcare centers. Under this program, loan provisions may amount up to $50,000 to help small businesses and nonprofit childcare centers start, develop and expand. The typical microloan averages about $13,000.
SBA offers funds to designated intermediary lending agents or institutions, which are nonprofit organizations with lending, management and technical experience. These intermediaries manage the Microloan program for borrowers who are qualified for loans.
Disaster Loans
SBA grants low-interest disaster loans to small, mid-size and large businesses, where business owners can replace or repair equipment, inventory, assets, and other personal property damaged in a declared disaster area.
Disaster loans include:
- Home and Personal Property Loans: If you are a victim of natural disaster and reside in a declared disaster area, you may qualify for financial aid from SBA, even if you are not a business owner. You can be a homeowner or renter.
- Business Physical Disaster Loans: If your business is situated in a declared disaster area and gained the damage during the disaster, you may apply for business physical disaster loans to help restore, repair or replace your property that’s been destroyed.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loans: If you have suffered economic injury despite of physical damage in a declared disaster area, you may be eligible for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL).
- Military Reservists Economic Injury Loans: If your business employs a military reservist called to active duty, SBA offers loans to help qualified small business owners with their operational expenses.