Are you ready for a loan?
UCEDC is committed to helping small businesses get the financing they need when conventional sources are not available. We know it’s challenging to get a loan when you’re just starting out, or when you need a modest amount of additional capital.
To help you prepare the best possible application, we’ve outlined a four-step process. Please follow each step before submitting a Pre-Qualification Application or Loan Application. And if you’re curious about what your monthly payment may be, our loan payment calculator lets you test different amounts, interest rates and pay-off periods.
Step 1
Review the following questions. If you can answer YES to the following, you’ll be ready to move to the next step!
- Are you a US citizen or do you have a green card?
- Does your credit report show that you are free of bankruptcies within the past five years or defaults on federally funded loans (such as a student loan) at any time?
- If you are a start-up business (in business less than two years), do you have related skills or experience in your field of business?
- Will you contribute at least 10% of the project cost?
- For existing businesses, do you have sufficient cash flow to cover existing expenses?
Step 2
We’ve made our loan application process as simple and straightforward as possible. Here’s a checklist of documents and information you’ll need to provide along with your application:
- Three years of both Business and Personal federal tax returns
- Personal Financial Statement (form included in application): a detailed listing of your assets and liabilities
- A one-year financial projection
- An interim financial statement
- Resume describing work experience
- Explanation of judgments, collections or other credit delinquencies, if any, within the past two years
- For Start-ups (in operation less than two years) not purchasing an existing business: Business plan with two years of projections
Step 3
A Business Plan is an essential tool for start-up businesses. Don’t be intimidated by the prospect of writing a business plan – it doesn’t have to be long or complex or have fancy graphics. You just need to show that you’ve thought through how your business is going to operate and make a profit.
Here’s a good discussion of the elements commonly found in a well-written business plan. UCEDC offers workshops on business plan development throughout the year – you can find the schedule on our events page. And we encourage you to take advantage of the free personal counseling you can get to help you develop your business plan from these organizations:
- SCORE: find the SCORE chapter nearest you
- Small Business Development Centers: find the SBDC near you
While not required from an existing operation, a business plan is a very welcome addition to any loan application. The more information we have about your business and your plan to have it grow and thrive, the easier it is for us to assess your financial viability.
Step 4
You’ve made it through our initial screening questions, assembled your supporting documents and information, and developed a business plan, if appropriate.
You’re ready to submit our secure 10-minute Loan Prequalification Application. Our loan officers will review your form and contact you to discuss your project.