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Trucking small business lending Kapitus alternative financing
Best Loan Options for the Trucking Industry
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The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated problems that had already existed in the commercial trucking industry for years as demand for delivered goods skyrocketed in 2020 and 2021. Those problems included issues surrounding compensation, hazard pay, COVID-19 vaccine mandates as well as a general shortage of licensed truck drivers. 

While it may at first seem counterintuitive, these problems make 2022 and beyond a great time for trucking businesses to finance the expansion of their fleets and hire more drivers. Consider the fact that the demand for delivered goods, especially imported goods, will remain strong. 

Also, supply chain disruptions have created an urgent need for stronger transportation systems for consumer products, and late last year, the Biden Administration announced a program aimed at increasing the number of licensed truck drivers in the country as part of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. 

Kapitus trucking small business lending alternative financing

Kapitus is now offering long-duration loans specifically tailored to trucking companies.

These are, in fact, just some of the reasons Kapitus recently expanded its criteria for lending to trucking companies by offering equipment financing to purchase new or used commercial trucks via long-duration business loans with competitive pricing. 

“When we get filings in, I would say that nearly 70% of the filings are trucking-related, whether it’s just box trucks for local deliveries, trailers and long-haul trucks,” said Kevin Morello, manager, asset-based finance for Kapitus. “These are comfortable deals [for lenders] to make because long-haul trucks are such strong cash-flowing assets.”

What are Your Loan Options?

There are several financing options for trucking business owners seeking to expand their fleet or buy their first truck. One of the advantages for trucking companies is that lenders generally have a positive view of commercial trucking companies – especially the big semi-trucks – because the truck itself is a cash-generating asset, and if you do take out a loan for a truck, the vehicle itself becomes the collateral. The supply chain disruptions still being felt have also made trucking services in high demand, and therefore trucks are considered “business essential.” 

Like with any other lending, the type of financing you get to purchase either a used or new truck depends on your credit score and how long you’ve been in business; but there are a large number of traditional and alternative lenders. 

That said, your financing options when purchasing a truck vary:

#1 Finance Directly Through a Vendor

Much like the way you would purchase a car for your personal use, you can purchase a truck through a dealer, who would then search for financing options with several different lenders for you. Traditional banks such as US Bank, Wells Fargo and Bank of America offer lending programs specifically tailored to trucking companies. 

These loans typically offer low-interest rates and long durations, but don’t be surprised if you’re turned down. Traditional banks typically demand down payments which can be quite large, as an average-priced new semi-truck can cost between $100,000 and $200,000. They also have stringent requirements such as credit scores at least in the high 600s, minimum annual revenues and multiple years in business. While lenders still have an overall positive view of trucking companies, they are starting to see them as being a bit more risky in the waning days of the pandemic, as over 3,100 trucking companies went belly up at the height of COVID-19.

CDC/504 Loan

This loan is backed by the US Small Business Administration and is tailored for the purchase of fixed assets. It provides financing of up to $5 million and a term of between 10- to 20 years, and usually offers rates typically pegged to the current market rate of five- and 10-year US Treasury notes. 

These loans are offered through Certified Development Companies (CDCs) and the assets must be used to promote business development within a particular area and increase employment. Like traditional banks, this type of loan carries stringent requirements such as a high credit score and multiple years in business. If you qualify , these loans can be an excellent source of financing for a new or used commercial long-haul truck.

Alternative Lending

If you’ve been turned down for a loan by a dealer or traditional bank, you’re probably going to have better luck with alternative lenders – financing companies that fall outside the traditional banking sphere. Many of these lenders operate online and offer the same range of financing options as traditional banks, often with fewer requirements but at a higher cost of capital. Alternative lenders are just as legitimate as traditional banks and typically can turn around a loan for you in less time than a traditional bank. 

If you choose to go with an alternative lender, be careful, as there are many of them out there. Do your research on which ones are most popular, legitimate, and offer the most competitive rates. Some may make many appealing guarantees, but with any product or service that you purchase, it’s always best to keep that old adage in mind – if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. 

Equipment Financing

Since commercial vehicles are equipment, why not investigate equipment financing? If you don’t meet the strict requirements of traditional banks, alternative lenders may require a slightly lesser credit score, usually require less paperwork, and can probably turn the loan around for you more quickly than a traditional bank. 

Additionally, alternative lenders often don’t require a down payment when it comes to equipment financing. For example, according to Morello, Kapitus sees roughly half of our equipment financing customers for commercial trucks require a down payment depending on credit score and time in business.

The downside of equipment financing for commercial trucks is that alternative lenders – much like traditional banks – often require a certain amount of time in business. Put simply, it will be easier to get financing to add to your existing fleet of trucks than to obtain financing for your first truck, since lending to an established company will always be deemed less risky than lending to a first-time buyer.

“With trucking it’s challenging to finance your first truck,” said Morello. “So whenever customers come to us and it’s an owner-operator, or it’s a sole proprietor, that’s way more challenging than when you start building out your fleet. It’s also super rewarding when people come to us when they have a fleet of two or three or four, and then we can finance more than one vehicle for them.” 

Business Lines of Credit

While commercial trucks typically have long shelf lives – like any piece of machinery – they need regular maintenance and repairs. This is where a business line of credit from either a traditional bank or an alternative lender will come in handy because when a truck breaks down due to wear and tear, your company will lose money fast. 

A business line of credit can provide immediate cash when you need it to make emergency repairs and maintain a strong resale value for your truck. Like with any financing, it’s important to shop around to see which lenders offer the best terms and easiest access to capital.

Know Your Options

The trucking industry is in high demand right now and that probably isn’t going to change in the foreseeable future. If you’re seeking to expand your existing fleet or purchase your first truck, it’s important to closely examine your financing options and research various lenders available to you. Getting the best rates and terms on your loans may be just as important as gaining new clients. 

Small Business Grants and Contests Still Available in Illinois
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Illinois, or the Prairie State as some call it, is home to 2.1 million small businesses, with over 232,000 located in the Windy City of Chicago, making it one of the most populous states for small businesses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 35% of the state’s small businesses were forced to shutter either temporarily or permanently, and rising interest rates, worker shortages and spiking inflation are further squeezing them.

Now is the time for small businesses in the state to search high and low for grant opportunities and contests in which they can gain access to free money in order to survive. Here is a list of grants and contests on both a national and local level that are still available to Illinois-based small businesses. 

On a National Level:

Kapitus’ $250K Building Resilient Businesses Contest – Deadline is Looming!

Kapitus has launched its Building Resilient Businesses contest, in which one first-place winner will receive $100,000; one second-place winner will receive $50,000 and five third-place winners will each receive $20,000. To enter, simply send a homemade, 2-minute video briefly describing your business, how it was able to persevere over the last two years, and how you would spend $100,000. The contest is open to all small businesses in the US (excluding Vermont and Colorado) that have been in business for at least a year and have less than $5 million in annual revenue. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2022. To enter the contest, click here.

Antares REACH Grant Program

Small business consulting firm Hello Alice will award $20,000 in grants to women- and minority-owned

Antares Reach Small Business Grants Illinois

The Antares REACH Grant program is giving away $20,000 to women- and minority-owned small businesses nationwide.

businesses to help them prepare for the next stages of growth. The grants are being funded by Chicago-based private equity firm Antares Capital. Applicants must have less than $5 million in annual revenue, have a demonstrated need for support and a strong business plan for growth. Grant winners will be eligible for an additional $5,000 in funding after completion of a post-grant support. The deadline for applications is July 15, 2020. To apply, you are required to become a member of Hello Alice’s community of small businesses. For more information, click here.

WomensNet Amber Grant

WomensNet gives away one $10,000 grant and four $1000 grants to women-owned businesses in distinct categories every month such as skilled trades (January), hair care and beauty products (August) and Creative Arts (October). The site also gives grants of $25,000 to two businesses each at the end of each year, with both of them being previous $10,000 monthly grant winners. Applications are due on the last day of every month. To apply, click here. 

American Express and Main Street America’s Inclusive Backing Grants

AmEx and Main Street America are providing more than 300 grants of $5,000 each over four cycles throughout 2022 to small businesses located in older or historic commercial districts with priority to be given to small businesses owned by the LGBTQ+ community, Hispanic-owned, veteran-owned, and business owners who are women and people of color. Applications for the fourth grant cycle are now being accepted by business owners who identify as native or indigenous people, Hispanic, LGBTQ+ and immigrants and refugees. Membership in the National Main Street Center is not required. Applications for the fourth grant cycle can be found here.

Skip Monthly Business Grant

Skip is a California-based social media company that helps both people and businesses get access to government-related services and information and is part of YoGov.org. Every month since March 2020, Skip uses revenues from its YouTube channel which awards $1,000 grants to small business owners as well as free services and information. The winner is announced on its YouTube channel on the third Wednesday of every month. For more information and to apply, click here.  

 

State Level: Open to Illinois Small Businesses Only

The Land of Lincoln also has several grant and contest opportunities, especially in Chicago, that are still open:

Neighborhood Opportunity Fund Grants 

Chicago’s Neighborhood Opportunity Fund is giving away grants three times in 2022 to small businesses in Chicago’s West, Southwest, and South sides to make improvements to their physical locations. These improvements can include land acquisition for expansion, roofing replacement or repairs and money to cover financing fees for a loan or lines of credit. The awards are up to $250,000 for small improvement projects and over $250,000 to $2.5 million for large projects. Deadlines for the second and third rounds of applications have not yet been established, but you can still apply. To learn more, click here.

City of Chicago’s Annual Business Plan Competition

Chicago Small Business Grants loans

The city of Chicago is giving away several grants to keep its small businesses afloat.

Chicago’s Office of the Treasurer Stephanie Neely is administering a contest to startups and young businesses in Chicago. The first-place winner, to be announced sometime in October, will take home $5,000. To enter, a small business must be a startup or no more than three-years-old with annual revenues of no more than $2 million. Applicants must submit their business plans as well as templates for their executive summaries. Applications are due on July 6, 2022. To learn more, click here. 

Restaurant Employee Relief Fund

The Illinois Restaurant Association Education Relief Foundation is awarding grants to restaurant employees who have faced personal and financial hardships within the past 90 days to encourage food service workers in the state to remain at their jobs. Those hardships include unexpected illness or injury, death of a family member or a natural disaster. The grants range from $250 to $1,500. While not paid directly to business owners, this grant can help owners make things a little easier on staff that is sticking it out through the hard times. Deadline to apply is August 31, 2022. To apply, click here.

Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) Remodeling Grants

The SBIF Remodeling grants are aimed at larger small businesses in Chicago with physical locations that are seeking to remodel or visually improve their business locations. To be eligible, the applicant must employ up to 200 workers, and have an average of $9 million in annual sales over the previous three years. Or commercial property owners with a net worth of up to $9 million and liquid assets of up to $500,000. The grant will cover 30% to 90% of a business’ remodeling work up to $150,000. The first deadline for applications is June 30, 2022, while the second and third deadlines are on August 1st and August 31st, respectively. To learn more, click here. 

Don’t Give Up Free Money!

With most federal pandemic aid programs dried up and current economic challenges such as inflation and rising interest rates putting a further squeeze on small businesses, it is more important than ever to apply for a chance to get free money for your business, be it through local or national grants or contests. 

 

 

Related Articles:

Small Business Grants and Contests Still Available in New Jersey

Small Business Grants and Contests Still Available in Florida

Small Business Grants Still Available in California

Small Business Grants Still Available in New York

 

 

Small Business Grants Still Available in New Jersey
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New Jersey serves as the headquarters for some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world and is known for its sprawling suburbs, manufacturing capabilities, pristine shorelines and its 861,000 small businesses. However, high taxes, bloated state budgets and little support from the state government has always made it a tough place for small businesses to thrive in. 

Those difficulties were compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit the Garden State’s small business community harder than 2013’s Superstorm Sandy. From restaurants along one of the state’s many boardwalks to retailers in one of the state’s 52 cities, roughly one-third of small businesses temporarily or permanently closed between 2020 and 2021. Many continue to struggle to stay afloat to this day, especially with spiking inflation, interest rate hikes and another recession looming.

Fortunately, there are several grant programs and contests available on both a national and state level that can help those small businesses survive and grow. 

On a national level, there are grants and contests that are still open that can land you a large pool of money and are worth applying for:

Kapitus’ $250K Building Resilient Businesses Contest – Deadline is Looming!

Kapitus has launched its Building Resilient Businesses contest, in which one first-place winner will receive $100,000; one second-place winner will receive $50,000 and five third-place winners will each receive $20,000. 

To enter, simply send a homemade, 2-minute video briefly describing your business, how it was able to persevere over the last two years, and how you would spend $100,000. The contest is open to all small businesses in the US (excluding Vermont and Colorado) that have been in business for at least a year and have less than $5 million in annual revenue. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2022. To enter the contest, click here.

WomensNet Amber Grant

WomensNet gives away one $10,000 grant and four $1000 grants to women-owned businesses in distinct categories every month such as skilled trades (January), hair care and beauty products (August) and Creative Arts (October). The site also gives grants of $25,000 to two businesses each at the end of each year, with both of them being previous $10,000 monthly grant winners. Applications are due on the last day of every month. To apply, click here. 

American Express and Main Street America’s Inclusive Backing Grants

AmEx and Main Street America are providing more than 300 grants of $5,000 each over four cycles throughout 2022 to small businesses located in older or historic commercial districts with priority to be given to small businesses owned by the LGBTQ+ community, Hispanic-owned, veteran-owned, and business owners who are women and people of color. 

Applications for the fourth grant cycle are now being accepted by business owners who identify as native or indigenous people, Hispanic, LGBTQ+ and immigrants and refugees. Membership in the National Main Street Center is not required. Applications for the fourth grant cycle can be found here.

Skip Monthly Business Grant

Skip is a California-based social media company that helps both people and businesses get access to government-related services and information and is part of YoGov.org. Every month since March 2020, Skip uses revenues from its YouTube channel to award $1,000 grants to small business owners as well as free services and information. The winner is announced on its YouTube channel on the third Wednesday of every month. For more information and to apply, click here.  

State Level: Open to New Jersey Small Businesses Only

Despite the fact that most of the pandemic-related federal aid to small businesses has dried up, the state is still offering several grants and inexpensive financing opportunities to assist small- and micro-businesses:

The Small Business Lease Grant

New Jersey Economic Development Small Business Loans Grants

Small Businesses in the Garden State should always keep an eye on The NJ Economic Development Corp. for new grant and tax relief opportunities.

The NJ Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) is administering grants to help small businesses and nonprofits with physical locations pay their rents. The $10 million program was funded by the NJ Economic Recovery Act passed in 2021 and is being funded by the state’s Main Street Recovery Finance Program. 

The idea behind the program is to assist in filling vacant lots across the state and assist in the growth of small businesses. Applicants must have a new or newly amended lease that is at least 250 sq. ft. larger than their previous space, and the lease must be for a minimum of five years. Deadline is ongoing, and funding amount depends on the business. To learn more, click here. 

New Jersey State Trade Expansion Program (STEP)

New Jersey has always been a major hub for international trade due to its many marine ports, such as the Port Newark Container Terminal, the Port Jersey container terminal in Jersey City and South Jersey Port Corp. in Camden. 

As such, the NJ State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), in conjunction with the US Small Business Administration, are offering year-round grants to small businesses in the state that are new to overseas trade or sell their products and services overseas. Applicants must have been in business for at least one year at the time of application and manufacture goods or produce services that are at least 51% US content. To learn more, click here.

NJEDA Small Business Improvement Grant Program

NJEDA is awarding grants of up to $50,000 to assist small businesses with physical locations in making improvements and upgrades to their buildings, as well as with purchasing new furniture, office equipment and fixtures. The project costs must be at least $5,000 and must have been at most two years prior to the date of application. 

Total project costs that exceed $50,000 will be subject to Green Building Standards, and applicants that use at least four workers may be subject to affirmative action requirements. Applicants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. There is no set deadline for application To learn more about the grant program and apply, click here.

Main Street Micro Business Loan Program

NJEDA also oversees the Main Street Micro Business Loan Program. While this is not a grant program, it is popular among very small businesses in the state because it provides long-term, low interest loans to businesses in the state with 10 or fewer employees and annual revenues of no more than $1.5 million. The maximum term for these loans is 10 years and carry an annualized interest rate of 2%. The applicants must have been in business for at least six months. No collateral is required for the loan. To learn more and apply, click here.

Free Money is Better than Attitude!

Best selling author Janet Evanovitch once described New Jersey as a place “where dignity always runs a poor second to getting in someone’s face.” While the state’s small business owners may be tough and have attitude, they’re still going to need help, especially in the economically volatile times we’re living in. If you do own a small business in the Garden State, keep the door open to any new opportunities for free money.

Small Business Grants Lending Florida Kapitus
Small Business Grants, Contests Still Available in Florida
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With major economic hubs such as Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa Bay, Florida ranks number three in terms of states with the highest number of small businesses. The state’s 2.5 million small businesses rank it behind only California and Texas. 

With a high number of such businesses, however, comes a high amount of pain: the Sunshine State saw over 32% of its small businesses permanently or temporarily close during the height of the pandemic, one of the highest figures in the country. 

With yet another national recession looming on the horizon, getting free money has never been more important to the survival of the state’s small businesses. Fortunately, there are several small business grants and contests still available to small businesses in Florida on both a state and national level. On a national level, there are grants and contests that are still open that can land you a large pool of money and are worth applying for:

Kapitus’ $250K Building Resilient Businesses Contest – Deadline is Looming!

Kapitus has launched its Building Resilient Businesses contest, in which one first-place winner will receive $100,000; one second-place winner will receive $50,000 and five third-place winners will each receive $20,000. To enter, simply send a homemade, 2-minute video briefly describing your business, how it was able to persevere over the last two years, and how you would spend $100,000. The contest is open to all small businesses in the US (excluding Vermont and Colorado) that have been in business for at least a year and have less than $5 million in annual revenue. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2022. To enter the contest, click here.

WomensNet Amber Grant

Florida is home to 1.1 million women-owned small businesses, making it the state with the third-highest

Lending Grants Small Business Kapitus Women-Only

Previous winners of the Amber Grant for women-owned small businesses.

total of those businesses, so the WomensNet Amber Grants are very applicable to the state. WomensNet gives away one $10,000 grant and four $1000 grants to women-owned businesses in distinct categories every month such as skilled trades (January), hair care and beauty products (August) and Creative Arts (October). The site also gives grants of $25,000 to two businesses each at the end of each year, with both of them being previous $10,000 monthly grant winners. Applications are due on the last day of every month. To apply, click here. 

American Express and Main Street America’s Inclusive Backing Grants

AmEx and Main Street America are providing more than 300 grants of $5,000 each over four cycles throughout 2022 to small businesses located in older or historic commercial districts with priority to be given to small businesses owned by the LGBTQ+ community, Hispanic-owned, veteran-owned, and business owners who are women and people of color. Applications for the fourth grant cycle are now being accepted by business owners who identify as native or indigenous people, Hispanic, LGBTQ+ and immigrants and refugees. Membership in the National Main Street Center is not required. Applications for the fourth grant cycle can be found here.

State-Level: Open to Florida Small Businesses Only

Currently, there are several grant programs that are still available for small businesses operating in Florida to apply to. 

Florida High Tech Research Grants

The Florida High Tech Research Corridor is a public-private partnership between successful high-tech startups in the 23-county region of southern and central Florida and the Universities of Central and South Florida. 

The Corridor provides up to $150,000 in funds for applied research projects between private startups and small high-tech firms and university researchers. Funding is provided directly to the university research team and is used to expand the project’s scope of work and allow our students to participate in cutting-edge, applied research. Industry partners must execute a sponsored research agreement with the university to formalize the project plan and terms. To learn more, click here.

Axis Helps Miami Small Business Grants

Axis Helps Miami, a resource company for small businesses in the Miami-Dade area of the state, is offering several grant opportunities to various small businesses. One is a $50,000 grant to women- and minority-owned small businesses in the area and will include consulting services as well as free advertising at Miami Heat games and partnership endorsements for your business. 

The deadline to apply is July 11, 2022. Another grant will provide $20,000 to small businesses in the area that are looking to scale up but don’t have the funds to do so. The deadline for that grant is July 15, 2022. To explore each grant program Axis Helps Miami is offering, click here. 

Seminole County’s Small Business Assistance Program

Since 2021, Seminole County has been giving grants to small businesses in the county of up to $15,000 to support expenses such as payroll, office utilities and remote access equipment. Applicants must be a for-profit business within Seminole County since at least the beginning of 2020 and must be a member of Sunbiz, a website maintained by Florida state government’s Division of Corporations. Applicants must provide their taxpayer identification number. Commercially zoned businesses with 26-50 employees will receive $15,000 if chosen, while businesses with 2-25 employees will receive $10,000 if chosen. Home- or mobile-based businesses with no more than one employee in addition to the owner can receive $5,000.

CareerSource Florida’s Incumbent Worker Training Grant – Apply Soon!

CareerSource Florida is awarding up to $100,000 to any small business owner in the Sunshine state who is seeking to train existing employees with new skills. The employee must work at least 37.5 hours per week and must have been employed with the applicant for a minimum of six months. Those interested must register with CareerSource Florida’s website. Deadline for applications is June 30, 2022. To apply, click here.

Enterprise Florida International’s (EFI) Virtual Business Matchmaking Grants

Enterprise Florida is offering grants of up to $2,500 for small businesses in the state interested in expanding overseas, but do not want to have to travel to set up an export program. The program includes virtual introductions with pre-screened overseas partners and distributors via teleconference or videoconference. The program also includes a grant that covers the full cost of matchmaker service, whether it is provided by EFI or the federal government’s US Commercial International Trade organization. Companies can apply year-round. Grants must be approved before the first day of virtual matchmaking appointments. For more information, click here.

Orlando Business Assistance Program

The city of Orlando isn’t just known for Disney World and Universal Studios, it’s also home to over 37,000 small businesses. The city’s Business Assistance Program provides grants throughout the year to assist businesses in relocating or expanding in Orlando, which include funds for development fees, permitting and other costs associated with relocating and expanding. Small businesses must pay half the related costs, and the grant amounts can be up to $20,000. To learn more about this program, click here.

Apply Soon!

If you’re a small business in Florida, any chance to gain access to funds would probably be welcome, as after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and current tough economic conditions such as high inflation, rising interest rates and an employee shortage are still rocking the economy. Act quickly, as many deadlines for small business grants and contests are coming up quickly.

Small Business Grants Lending Kapitus California
Small Business Grants Still Available in California
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With major urban hubs such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose, California is indeed a golden place for small businesses. With 4.1 million small businesses scattered throughout the state, California boasts the largest population of small businesses in the US, eclipsing even New York and Texas. 

With the most small businesses, however, came the most suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic out of any other state. By 2021, over 40,000 small businesses were forced to close, including one-third of the state’s independently owned restaurants. Also, more PPP loans were taken out by California small businesses than in any other state. 

Congress has made it clear that they are not going to allocate any more COVID relief money for small businesses. Programs such as PPP and the Restaurant Revitalization fund most likely will not be given any renewed funding, so small businesses in the Golden State are going to have to turn to grants for relief.

There are still some state and national grants and contests that California small businesses can apply to.

Kapitus’ $250K Building Reliant Businesses Contest

Kapitus has launched its Building Resilient Businesses contest, in which one first-place winner will receive $100,000, one second-place winning will receive $50,000, and five third-place winners will each receive $20,000. To enter, simply send a homemade, 2-minute video briefly describing your business, how it was able to persevere over the past two years, and how you would spend $100,000. The contest is open to all small businesses in the US (excluding Vermont and Colorado) that have been in business for at least a year and have less than $5 million in annual revenue. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2022. To enter the contest, go here.

The Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR)

These two federal programs serve as a conduit between small businesses engaged in scientific research and development and government agencies seeking to provide them with grants, and especially pertains to California’s Silicon Valley, the world’s largest hub for technology startups. Grants come in all sizes from various agencies. For example, the US Dept, of Energy provides grants to small businesses innovating in energy production. The STTR program requires that applying small businesses have a partnership with a nonprofit scientific research organization. To qualify for either program, click here.

American Express and Main Street America’s Inclusive Backing Grants

California has one of the largest Hispanic and LGBTQ populations in the country, so the American Express and Mainstreet America’s Inclusive Backing Grants national program very much so pertains to the Golden state. AmEx and Main Street America is providing more than 300 grants of $5,000 each over four cycles throughout 2022 to small businesses located in older or historic commercial districts with priority to be given to small businesses owned by the LBGTQ+ community, Hispanic-owned, veteran-owned, and business owners who are women and people of color. Applications for the fourth grant cycle are now being accepted by business owners who identify as native or indigenous people, Hispanic, LGBTQ+ and immigrants and refugees. Membership in the National Main Street Center is not required. Applications for the fourth grant cycle can be found here.

The California Dream Fund

The California Dream Fund is a $35 million small business grant program by the state’s Office of the Small Business Advocate through select centers of the state’s Technical Assistance Expansion Program (TAEP) . New entrepreneurs and small business owners must complete an intensive training program through select participating centers of their local TAEP office. Following successful completion of the training and consulting program, new businesses will be eligible to apply for a microgrant of up to $10,000. Those interested can apply here. 

The Job Creators Quest Grants

Southern California business owners who identify as people of color, military veteran or with the LGBTQ+ community with two to 20 employees can still apply for a $100,000 grant program from Founders First, which will choose 30 winners by the end of the year. As a business owner, you need to demonstrate that the grant money would be used as growth capital or to provide premium wage jobs, as well as fix or enhance vital equipment in order to scale up your business. The deadline to apply is Nov. 30, 2022, and the small business applicants must be located in the Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego regions. Those interested can apply here. 

The San Francisco Storefront Grant Program

The city of San Francisco is providing $1,000 to $3,000 grants to assist small businesses in low-income districts become compliant with the city’s Accessible Business Entrance program that ensures that businesses are accommodating to those with disabilities. To qualify, your business must have been sued for not being accessible to disabled peoples and be a nonprofit. The deadline for the grant program is June 30, 2022. Interested applicants can learn more about the program here.

Don’t Lose Free Money

Small businesses across the country are being hit with the trifecta of bad economic conditions: skyrocketing inflation, staff shortages and supply chain disruptions, and that condition is being especially felt in the most economically diverse state in the country, California. Small business owners should seek to obtain grants any way they can in these uncertain times.

Grants New York State Kapitus Small Business
Small Business Grants Still Available in New York State
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Federal pandemic-related assistance for small businesses has all but dried up, as money for programs such as the Paycheck Protection Program, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs have been used and Congress is pushing back hard on renewing them. As small businesses are still reeling from the current, difficult economic conditions, they can still turn to their state governments and other corporations for grants and relief packages. 

Various states have different programs that are set up and still funded, and if you still need help as a small business, you should look into whether you qualify for any of these grants. 

The Empire State

If you’re seeking state aid for small businesses, New York is a great place to start. There are more than 623,000 small businesses in New York State (including New York City) that account for 53% of the jobs in the state, making New York one of the biggest hubs for small businesses in the US. The state is offering several small business grants, and there are even some national grants (and one contest!) that small businesses in New York can apply for.

Kapitus’ $250K Building Resilient Businesses Contest

Kapitus has launched its Building Resilient Businesses contest, in which one first-place winner will receive $100,000, one second-place winner will receive $50,000, and five third-place winners will receive $20,000. To enter, simply send a homemade, 2-3 minute video of yourself briefly describing your business, how it was able to persevere over the past two years, and how you would spend $100,000. The contest is open to all small businesses in the US (excluding Vermont and Colorado) that have been in business for at least a year and have less than $5 million in annual revenue. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2022 For an official list of rules, click here.

The State Farm LISC Grant Partnership

State Farm, through its partnership with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is providing new grants totaling $2 million to support small businesses in underserved communities. Some funding will go towards helping small businesses operate in low income communities, and some will go towards community development. The latest round of funding will go towards 12 communities: New York City, Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, Central Illinois, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Phoenix and the Puget Sound region in Washington State. 

Olean Marketing and Rent Grants

The city of Olean, NY is giving out grants to assist small businesses with rent.

The city of Olean in upstate New York is offering local small businesses with $200,000 in small business grants. Small businesses can apply for money to cover marketing costs, including advertising and eCommerce set up costs, and to help with rent as we come out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible small businesses can have 25% of their rent covered for up to two years. Businesses can apply for up to $5,000 under each program. There are multiple rounds in this grant program, and the first deadline is June 10, followed by July 15, 2022 and August 12, 2022. 

New York State COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program

New York’s state government is still providing grant assistance to small businesses that suffered through the pandemic. These small businesses can be micro-businesses or arts and cultural organizations, and the amount they can apply for ranges between $5,000 to $50,000. Businesses can apply by phone, and there is no set deadline.

Tourism Return-to-Work Program

 New York’s Empire State Development program is offering grants to small businesses in the tourism, transportation and accommodations industries throughout the state to encourage employment. Eligible businesses must have hired or plan to hire at least two full-time employees in the first half of 2022 and show that their business suffered through the pandemic. Grants may provide up to $5,000 for each employee. There is no stated deadline for these grants. 

Meet in New York Grant Program

New York’s Empire State Development Program is also offering grants to small businesses that host  conferences, meetings and trade shows throughout the state in order to invigorate  tourism and boost economic activity that had slowed due to coronavirus. Grants will cover a portion of the costs of events and offer discounts through tourism businesses. For example, the grant may  offer to cover the costs of blocks of hotel rooms so event planners can offer discounts to event attendees. Venues with capacities of at least 250 people are eligible. There is no hard deadline for these grants.

New York Restaurant Resiliency Program

If you own a restaurant in New York and are worried that the federal Restaurant Resiliency Program has

New York State’s Restaurant Resiliency program is still granting money to food service businesses and food banks.

been shut down, then worry no more: New York State’s Dept. of Agriculture and Markets’ Restaurant Resiliency program is still open for business and is providing $25 million in funding to restaurants and food banks through the state. The funding goes to food banks, which can then be used by restaurants to cover meals. Food businesses can apply online, and food banks can apply for direct assistance.

The Biodefense Commercialization Fund

If you’re a small business in New York state that specializes in certain aspects of healthcare such as infectious diseases, vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostic tools, you’re in luck. The state is offering up to $40 million in grants to startups and academic centers that specialize in this field to encourage the expansion of availability of various treatments and vaccines for infectious diseases. Grants range between $1 million to $4 million, while academic institutions can apply for amounts between $250,000 and $500,000. Eligible companies must have received or are in the process of receiving series A or B funding and intend to stay in business for at least three years after receiving their grants. Small business can apply online.

New York Arts Grants 

The New York State Council on the Arts is providing over $3 million in grants to entrepreneurs or individuals seeking to pursue a career in various artistic fields, including emergency grants for those experiencing health issues and receiving awards, as well as fellowship opportunities for new artists. Deadlines to apply are throughout the year and next year, and this includes artists and studios throughout the state, including New York City. 

Don’t Give up Free Money!

While the US Congress has apparently shut its doors to new pandemic relief spending, your should always look to your state government or national grant programs that your small business may be eligible for. There is financial relief for your business, and with a little research, you will be able to find it.

 

 

 

Related Articles:

Small Business Grants and Contests Still Available in New Jersey

Small Business Grants and Contests Still Available in Florida

Small Business Grants Still Available in California

Small Business Grants and Contests Still Available in Illinois

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To Rent, To Lease or To Buy: Obtaining Expensive Equipment for Your Business
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Any small business owner stuck between buying or renting essential equipment knows that the query is not a simple binary. Making a choice you are firmly satisfied with requires both a full understanding of your current financial standings as well as a clear picture of where you anticipate your business to stand in the future. And making the wrong decision can have lasting consequences of their own.  Let’s discuss practical use cases to determine where buying, renting, or leasing may be right for your business.

When to Buy…

Potential Benefits to Buying Equipment

Buying property or equipment – whether through cash on-hand or equipment financing – has the obvious incentive of true ownership. Having absolute ownership over your property or expensive equipment has the chance to be a cost-saver in the case of equipment you use frequently or in property that appreciates in value. Consider this example: a farmer with 75 acres of tillable land outright purchases a combine harvester. Since the combine harvester is necessary to reap crops annually, the purchase may very well be a financial gain after several years. Consider as well the IRS Section 179 allowance; businesses were allowed to deduct up to $1,080,000 as a first year write off in equivalence to equipment or software purchased during that tax year in 2022.

Potential Detriments When Buying Equipment

This example, however, plays equally well into the downsides of purchasing: combine harvesters are exceedingly expensive outright (like many industry-specific machines) and can be equally expensive to repair if you don’t already employ sufficient technicians. Imagine, as well, the potential that a certain crop doesn’t properly germinate or labor shortages lead your team to miss proper times for reaping; in the case of leasing or renting, the tangible financial hit of that reduced harvest would likely not be as dire.

Buying is a Bet for the Best

Buying expensive equipment outright requires sage-like industry knowledge as well as an exit strategy in order to be fully insulated, or as much so as is possible. Business owners on their first venture or entering a new industry may find that buying equipment more than double-digit percentages of their total capital is markedly unwise. Small businesses have the most to gain from owning their equipment… but only if that equipment meaningfully returns on its investment. Purchased equipment that fails to see regular use or drastically impacts your capital or overhead has the risk of becoming a monument to rash decisions rather than a useful business tool.

When to Rent…

Potential Benefits to Renting Equipment

Not every industry allows for easy renting of equipment. Renting generally is most beneficial to industries that are wholly seasonal or have tracked busy seasons. If you run a year-round business with consistent revenue, customers, and products, it is unlikely the monthly price and lack of ownership could in any way benefit your business.

Since renting requires the least capital upfront, it is often the most attractive option for freshly minted businesses that are still finding their stride. A worst-case scenario for a small business is preemptively paying for assets that don’t turn around to help your business. Let us consider the example of a farmer and a combine harvester again: in 2022, new or even lightly used combine harvesters can cost stupefying amounts of money upfront, often close to $750,000. In our example of a 75-acre farm, that cost is likely too much capital for a farm of this size which is not the subsidiary of a larger corporate structure. Renting a combine may simply be the only way for smaller farms (or small seasonal businesses) to turn a profit annually. The hope for farms and small businesses with similar structures, of course, is to save enough capital or meaningfully study trends enough to which purchasing expensive equipment amounts to a no-brainer good decision.

Potential Detriments When Renting Equipment

Rented equipment isn’t yours. Flatly, this almost explains any major downside that comes with renting. In the case of damage to any machinery you rent, there is a very good chance you will also have to pay for repairs on top of your existing rate for the rental. And let’s go back to our farmer one more time: Our farmer simply does not have the capital to outright buy a combine harvester (as is the case for many harvest-based farmers) and annually rents a combine from a regional host. Here’s the trouble: seasonal harvests happen all at once for farmers in the same region. This means that every farmer in that region that doesn’t own their own combine is going to rush to rent. In that rush, there is a more than possible chance that certain farmers may not secure a combine and then suffer the loss of an entire harvest. Leaving essential equipment in the hands of a third party introduces unpredictable variables for business owners. And for small business owners with smaller safety nets, suddenly being left without a suitable rental can spell disaster.

Rent From Trusted Sources and Only When You Have To

Unpredictability can quickly shutter seasonal businesses for good; of course, seasonal businesses are also those who are most likely to rent expensive machinery. Renting isn’t bad by nature; many industries like construction and, of course, agriculture wholly depend on rentals in order to remain profitable. This simply means that every choice to rent or buy ought to be informed by genuine industry trend data. Whether this means understanding the potential loss from not renting a certain piece of equipment or funding a safety net in the event of a missed rental or other unexpected hits.

Third Choice… Leasing

For those industries where rentals are rare or simply implausible, leasing can likely be a worthy third choice to consider when dealing with any major, expensive machinery. Leasing is a great option for businesses that use equipment that is constantly changing. With a lease, you’re only committed to equipment for the length of the lease, so you’re not stuck with equipment that can quickly become obsolete. While vehicles, specifically, are most peoples’ first thought for lease potential (our farmer and combine are back!), it’s worth knowing that several major industries lease a wide variety of machines. Offices can lease expensive copy machines, charter schools can lease student laptops, and several more practical examples are out there and likely relevant to just about every industry.

Leave No Stone Unturned and No Path Untested

No small business owner can be fully certain that buying, renting, or leasing expensive equipment is the right choice. What small business owners can do, however, is consider, as we have here, the potential benefits and detriments to each choice parallel to their own business. Those businesses who make informed decisions with safety nets and back up plans have the least to lose when making a major financial decision.

What Type of Financing is Best for Your Small Business?
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Small businesses, slammed by inflation, supply chain disruptions, and staffing shortages,  are expected to rely on debt financing heavily this year, as pandemic relief programs such as the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan and the Paycheck Protection programs have long since dried up. If you believe your small business needs to take on debt to survive this rough patch, however, you also need to evaluate which of the many financing tools available are right for you.

The good news is that there are several types of loans to fit your specific needs – whether you’re seeking money to keep your operations afloat; purchase vital equipment; keep your business running during off-season months; you’re seeking to expand, or you need cash for an emergency – there is an option for you.  Some loans carry more requirements and may be more expensive than others, so it’s crucial that you learn which is the most practical and cost-effective for your business.

Here are some of the most common types of small business financing to choose from, depending on your business’s specific needs:

SBA Loan

SBA Small Business Administration lending Kapitus

While pandemic-related assistance has dried up, the US Small Business Administration still offers plenty of financing options for small businesses.

An SBA loan is backed by US Small Business Administration and is sold through registered agents, be it a traditional bank or an alternative lender. One of the most sought-after loans by small businesses is the SBA 7(a) loan, as it often offers a comparatively low interest rate and terms of between 10 to 25 years and has a maximum borrowing limit of $5 million. This money can be used to grow your business, purchase new equipment, or simply as operating cash.

However, just because you want a 7(a) loan, doesn’t mean you’re going to get one. The borrowing requirements are typically more stringent than what a bank or alternative lender would require for a term loan. These include a FICO score near 700, a required number of years in business, and a strong, consistent history of cash flow. Other drawbacks of a SBA 7(a) loan include the fact that the turnaround time for the loan can be weeks, and collateral is often required for loans exceeding $350,000. In addition, SBA loans have a unique requirement which indicates that you must use “alternative financial resources, including personal assets, before seeking financial assistance.” 

If you believe your business qualifies for such a loan and you can wait several weeks to get approved and get the money, you should speak to a lending professional regarding what terms you can get.

Term Loans

Term loans, or business loans, are offered by both banks and alternative lenders and are viable financing options if you’ve been turned down for a 7(a) loan or if you need money quickly. The requirements of a term loan usually aren’t as strict as that of a 7(a) loan – for example, your FICO score probably doesn’t need to be as high as it would for a 7(a) loan.

The terms of the loan, such as interest rate and maturity date, are negotiated between the borrower and lender, and in some cases, especially with alternative lenders, you may get approval and funding within 24 hours. Similar to the 7(a) loan, you can use the proceeds for virtually anything related to your small business.

The cons of a term loan are that they are going to carry a higher interest rate than a 7(a) loan – depending on how much risk you represent to the lender – and typically offer terms of five- to 10 years, though they can be much shorter than this depending on the lender. While the requirements of a term loan may be less stringent than a 7(a) loan, you’re still going to need a strong FICO score, at least two years in business and a strong cash flow. Traditional lenders may also require you to put up collateral. 

SBA Microloan Program

The SBA also guarantees microloans – small loans of up to $50,000 – through intermediary lenders. These lenders often operate in underserved communities and work with minority- and women-owned businesses and their purpose is to provide financial help to new businesses. According to the SBA, the average microloan is $13,000. These loans have a maximum term of six years, and interest rates are going to be significantly higher than a term or 7(a) loan, and often require the borrower to put up personal assets as collateral. 

Invoice Factoring

Invoice factoring is typically offered by alternative lenders and can help you with your cash flow if your customers are slow to pay. In this type of financing, a lender will provide you with cash for your outstanding invoices in exchange for a percentage of the money that is owed to you. You can choose which invoices to factor, and this type of financing won’t add debt to your balance sheet since the money that you’re “borrowing” is backed by money that is already owed to you. 

Invoice factoring is best if you need money quickly to keep your operations going while you’re waiting for your customers to pay, and if you don’t mind not getting all the money that is owed to you by customers. The turnaround time for this type of financing is usually very fast, sometimes happening in 5- to 10 business days.

Equipment Financing 

Equipment financing is a great tool to make sure you have the best, most modern machinery to keep your business running.

Whether you’re a small agricultural company that relies on row crop tractors; a contractor that needs bulldozers or backhoes for construction projects, or a doctor or dentist who needs the latest X-ray machine to treat patients, having high-quality, modern equipment is the lifeblood of your business. Machines, however, can cost a fortune, and your small business may not have the cash to pay for that machinery upfront. This is where equipment financing can serve you best.

Your FICO score generally must be in the high 600s and in most cases, you have to have been in business for at least a year. The advantage of equipment financing is that the equipment itself often serves as the collateral – not your personal assets. Ideally, the revenue that your company generates from the equipment you’ve purchased should more than cover the interest and principal payments you’re going to have to make. 

Purchase Order Financing

Obviously, your business needs inventory to sell in order to make money. However, you may not have the cash up front to pay for the inventory you need to meet a customer’s order. This is where purchase order financing comes in. PO financing pays your vendors upfront so you can keep your customers happy, grow your business and maintain your cash flow. 

In some cases, the lender may even take on the responsibility of payment collections from your customers’ orders, freeing you to run your business smoothly. To qualify, you generally should be a profitable business, and it’s your suppliers and customers – not you – that must have good credit. This type of financing typically requires a low factor rate as the cost of capital.

Business Line of Credit

A business line of credit, similar to a personal or business credit card, is typically an unsecured line of credit extended to you by a lender for an annual percentage fee. The limit on the business line of credit is negotiated beforehand and typically, the line of credit must be paid off at various, pre-agreed upon intervals. The benefits of this type of financing are tremendous. 

The APR is typically significantly lower than a business credit card (although you won’t get any rewards points that you might get with a credit card), and the credit can be used for just about any type of business need, such as keeping your business operating during non-seasonal times of the year or through a recession, cash emergencies and the need for sudden, unexpected purchases. 

The caveat is that a business line of credit may not be as convenient as a business credit card for smaller needs, such as a business meal or the purchase of a small piece of office equipment, so carefully consider which one is best for you. 

Revenue-Based Financing

Revenue-based financing is an expensive financing tool in which you essentially borrow against your future sales. If your company is about to launch a new product that you believe will be highly profitable and you need cash to support the initial promotion of it, or if the roof of your office collapses and you need emergency cash to get it fixed to continue your operations, for example, then RBF may be a useful financing tool. 

Before you consider this type of financing, however, consider that the cost of capital is higher than most forms of financing, as your company will be required to make pre-agreed upon payments equal to the percentage of your overall future sales plus a multiple of the borrowed amount. This type of financing requires your business to have a strong sales history, so it should only be considered for specific, short-term cash needs. 

Consider Your Options Carefully

If you decide that your business needs financing, carefully consider which type of product you choose, your needs and what you are willing to pay in terms of cost of capital. Seek counsel from your accountant or financial advisor. Keep in mind that lenders want to do business with you and don’t wish to have you use a financing product that you may not be able to afford, so they will be willing to work with and advise you as well. 

small business loans kapitus lending
Should You Take Out a Business Loan? Consider this Checklist
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If your small business is ready to obtain financing, that means you should be in a great position – your sales are flowing, your earnings are consistent, and you’re ready to expand your business’ footprint. Before you do take out a business loan, however, it’s crucial that you decide first whether taking on debt is truly advantageous to your business, and which lending product is best to meet your goals.

Should You Take Out a Loan?

One of the most pressing questions you need to answer before taking on any new financing is: how well-equipped is your business to take on new debt? To answer this question, you should complete a comprehensive checklist regarding your business:

#1 Do I Even Qualify for a Loan?

Different types of loans require different qualifications, but you should first make sure that your business meets certain requirements from lenders. Your minimum FICO score should probably be in the 680 to 700 range for certain financing products such as a term loan, although alternative lenders such as Kapitus may require slightly lower scores, depending on which financing vehicle you are applying for.

Lenders will also want to see how strong your company’s business plan is; how long you’ve been in business; what your plans for growth are, and the consistency of your cash flow in order to gauge whether you have the ability to pay back the loan.

If you’re not sure whether you qualify, you should speak to a lending officer at the institution you are seeking to borrow from, who can walk you through the steps in which your business needs to take in order to qualify for a loan.

#2 Why Do You Need a Loan?

Ideally, you are seeking to borrow money to expand your business and increase revenue, and hopefully, that increased revenue will offset the cost of capital for your loan as well as enable you to make monthly loan payments.

As we all know, however, we’re currently not living in an ideal economic environment, as small businesses are still struggling to make ends meet in a turbulent economy. Fortunately, there are a variety of financing products to choose from that can provide much-needed cash for all sorts of reasons. Some of these are:

  • The development of a new product or service which you foresee increasing sales.
  • Opening a new office or facility.
  • An emergency such as a collapsed roof or crucial machinery breaking down in which you need emergency cash to keep your business in operation.
  • Getting immediate cash for invoices.
  • Increasing your inventory to meet high demand.
  • Meeting off-season expenses.
  • Purchasing new equipment.

Once you’ve decided the reason you need financing, you can examine several distinctly different financing products that can meet your needs.

#3 How Strong is Your Cash Flow?

After credit score and business longevity, lenders will want to see your business’ cash flow – the net balance of cash that’s moving in and out of your business on a regular basis. If you’re borrowing to finance the development of a new product, for example, and sales of that product don’t end up being as strong as you thought they would be, a lender will want to know if you’ll still be able to make monthly installment payments on the loan you took out. This is what a strong cash flow will indicate to them.

There are several ways to improve your cash flow if necessary – you may want to examine ways to cut unnecessary spending, optimize inventory management, hound customers to pay their invoices and improve your cash flow forecasting. Your loan approval could very well depend upon the strength of your cash flow.

#4 Is the Price Right?

Courtesy: CBS Television. No, you don’t have to be a contestant on The Price is Right, but you do shop around for the best prices in terms of cost of capital.

Anytime you borrow money, be it through a business credit card, a mortgage or a term loan, you are going to have to pay a cost of capital. This can be the interest rate associated with a term loan, the APR on a business credit card or line of credit, or the costs associated with invoice factoring or revenue-based financing. Whatever financing instrument you choose, it’s crucial that you ask the lender the total amount you will be paying back over time.

It’s also just as crucial to shop around for lenders and consider which ones may be offering the best terms, and which ones can offer you a quick turnaround.

Traditional banks often have more stringent borrowing requirements, while alternative lenders often are  more expensive but will typically offer a quicker turnaround time on your loan with fewer requirements.

Something else you should consider – the Fed has just hiked the overnight rate by a half percentage point – that’s after a quarter-point hike last month – so some loans are going to be even more expensive than they were at the beginning of the year.

#5 Are you Willing to put up Collateral?

Depending on your credit score and other factors, some lenders may require you to put up collateral or even a personal guarantee. Collateral would include the liquid assets of your business such as your equipment, business savings and/or investments and future invoices.

Some may even want you to give a personal guarantee that you’ll pay back the loan by putting up some of your own assets as collateral, such as your house or your personal investments, in case you default on the loan.

Putting up collateral may increase your risk in taking out a loan, but keep in mind that lenders really aren’t interested in seizing your assets – they would much rather see your business succeed and for you to pay back the loan in a financially healthy manner. Therefore, when you’re taking a loan, it’s imperative that you sit down with your lender and carefully go over the terms of collateral and the exact steps that will be taken should you default.

Carefully Weigh Your Options

Before you take out a business loan, it’s always a good idea to consider other ways to raise money besides going into debt. Crowdfunding, asking for outside investments, borrowing money from family are other options. If you do decide to take out a loan, carefully consider the above questions and decide which loan will help your business the most and which would be most cost-efficient.

Small Business Contest
Kapitus Launches Building Resilient Businesses Contest with $250K to Assist Small Businesses
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There are two new “most important questions” to ask yourself as a small business owner: “What can $100,000 do for my business?” and “How resilient has my business been through these trying times?”  

That’s because Kapitus is launching its inaugural Building Resilient Businesses (BRB) contest, with the top prize being $100,000. The contest is being launched to salute the resilience of small businesses around the country, especially during the last two-and-a-half years as they have been plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic, high inflation, supply chain issues and “The Great Resignation.”

The contest is being launched this year as a way for Kapitus to give back to the small business community, especially those that have shown the grit and determination to survive and thrive through these difficult economic times. 

“The mission has always been the same at Kapitus, which is to really help the small business community grow by providing capital to them,” said Josh Jones, CRO at Kapitus. “For our evolution as a company, we’ve hit the level of scale where the mission hasn’t changed, it’s just been added to – we are at a point in our growth where we have the ability to give back in a way that’s meaningful. We want to make an impact, not only by supporting the small business community with the financial products that we offer but also by injecting capital to help build small businesses back up.”

The Contest

Starting May 2, 2022, small businesses can submit a homemade video (professional videos will not be accepted) either from their smartphones or camcorders sharing their small business story and what $100,000 could do for their business and help them continue to be successful. Contestants can also share the ways in which their businesses showed resilience in the face of these trying economic times. The deadline for submission is June 30, 2022.

Once all of the submissions are in, the Kapitus team will select finalists, and then the public will get to vote on the winners, who will then be announced on August 23, 2022. If you don’t win the $100,000, don’t worry – the second-place winner will receive $50,000, and five third-place winners will each get windfalls of $20,000. Additionally, all winners will also receive a free eight-hour advisory session in one of the following areas: digital marketing, finance management or data analytics to further help them grow.

The contest is open to small businesses in the US, except in Colorado and Vermont (sorry, your states don’t allow contests of this kind), that have been in business for at least one year as of May 1, 2022, that had revenue under $5 Million in 2021 and that have been actively generating revenue in 2022 (see official rules for a full list of qualifications and submission guidelines).

“During these challenging times, addressing the financial help and educational resources needed for business continuity is more important than ever,” said Kapitus CEO Andrew Reiser in a press release. “We created the BRB contest as a larger initiative to help the small business community overcome these challenges and continue to thrive for years to come.”

For additional details on the BRB Contest, including qualifications and submission guidelines, visit Kapitus.com/brb .

Not Done Giving Back

The BRB contest is only one part of Kapitus’ focus on giving back to small businesses. Part of the BRB initiative is to provide businesses that have faced hard times with with educational resources and tools to help them rebound. 

Some of the future ways Kapitus is considering expanding the BRB program is to come up with ways to assist small businesses that have been forced into crisis mode, be it from a natural disaster or the re-emergence of COVID-19, for example, and assist other small businesses in reaching their next level of growth with financial assistance or educational tools. Kapitus is also considering ways to help small businesses in underserved communities, as well as women- and minority-owned businesses.  

Kapitus has created groups on Facebook and LinkedIn to give small businesses a private and dedicated space to continuously learn and connect with fellow business owners and to get access to ongoing information and resources to help them run their business, In addition, Kapitus has created a blog filled with valuable articles on how to improve your small businesses.

Good Luck!

The Kapitus team is truly excited to see your entries and award the winners of our first-ever BRB contest. Be sure to submit your video on time so that you can be considered, and check out the other educational resources that Kapitus has to offer through the BRB initiative. 

 

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Copyright 2024 Strategic Funding Source, Inc. All rights reserved. Kapitus and the Kapitus logo are registered trademarks of Strategic Funding Source, Inc. Loans made or brokered in California are made or brokered pursuant to California Finance Lenders License No. 603-G807.