Guides
Each guide picks the routes that match a common situation, or a kind of business, from the full ladder, cheapest first.
By situation
- A disaster has hit my business. Where can I get money to recover?SBA disaster loans and the other government-backed and community loans that can help a business repair and reopen, cheapest first.9 routes
- I want to buy a business. How do I pay for it?How buyers usually put the price together, from an SBA 7(a) loan and the seller's own financing to a bank loan, cheapest first.11 routes
- I want to sell abroad, or I've won an export order. How do I pay for it?Government-backed export loans, export grants through the states, and trade finance, cheapest first.6 routes
- I sell to the federal government, or want to. How do I cover the costs before I'm paid?Contract financing, prompt payment rules and the loans that lend against a government contract, cheapest first.6 routes
- I have no sales yet. Where can the money come from?Routes open to a business before its first sale, from pre-orders and research awards to friends and family and angel investors, cheapest first.20 routes
- How do I fund research and development?Federal research awards, the research tax credit, and the investors who back new technology, cheapest first.11 routes
- My business is in a small town or the countryside. What money is there for rural businesses?USDA loan guarantees and grants that are only for rural places, and the government-backed loans open to rural businesses as anywhere else, cheapest first.6 routes
- My bank said no. What now?What to do after a bank turns you down, and the routes that do not depend on a bank saying yes, cheapest first.27 routes
- My customers take weeks to pay. How do I cover the gap?Ways to close the gap between paying your costs and getting paid, from changing payment terms to borrowing against your invoices, cheapest first.12 routes
By kind of business
- I sell services to other businesses, such as consulting, marketing, staffing or IT. What are my options?Upfront retainers, payment terms, SBA and bank lines of credit, accounts receivable financing and invoice factoring, cheapest first.19 routes
- I run a construction business. How can I fund materials, labor and equipment between progress payments?Deposits, supplier credit, SBA Builders and Contract CAPLines, equipment finance and invoice lines, cheapest first.24 routes
- I make or sell my own products, in stores or online. What are my options?Pre-orders, supplier credit, rewards crowdfunding, inventory and purchase order finance, platform advances and equity, cheapest first.22 routes
- I run an energy, clean-tech or environmental business or project. What are my options?USDA REAP and SBIR awards, SBA 504 energy loans, equipment finance, impact funds and project equity, cheapest first.24 routes
- I run a farm or ranch. What money is there for farms?USDA farm loans and grants, supplier credit, and finance for machinery and buildings, cheapest first.7 routes
- I run a store, restaurant, bar, café or hotel. What are my options?Supplier credit, SBA and bank loans, equipment and inventory finance, crowdfunding and card-linked advances, cheapest first.21 routes
- I run a life sciences, biotech or medtech business. What are my options?SBIR and STTR awards, R&D payroll tax credits, specialist equity rounds, venture debt and public markets, cheapest first.11 routes
- I run a manufacturing business. What are my options for machines, premises and working capital?Equipment tax write-offs, SBA 504 and MARC lines, industrial revenue bonds, equipment finance and export support, cheapest first.22 routes
- I run a nonprofit, cooperative or benefit corporation. What are my options?Grants, CDFI loans, foundation program-related investments, co-op member shares and bank loans, cheapest first.15 routes
- I buy, rent out or develop property as a business. What are my options?Commercial real estate loans, SBA 504 and 7(a) loans for owner-occupied buildings, bridge loans and Opportunity Zone equity, cheapest first.9 routes
- I run a technology or software business. What are my options?SBIR/STTR awards, R&D tax credits, SAFEs, angels, venture capital, revenue-based finance and venture debt, cheapest first.13 routes