One of the cornerstones of a healthy community is a vibrant and diverse small business sector. The federal and state governments offer a variety of programs and support for women owned small businesses.
Use these resources to help to start of expand your business
Learn More about SBA Women's Business Centerssee here
Women's Business Centers (WBCs) stand for a nationwide network of nearly 100 instructional centers throughout the United States and its territories, which are created to help women in beginning and growing small companies. WBCs seek to "level the playing field" for women entrepreneurs, who still face unique obstacles in business world.
SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership (OWBO) oversees the WBC network, which provides entrepreneurs (specifically women who are economically or socially disadvantaged) comprehensive training and counseling on a range of topics in numerous languages.
Find a WBC Near You
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Many of the SBA programs offering Small Business Grants, Loan Programs and Counseling Programs for women are offered through universities and centers.
The Historically Underutilized Business Zones Empowerment Contracting Program provides federal contracting assistance to eligible small businesses located in underutilized business zones to improve their employment opportunities, investments, and their area's economic development.
SBA Low-Interest Disaster Loans
Disaster loans can be utilized for the repair and rebuilding of non-farm, private sector disaster losses, and are available to all types of business, instead of being restricted to small businesses alone.
HUBZone Certification Program Webinar
This video explains the basics of the HUBZone certification program for small business federal contractors.
HUBZone certification allows certain small businesses to compete for set-aside contracts aimed at spurring investment in low median income or high unemployment areas.
SBA 8(a) Business Development Program Webinar
This video explains how the SBA's 8(a) Program works, its eligibility requirements, technical assistance available to small disadvantaged businesses through the program and common myths about the program.
Local Assistance from the Small Business Administration
The Small Business Administration has many local offices and resource partners that counsel, mentor and train small business owners and entrepreneurs.
These nearby offices and online assistance can help your business start up, succeed and grow. This short video provides a good introduction to services near you.
Small Business Administration Resources for Veterans
The Small Business Administration offers various resources for veterans interested in starting, financing or growing their businesses.
We've read stats showing that Blacks have a buying power of $1.2 Trillion dollars and that Black women are starting businesses at a faster rate than any other group, but is this enough to change the economic inequalities that plague Black neighborhoods?
SCORE Services to Small Business - An Introduction
In an excerpt from a 2010 interview the SCORE CEO discusses its counseling and workshops offerings to small businesses.
The Creative Role That One CDFI Plays in Impact Investing
Antony Bugg-Levine, CEO of the Community Development Financial Institution Nonprofit Finance Fund, manages $80 million of impact investments. He is also the author of Impact Investing: Transforming How We Make Money While Making a Difference.
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Featured Government Grant Resources
Secondary Market Lending Authority Program
The Small Business Administration has constituted the Secondary Market Lending Authority program, one which aims to provide liquidity for the secondary market, thereby ultimately encouraging new lending opportunities from banks of Small Business Administration guaranteed loans.
Minority Business Enterprise Centers for Minority-Owned Businesses
The The Minority Business Development Agency has recently constituted the Minority Business Enterprise Centers (MBEC) Program wherein it aims to support minority-owned businesses by providing them with electronic and one-on-one business development services for a reasonably nominal fee.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) released the Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principles, an agreement signed by 34 banks, including the original eight of the nation’s leading banks, that covered nine key areas: environmental and social risk management, environmental and social footprint, human rights, women’s economic empowerment, financial inclusion, environmental and social governance, capacity building, collaborative partnerships and reporting.
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Women can get small business loans from the same sources other individuals seek small business financing from. This includes banks, credit unions, online lenders and any alternative lender or lending solution as long as they meet the lender's requirements.
While there's no official required SBA loan minimum credit score from the Small Business Administration, lenders will often set minimum credit score requirements for both personal and business. An SBSS of 140 to 160+ or a personal score of 620 to 640+ are commonly needed to qualify.
What is the easiest SBA loan to get approved for? Loans under the 7(a) program have a higher acceptance rate. And since most 7(a) loans are for $50,000 or less, it may be easier to get approved for a small amount with an Express loan. But you will still need to meet the minimum criteria to qualify and be approved.
How much of a business loan you can get depends on your business's annual gross sales, creditworthiness, current debts, the type of financing, and the chosen lender. In general, lenders will only provide loans up to 10% to 30% of your annual revenue to ensure you have the means for repayment.
In 2022, 25% of women-owned businesses were rejected for a loan, compared to 19% of male-owned businesses. Beyond that, women of color were denied business relief funds two times more than male business owners, a 2022 California state report found.
The level of difficulty a small business faces when applying for a loan depends on several factors, including its cash flow, time in business, credit score, business plan and desired loan amount. The better a small business is able to prove its ability to repay the loan, the easier it will be to get the loan.
The most common reasons SBA loans are denied are poor credit, too much existing debt, or insufficient collateral. Other reasons include: Prior bankruptcy. Negative taxable income.
To qualify for financing, you may need at least six months in business and a minimum credit score of 500, although requirements vary by lender. Reputable lenders do not offer guaranteed approval.
Many statistics say that large banks approve SBA loans at rates as low as 20-30%, while smaller banks approve SBA loans at around 40% or less. All this to say: SBA loan approval rates hover at half or below all loan applications that are submitted.
Do SBA loans require a down payment? Yes, the minimum SBA loan down payment requirement is 10% for 7(a) and 504 loans, although this amount can vary based on a business's cash flow and collateral. For example, weak cash flow or low-value collateral can increase the down payment requirement to 30% of the loan amount.
Any assets you pledge should be worth at least as much as the amount your business wants to borrow. In other words, if you want to take out a $100,000 secured business loan, you may need to provide $100,000 worth of collateral to back the financing.
Backed by the US Small Business Administration, SBA loans for startups are designed to help business owners grow their companies and cover expenses like equipment. There are several types of SBA loans with maximum amounts ranging from $50,000 to $5 million. SBA loans are backed by the US Small Business Administration.
Provided by WomensNet, the Amber Grant offers three $10,000 grants to women-owned businesses each month, including: Monthly Amber Grants. Startup Grants for businesses with less than $10,000 in total sales.
The Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988 allowed women to get a business loan without a male co-signer. Since 1972, the number of women-owned businesses has increased by 31 times.
Many statistics say that large banks approve SBA loans at rates as low as 20-30%, while smaller banks approve SBA loans at around 40% or less. All this to say: SBA loan approval rates hover at half or below all loan applications that are submitted.
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