Minority small business loans
for small business owners
There are many small business loan programs
that are designed specifically or that cater especially
to minority businesses. Minority businesses have many
options when comes to find minority small business loans.
Ethnic minorities and women are entitled to funds that
are earmarked for minority business development. There
are many government organizations and private businesses
allocate funds to lend to minority business owners.
These organizations include the Minority Business Development
Agency(MBDA), the Small Business Association(SBA), Wells
Fargo, and many investment companies.
The MBDA is a federal agency that has been created
specifically to foster the establishment and growth
of minority businesses. This agency provides funding
for a network of Minority Business Development Centers(MBDCs),
Native American Business Development Centers(NABDCs),
and Business Resource Centers(BRCs) located in the United
States. The minority centers give minority entrepreneurs
personalized assistance in writing business plans, marketing,
management and technical assistance, and financial planning
to secure financing for their business ventures. Minority
small business loans are plentiful, but minority business
owners will have to do extra work to acquire one. The
business owners must put together a loan application
package, which can be difficult, and may require additional
help. Small business development corporations are available
almost everywhere, and provide assistance to business
owners that need additional help putting together a
loan application package.
Some of these agencies also provide minority small
business loans to applicants who have been denied for
regular bank loans. The SBA is a government agency that
offers loans to all kinds of small business, especially
minority businesses. It is one of the best options for
minority business owners, although they don't offer
grants to start or expand a small business. However,
the SBA does guarantee loans for starting a small business,
which may extend to $250,000. After getting approval
for a SBA-guaranteed loan, the business owner must find
a lender that is approved by the SBA. Many banks are
potential lenders of an SBA loan, but eligibility requirements
vary among lending institutions. Bank of America has
been sited as one of the top-ranked lenders to minority
businesses.
Wells Fargo is a bank that is also known for its many
minority small business loans. The bank has pledged
to lend a billion dollars to African-American, Latino,
and women-owned businesses. There are some qualifications
that may exclude many small minority businesses, but
these qualifications are used to ensure that the best
businesses are funded. The loan qualifications, include
having a profitable business, being in business for
at least two years, having good personal and business
credit records, and the owner should not have declared
bankruptcy in the past ten years. Wells Fargo offer
lines of credit to small businesses that start at $5,000
and go to as much as $100,000. Small business investment
companies(SBICs) are also a great option for business
owners seeking minority small business loans. SBICs
are privately-owned and managed investment firms that
offer venture capital and startup financing to small
businesses. These agencies are licensed and regulated
by the SBA, and the SBA may even recommend these agencies
to minority business owners.