Small Business Loans for Women (2024)

Government Grants

Business Grants

Home Owner Programs

Federal Programs

About Us

Grant and Loans for Women-Owned Small Businesses

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

close this section

Many of the SBA programs offering Small Business Grants, Loan Programs and Counseling Programs for women are offered through universities and centers.

Small Business Administration HUBZone Program

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.

Supporting Black-Owned Business

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.

Next 9 >>

Featured Government Grant Resources

Program for Investment in Micro-Entrepreneurs Technical Assistance

The Program for Investment in Micro-Entrepreneurs Technical Assistance Program is designed to decrease the number of disadvantaged micro-entrepreneurs by helping them enhance their management capabilities, by way of providing them with technical assistance and training in the areas concerning activities that are associated with starting, expanding and growing their businesses.

Common Bean Productivity Research for Global Food Security Competitive Grants Program

In keeping with this mission, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture has recently established the Common Bean Productivity Research for Global Food Security Competitive Grants Program in an attempt to develop approaches and methods that can efficiently address the various challenges facing common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) production among small holder producers in food insecure countries.

More Small Business Resources


Allison Roberts, a Canadian born chocolatier,is looking to start a community minded, ethical chocolate factory processing beans in Clonakilty.

Find SBA Assistance in Your Locale

Need Business Advice?

Learn How SCORE Can Help Your Business

Have an Idea?

Find Funding for Your Invention

Grant Scams?

Learn How to Identify and Avoid Grant Scams

'); }; }); }); }; // Callback function to create HTML result var _callback = function(e, feeds, options) { if (!feeds) { return false; } var html = ''; var row = 'odd'; // Add header if required if (options.header) html += '

' + '' + feeds.title + '' + '

'; // Add body html += '

'; // Add feeds // take out the loop //for (var i=0; i

' + '<' + options.titletag + '>' + entry.title + '' + options.titletag + '>' if (options.date) html += '

' + pubDate + '

' if (options.content) { // Use feed snippet if available and optioned if (options.snippet && entry.contentSnippet != '') { var content = entry.contentSnippet; } else { var content = entry.content; } html += '

' + content + ' more...' + '' + '

' } html += '

'; // Alternate row classes if (row == 'odd') { row = 'even'; } else { row = 'odd'; } //} html += '

Small Business Loans for Women (2024)

FAQs

How do women get a small business loan? ›

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.

What is the minimum credit score to get a small business loan? ›

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.

Can I borrow money to start a small business? ›

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has several programs to help finance small business loans. Many SBA loan programs combine business coaching and technical assistance, as well as access to financing, on more flexible terms. One example is the 7 (a) Loan Program, SBA's most widely-used loan guarantee program.

How much can I realistically get for a small business loan? ›

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.

What size loan can I get to start a business? ›

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.

How do I qualify for a small business SBA? ›

SBA assigns a size standard to each NAICS code. Most manufacturing companies with 500 employees or fewer, and most non-manufacturing businesses with average annual receipts under $7.5 million, will qualify as a small business.

What disqualifies you from a small business loan? ›

Reasons you may be disqualified from a small business loan include a low credit score, poor cash flow, no collateral, significant debt, a bad business plan or having a business in a risky industry.

What credit score does an LLC start with? ›

While LLCs can be started at any credit level, there will be some notable disadvantages for business owners who have bad credit. Here are a few examples: Money will be hard to come by. Having bad personal credit will generally make it more difficult to get a bank loan to start or expand your LLC.

What is the easiest business loan to get? ›

Here are 9 easy business loans
  • Best for Quick easy business loans. Bluevine. ...
  • Best for Easy short-term business loans. OnDeck. ...
  • Best for Easy equipment loans. Triton Capital. ...
  • Best for Easy business loans for bad credit. Fora Financial. ...
  • Best for Easy unsecured business loans. National Funding. ...
  • Best for Easy business lines of credit.

Can you get a small business loan with no income? ›

Microloans. Microloans are loans of up to $50,000 that can help startups tackle small funding needs. Because they are geared toward startup businesses, they may not have revenue requirements to apply. Microloans are available from the SBA, as well as other government, nonprofit and peer-to-peer agencies.

How hard is it to get an SBA loan? ›

To qualify for an SBA loan, you'll generally need to have been in business for two or three years, have good or excellent credit, and have strong and stable revenue that will demonstrate your business' ability to service debt.

How to get funding for a startup? ›

  1. Determine how much funding you'll need.
  2. Fund your business yourself with self-funding.
  3. Get venture capital from investors.
  4. Use crowdfunding to fund your business.
  5. Get a small business loan.
  6. Use Lender Match to find lenders who offer SBA-guaranteed loans.
  7. SBA investment programs.
May 19, 2023

How big of a loan can a new LLC get? ›

Prospective borrowers have three options: business term loan, line of credit or SBA loan. Funding Circle term loans range from $25,000 to $500,000 with repayment terms from six months to five years.

How much will SBA loan me to buy a business? ›

Loan amount

SBA 7(a) loans are available up to $5 million and SBA Express loans are available up to $500,000. SBA 504 loans are available up to $5.5 million.

How many years is a typical small business loan? ›

Terms typically range from one to five years, which is a relatively longer repayment structure than most other online business loan solutions. Long-term loans typically last 7-10 years and are more likely to be available through banks and credit unions rather than alternative lenders, which some business owners prefer.

Which bank is best for women entrepreneurs? ›

Indian Banks offer a number of exclusive schemes to support the women entrepreneurs in the country to expand and improve their business. Punjab National Bank, Dena Bank, Bank of Baroda, Oriental Bank of Commerce, and Bank of Mysore are few to name.

What year would a woman get a business loan? ›

Women's Business Ownership Act changed history for women entrepreneurs. The Women's Business Ownership Act (WBOA) of 1988 prohibited state laws that required women to secure a male relative as their co-signer on business loans.

When could women get a business loan without a male cosigner? ›

What exactly was going on before this Act passed? Prior to the passing of this Act in 1988, women were required to have a male relative as their co-signer on business loans. The definition of “male relative” could range from a woman's husband to her own child.

How many employees do you need for a small business loan? ›

IBank's Small Business Finance Center Loan Guarantee

To qualify for this loan program, you must have an established business entity and have between one and 750 employees.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Sen. Ignacio Ratke

Last Updated:

Views: 6177

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (56 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Sen. Ignacio Ratke

Birthday: 1999-05-27

Address: Apt. 171 8116 Bailey Via, Roberthaven, GA 58289

Phone: +2585395768220

Job: Lead Liaison

Hobby: Lockpicking, LARPing, Lego building, Lapidary, Macrame, Book restoration, Bodybuilding

Introduction: My name is Sen. Ignacio Ratke, I am a adventurous, zealous, outstanding, agreeable, precious, excited, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.