Loans and borrowing money for your business

Before you begin

Before applying for a loan, contact the San Francisco Small Business Development Center. 

They will pair you with a financial consultant. Your consultant can help you explore whether a loan is right for your business. They may suggest what options are best for you. 

They can also help with business planning and building or repairing credit.

City loan programs

Downtown SF Vibrancy Loan & Grant Fund

A new $3.6 million loan and grant program helps small businesses fill vacant storefronts Downtown (view the eligibility map here).

These loans provide capital to underserved markets for those who experience barriers to accessing traditional banking services.

Loan amounts are between $25,000-$100,000 with a 4% interest rate for qualifying businesses.

In addition, those who qualify for the loan will receive a grant of $25,000 from the City to support their launch.

Get more information and apply for the Downtown SF Vibrancy Loan.

This program is in partnership with Main Street Launch.  

San Francisco Launch

These loans range from $10,000 to $350,000. There is no application fee and no minimum credit score requirement.

Loans can be used for a wide range of business operating and start-up costs.

This program is in partnership with Main Street Launch.  

Nonprofit & Community Lenders

Loans from nonprofit and community lenders can have fewer restrictions than loans from traditional banks.

These lenders often target disadvantaged groups like minority or low-income business founders, who are less likely to receive loans from regular banks. 

These loans are usually smaller or have fixed interest rates. In addition to capital, many provide services like training or technical assistance.

Banks

Bank loans are one of the most traditional and conservative ways to finance a business.

They can also some of the hardest loans to get.

When banks lend to new businesses, they usually only offer short-term loans, seasonal lines of credit, and single-purpose loans for machinery and equipment.

Most banks require a business plan as part of the application. 

SF Lends

SF Lends is a program from the Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector and the City Administrator’s Office.

It is designed to address the difficulty many small businesses experience in accessing capital through a bank.

It is an initiative that to connect small businesses to affordable loans and lines of credit for their day-to-day cashflow needs. 

The financial products identified through SF Lends are publicly available, so anyone can apply.

Additionally, SF Lends is tailored to support Certified City & County of San Francisco Local Business Enterprises (LBE’s) with active contractual relationships with the government – direct or subcontract.

The City will validate certification and contract status on behalf of these LBEs during underwriting.

Featured resources

Accion Opportunity Fund

Opportunity Fund advances the economic well-being of working people by helping them earn, save, and invest in their future.

Opportunity Fund provides Small Business Loans, IDA Savings, and Community Real Estate services.

The loans range from $5,000 to $100,000 in the Bay Area and Greater Los Angeles.

Fondo Adelante 

The Mission Economic Development Agency’s (MEDA) community loan fund, Fondo Adelante, offers loans up to $100,000 to businesses who cannot get a loan at a traditional bank. 

Kiva Microloans

Kiva is a local non-profit that provides 0% interest loans up to $15,000 for small businesses and start-ups in the Bay Area.

These loans are crowdfunded on their website and can be used for any business purpose. 

Kiva's crowdfunding model and unique approach to underwriting allows those with poor financial history or limited business experience the opportunity to raise capital.

Mission Asset Fund

Mission Asset Fund helps clients participate in lending circles to help low-income businesses access 0% interest loans and build credit.

Northeast Community Federal Credit Union

Northeast is a nonprofit, member-owned, federally insured, community development credit union that offers small business loans. Chinese assistance is available upon request.

Pacific Community Ventures

Pacific Community Ventures is a mission-driven lender that provides fair and affordable loans up to $500,000 to California small businesses with at least 12 months in business.

Southeast Asian Community Center (SEACC)

The Southeast Asian Community Center (SEACC) is a multi-service nonprofit that provides business support services.

SEACC is a designated intermediary lender for the US Small Business Administration’s 7(m) Microloan program. This program provides commercial loans up to $50,000, to small businesses that have been unable to secure conventional bank loans.

Working Solutions

Working Solutions is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization committed to serving new and existing businesses throughout the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties.

Services include Microloans (Small Business Loans from $5,000 to $100,000), Technical Assistance and One-On-One Support, No-Cost Referrals to Local Business Resources, and Educational Presentations on Access to Capital.