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If you’re looking for the best loan option in Colorado, you’re not alone. With a total number of 563,917 small businesses in Colorado, it's one of the best states for business loans. You can request business loans from local government and state agencies, private lenders, nonprofit lenders, and more in Colorado.
The Best Small Business Loans Colorado Explained
1. Colorado Business Loan Fund
The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) manages the Colorado Business Loan Fund. OEDIT manages 14 different loans that help small business owners across the state.
As a business owner, you can request one or several of these loans to kick-start your startup or improve an existing business. To get approved for a financial loan, you need to satisfy a job creation requirement. First, you need to create a job for every $20,000 that you request in loan funds. It means that if you request $100,000 in loan funds, you need to have created five jobs.
Additionally, over 50% of the jobs created should be filled by people with low-to-moderate income. The loan application will require you to submit a financial projection and business plan. If you have an existing startup, you’ll need to submit your financial statement history.
In most cases, small business owners applying for the funds usually seek more than $100,000. But, if you apply for an amount less than that and you have five or fewer workers, you can qualify for a Micro-Enterprise Loan.
2. Colorado Enterprise Fund
Colorado Enterprise Fund is a nonprofit organization that specializes in helping people finance their ideas. As such, the organization offers specialized loans like the Healthy Foods Fund program, which provides up to $250,000 for agriculture businesses, food trucks, grocery stores, and other food-related ventures.
Other financing options available through this institution include:
- Valor loans for veterans: Offer up to $500,000 with a 10-year term.
- SBA community advantage loans: $250,000 with a 25-year term.
- Step-up loans: Offer up to $500,000 with a 10-year term.
- Just in time lines of credits: Offer up to $100,000 with a 2-year term.
- Commercial real estate loans: Offer up to $500,000 with a 7-year term.
- Dream Big microloans: Offer up to $50,000 with a 7-year term.
- Gap loans: Offer up to $500,000 with a 25-year term.
When you apply for funds, the organization will consider your personal credit score, industry experience, equity, payment history, collateral, and your company’s cash flow and profitability.
3. Colorado Lending Source
Colorado Lending Source is another nonprofit organization that has been providing financing to small businesses since 1990. In 2018, the nonprofit lender provided more than 221 loan fundings to businesses in Colorado. The lending institution is well known for its SBA loans.
SBA loans are government loans that offer a long-duration payment plan with low interest for lenders. Some examples of these SBA loans include general small business loans, microloans, commercial real estate loans, and community advantage loans.
Microloans are also called Colorado Main Street loans. It's a character-based microloan that helps you start or expand your business. The program offers up to $50,000, and it’s available to startups that can't afford a conventional loan.
Community advantage loans are primarily for underserved communities. If you own a small business in a community with a low income, then you might qualify for this loan. To apply for this
4. Bank of Colorado
Bank of Colorado has been supporting small businesses with local fundings for more than 100 years. The Bank has all the experience required to help you find the kind of loan you need. The Bank has branches throughout the state, including Denver, Akron, Fort Collins, and Colorado Springs.
Similar to other banks, all loan applications through the Bank of Colorado will require collateral. Fortunately, the collateral isn’t limited to real estate. You can use other assets as collateral, including equipment, inventory, and account receivables. If you have an agribusiness that requires funding, the Bank of Colorado is a great option to consider.
The Bank has more than 100 years of experience working with agribusiness. And they have special financing programs for it, such as the agric loans and line of credits, and livestock loans. Bank of Colorado offers other financial funding options for small businesses. These include business loans, lines of credit, equipment loans, and more.
5. Community Banks of Colorado
Community Banks of Colorado is a subdivision of NBH Bank. It’s an FDIC-insured bank that serves clients throughout Colorado. The Community Banks of Colorado has an extensive portfolio of products and services to satisfy small businesses, consumers, and commercial clients.
Besides being a nonprofit organization, small businesses can choose from a wide range of financing products. For instance, you might see that a term loan is best for significant investments, such as expanding your farm mortgage or constructing new buildings. But, if you’re looking for an emergency business loan, the business line of credit is a great option to consider.
Additionally, Colorado's Community Banks also provide loan fundings for community associations, farms, and healthcare ventures.
Summary of the Best Small Business Loan Options in Colorado
If you own a small business and you’re looking for the best local funding option in Colorado, several options are available for your consideration. Each loan option has its benefits and downsides. So it’s best if you weigh up all your options and then decide which loan best fits your business needs.
Here are some of the best local funding options to consider during your journey to search for small business funding for your Colorado business.
Financial Institution |
Amount of Loan |
Interest Rate |
Requirement |
Colorado Business Loan Fund |
Loan amount of up to $200,000 |
interest rates of 8.25% to 9.25% |
|
Colorado Enterprise Fund |
A maximum loan of up to $1 million |
Fixed rate |
|
Colorado Lending Source |
A loan from $25,000 to $5 million (depending on the type of loan you’re applying for) |
From 9.75% to 12.75% |
|
Bank of Colorado |
Maximum loan size of $350,000 |
Competitive interest rate |
|
Community Banks of Colorado |
Maximum loan size of $500,000 |
1.00% fixed |
|
Top Online Colorado Small Business Loans Options
In addition to traditional lenders, it is worth considering online lending options for funding your Colorado small business. You can fill out your application online, submit the required documents, and even receive the funds, right from the comfort of your home. Impressively, you can receive your funding as quickly as in 24 hours.
Below are the top four online lenders that you should keep in mind.