You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.
We are a nonprofit lending institution that offers loans to small businesses unable to get traditional bank financing.
For almost 50 years, we’ve been helping people realize their dreams of starting and growing their businesses.
We invest more than just money in our borrowers. We provide them with one-on-one business training and coaching to help them succeed. And when our borrowers succeed, our local communities grow and thrive.
Colorado Enterprise Fund is a nonprofit corporation that leverages investments and grants from financial institutions, foundations, government agencies, other nonprofits and individuals to provide capital and technical assistance to borrowers. Together with these funders, we serve small businesses and their communities throughout the state in a sustainable and responsible manner.
Our funders are integral to our success as they provide not only the funding for loans to our clients, but also general operating support for the organization.
It’s also important to note that we were the first lending institution in Colorado to be certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). This certification allows us to receive CDFI funds awarded nationwide to responsible financial institutions like CEF that serve economically distressed communities and empower undercapitalized people to enter the economic mainstream.
Here are a few of the definitions of a CDFI that we like best, by some of our trusted industry partners:
According to Opportunity Finance Network (OFN), "Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) are private financial institutions that are 100% dedicated to delivering responsible, affordable lending to help low-income, low-wealth, and other disadvantaged people and communities join the economic mainstream.
By financing community businesses—including small businesses, microenterprises, nonprofit organizations, commercial real estate, and affordable housing—CDFIs spark job growth and retention in hard-to serve markets across the nation."
And the CDFI Coalition explains CDFIs as, "Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are private-sector, financial intermediaries with community development as their primary mission.... CDFIs supply the tools enabling economically disadvantaged individuals to become self-sufficient stakeholders in their own future. These tools include providing financial services, loans, and investments; offering training and technical assistance services; and promoting development efforts that enable individuals and communities to effectively use credit and capital.... CDFIs conduct a wide range of financial activities. Community development credit unions and community development banks supply underserved communities with traditional retail banking services like savings accounts and personal loans."
We provide loans from $10K to $1M for working capital, machinery or equipment, purchases of franchises and existing businesses, business property improvements, business real estate, and refinancing of high-interest loans or credit cards. We can also do gap financing for owner-occupied commercial real estate.
In addition, at little or no cost, we offer our borrowers in-house, one-on-one Business Navigation Services (business training and coaching) to help them succeed. We provide this training when and where they need it – in person, online or by phone – in English or Spanish.
Our small business loans range from $10,000 to $1,000,000 with a range of rates and terms that are tailored to meet the needs of each business we serve.
Absolutely not! We have many bank and credit union partners across the state, and encourage applicants to explore loan options with them first, but applicants do not have to be rejected by a financial institution in Colorado to qualify for a loan from CEF.
Our small business loans range from $10,000 to $1,000,000 with a range of rates and terms. Since we offer a variety of loan products to meet various small business needs, an average loan size depends on the type of loan product and use of funds.
We utilize basic lending principles when reviewing a small business loan application, but the difference is that we are more flexible in how we apply these principles.
Qualifying factors include the ability to repay the loan, how much experience you have in the industry, collateral to secure the loan, and a good payment history with other creditors. Once your application has been submitted for underwriting, we will consider these factors and others including the business industry climate, cash flow/profitability, and equity in the business.
The speed of the application process and getting approved depends largely on how quickly borrowers submit their paperwork for review.
It’s easy! Click here, or contact our office and we will connect you with one of our lending officers.