Non-Traditional Financing and Loans
A number of non-traditional financing options for farm and food businesses exist. Here are a few that might provide opportunities for Oregon farmers:
Oregon has a Community Public Offering tool available to food and agriculture businesses to raise up to $250,000 by crowdsourcing small loans from Oregon residents.
(link)
Harvest Capital – A Northwest agricultural real estate lender that can help finance the purchase of agricultural properties, farms, ranches, buildings and improvements, and consolidate existing debt.
(link)
Craft 3 — Statewide lending and business assistance to entrepreneurs who don’t normally have access to financing, including for rural, agriculture and food businesses.
(link)
Community Lending Works — Lending work includes small loans and technical assistance to small agricultural businesses
(link)
Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) – IDAs are matched savings accounts available for lower income individuals and small business owners to assist with equipment purchases, working capital and more.
(read more)
Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloans — SBA provides short-term microloans of up to $50,000 to small businesses through intermediary lenders. Loans may be used for working capital, inventory, supplies, machinery and/or equipment.
(link)
Equity Trust makes loans up to $150,000 that: assist in the permanent protection of land and/or buildings for agriculture; support the economic vitality of CSA farms; directly or indirectly enable land reform and promote alternative ownership models.
(link)
Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME) offers microloans for minority owned small businesses
(link)
Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon (MESO) offers loans of up to $50,000 for equipment and working capital for small businesses in parts of Oregon
(link)
MercyCorps Northwest — Provides loans from $500 to $50,000 for small businesses in Oregon and Washington that may not qualify for traditional loans.
(link)
Whole Foods Local Producer Loan Program — Whole Foods Market offers loans between $1,000 and $100,000 for small, local, independent producers to help them expand their businesses
(link)
Prosper is an online community marketplace for peer-to-peer lending without a middleman. Prosper offers fixed rate, unsecured loans from $2,000 to $35,000 with terms of 3 or 5 years
(link)
Funding Circle is an online marketplace where people lend to businesses
(link)
A variety of online funding platforms exist for creative projects
(read more)
Slow Money is an investment movement inspired by the Slow Food movement.
(read more)
Accion — a nationwide nonprofit micro and small business lending network
(link)
RSF Social Finance — Provides loans for food and agriculture businesses involved in sustainable agriculture and local food systems
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Pinnacle Business Financing — Loans for new and used farm equipment
(link)
