Business Resources

Access to Capital

loans

The Loan Readiness Center (LRC) provides tailored advice and business loan training for entrepreneurs from underserved communities to access funding needed to start and grow their businesses.

Craft3 General Business Loans - Looking to finance general business activities, buy equipment, start or acquire a business? In order to empower business owners and remove barriers to accessing financing, Craft3 has created a variety of downloadable resources, including:

Prosper Portland Business Finance Programs - offering flexible loans and grants, tailored repayment terms, and partnerships with primary lenders to meet unique business needs. They provide business support through their Inclusive Business Resource Network (IBRN) and have dedicated staff to guide you through the process.

Small Business Administration (SBA) Loans - Start or expand your business with loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration. Use Lender Match to find lenders that offer loans for your business.

Also, from the SBA - learn how to monitor the status of your COVID-19 EIDL, make payments, and request servicing actions.

KIVA Loans - uses crowdfunded microloans (up to $15,000 at 0% interest) as a force for good, creating a space where people can have one-to-one impact, and together, expand financial access for all.

Point West Credit Union - offers business purpose loan, line of credit or a Business VISA credit cards.

Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon (MESO) - offers business loans up to $250,000. Other services include Access to Capital, credit builder loan, and Individual Development Accounts (IDA’s).

Community Lending Works - Providing business and consumer loans throughout Oregon

Grants

Are you a Livelihood NW client? Log in to your homepage and check out our General Announcement Board for the most recent grants.

Subscribe to our Monthly Newsletter where we share small business grants and funding opportunities.

Oregon IDA Program - Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) are a resource for qualifying Oregonians to leverage the power of their own savings to support self-determined financial goals. Looking for an IDA Provider in your community? This search tool will help you locate and contact IDA Providers throughout Oregon.

VENTURE CAPITAL

Project Enginuity - uplifts Black, Latinx and women entrepreneurs, assisting them on their journey to secure non-dilutive capital and fuel innovation. It is focused on tech/innovation companies.

Key4Women - supports the financial progress and empowerment of business women.

Tie XL Bootcamp - For ambitious entrepreneurs looking to jump-start their business ventures, TiE XL Bootcamp serves as an ideal platform to learn, connect, and grow in the competitive startup ecosystem.

Latino Founders Accelerator - is an industry-agnostic program to support entrepreneurs in scaling their products, technology, and services. 

Venture Capital in Portland - list of Venture Capital resources for start-up Portland businesses

Are you looking for resources for successful grant writing? All grant applications are different. Here are some resources that can help you get started:

Find the Perfect Funding Source… if you need it

Livelihood NW doesn’t have a loan program, which means we can unbiasedly help you find the best source of capital to start or grow your business. Because many of the businesses we work with face barriers to accessing capital, our network includes smaller local banks, credit unions, micro-lenders, non-traditional lenders, and a few larger lending institutions. We can also help you navigate crowdfunding, the IDA program, bringing on a business partner, competing in pitch competitions, loans for undocumented individuals, and other alternative sources of capital.

video on the different ways to fund a scalable business:

Introduction to the Start-Up Capital series:

Pro-tips grants workshop