CAPITAL GROUNDWORK
Business Funding Readiness Checklist
Funding readiness is not a magic score. Use this checklist to identify what you know, what is missing, and what you need to verify before comparing financing.
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Define the capital need
- ☐ Record the target amount and acceptable range
- ☐ Define the intended use of funds
- ☐ Record when the funds are needed
- ☐ Decide whether the need is one-time or recurring
Business information
- ☐ Organize legal name, structure, registration, EIN where applicable, address, industry, and ownership
- ☐ Organize business banking and applicable licenses
Operating history
- ☐ Calculate time in business
- ☐ Record significant operating changes
- ☐ Write a one-sentence description of what the business does
Revenue and cash flow
- ☐ Review recent revenue
- ☐ Review typical cash inflows and outflows
- ☐ Identify seasonality and unusual changes
- ☐ Estimate what the business can realistically support in additional obligations
Existing obligations
- ☐ Inventory loans, cards, lines of credit, equipment financing, and other obligations
- ☐ Record balances, payments, frequency, and security/guarantees
Credit picture
- ☐ Review available business-credit information
- ☐ Understand whether owner personal credit may be considered
- ☐ Verify personal-guarantee requirements rather than assuming
Documents
- ☐ Organize recent business bank statements
- ☐ Gather tax returns where requested
- ☐ Prepare P&L, balance sheet, and cash-flow information
- ☐ Prepare projections/business plan where applicable
- ☐ Organize ownership, formation, license, and use-of-funds documentation
Compare structures and offers
- ☐ Compare term loan, line of credit, equipment, SBA-backed, and other relevant structures
- ☐ Compare amount, rate/cost, fees, repayment frequency, term, guarantees, collateral, and prepayment terms
- ☐ Read the actual agreement rather than relying only on advertising
Important
This is an educational planning tool, not a financing application. Completing it does not guarantee approval, an offer, a financing amount, rate, term, or product.
Ready for the next step?
Compare financing structures and tradeoffs before choosing where to apply.
Compare Business Funding Options