Colorado Startup Loan Fund

About this programme

The Colorado Startup Loan Fund puts loan capital and technical assistance into the hands of mission-based, nonprofit lenders, who then make small loans to Colorado entrepreneurs and small business owners who cannot get a loan from a traditional bank. It targets people starting, restarting, or restructuring a business, and those without the credit history, collateral, or English fluency that traditional underwriting assumes.

OEDIT runs this as a revolving fund: as borrowers repay their loans, that money goes back out to new entrepreneurs. It works through a network of mission-driven lenders and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) rather than lending directly, because these lenders are chosen for their ability to reach rural business owners, non-native English speakers, first-time borrowers, and people previously turned down elsewhere.

The loans are deliberately smaller than average, under $150,000, so the program can serve entrepreneurs who do not need or would not qualify for a larger conventional loan. Lenders in this network typically offer more flexible repayment and restructuring options and lower interest rates and fees than credit cards or payroll lenders, because their mission is community economic advancement rather than profit maximization.

How it works

OEDIT does not lend directly or collect applications. Instead it capitalizes around a dozen mission-based lenders and CDFIs around the state, each of which sets its own loan sizes (from $500 up to $150,000), interest rates, terms, and geographic coverage, and runs its own application process on a rolling basis.

Businesses that have been generating revenue for less than 24 months must complete Technical Assistance (TA), either through their chosen lender's TA program or through their local Small Business Development Center (SBDC), before they are eligible to apply for a loan. Existing businesses are not required to complete TA, though many lenders offer and encourage it.

Example lenders and their ranges: B:Side Fund offers $20,000 to $150,000 statewide; Community Enterprise Development Services (CEDS Finance) offers microloans up to $100,000 in the seven Denver metro counties, plus Islamic-compliant financing (murabahas) up to $100,000 statewide; Colorado Enterprise Fund offers $1,000 to $150,000 statewide; Exponential Impact offers $2,500 to $100,000 in El Paso, Park, and Teller counties, tied to completing a cohort program first; First Southwest Community Fund offers $10,000 to $150,000 in rural counties; Lendistry offers $25,000 to $150,000 statewide with terms up to 10 years; Region 9 Economic Development District offers $5,000 to $150,000 through its network of 11 partner Rural Business Loan Funds; and Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute (RMMFI) offers character-based loans from $200 to $75,000, primarily in the Denver metro area and parts of northeast and southeast Colorado.

On average, the process takes 30 to 60 days from start to finish, and moves faster with a complete application package prepared in advance.

Who can apply

Applicants must be for-profit entities located in Colorado with primary business activity, and a majority of employees, in Colorado.

They must have 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees at the time the loan is made, and no more than $2 million in gross annual revenue in the preceding fiscal year, with no more than $2 million projected for the upcoming year.

The business must be unable to obtain traditional financing, and applicants must also meet the credit requirements of the specific lender they apply through, which vary by lender.

Businesses generating revenue for less than 24 months must complete Technical Assistance through their lender before they are eligible.

Eligible loans: under $150,000, repayment terms no greater than 10 years, for startup working capital (with cash flow projections showing future debt service coverage), working capital, startup expenses, tenant improvements, commercial real estate, equipment, and in some cases debt restructuring and business acquisitions.

How to apply

1. Identify which lender serves your geographic area and offers the loan type and size you need. Coverage varies: some lenders serve the whole state, others only specific counties or regions.
2. Reference the Colorado Startup Loan Fund (CSLF) Checklist to gauge your readiness and spot where you might need Technical Assistance first.
3. If your business has generated revenue for less than 24 months, complete Technical Assistance through your chosen lender or your local Small Business Development Center before applying.
4. Apply directly with that lender; OEDIT does not collect applications, and each lender runs its own process and timeline.

Documents you’ll typically need

• Business Loan Preparedness Checklist (used to self-assess readiness, available in English, Spanish, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, French, Somali, and Vietnamese)
• Materials required vary by lender and loan size; the checklist is a general guide, not a complete list of what any individual lender requires

Frequently asked

More funding in Colorado

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Reviewed 2026-09-25. Programmes change, so check eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private firm and is not part of any government body.