Part B · Startup-relevant scheme
EDA Revolving Loan Fund Program (EDA RLF)
Economic Development Administration (US Dept. of Commerce)
Loan / Credit
Seed / Early-StageGrowth / Scaling
EDA makes Economic Adjustment Assistance grants to state/local governments and nonprofits to establish revolving loan funds, which then make small-business loans locally, recycling repaid principal into new loans indefinitely.
Type of support
Loan / Credit
Best suited for
Early-Stage / Growth
Headline amount
Varies by local fund
Objectives
Provide gap financing for creditworthy businesses that can't yet get conventional bank financing, using local knowledge rather than a one-size-fits-all national underwriting standard.
Who can apply?
- Direct applicants are state/local governments and nonprofits establishing a fund, not businesses applying to EDA directly.
- A business benefits by borrowing from one of 500+ active EDA-capitalized local RLFs.
What do you get?
- More than $840M in combined EDA investment across active RLFs.
- RLFs have made 45,000+ loans, creating or retaining 733,000+ jobs over the program's lifetime.
- Loans often used for working capital when banks won't yet lend.
How to apply
Businesses apply to their local EDA-funded revolving loan fund administrator, not to EDA directly — check with your regional economic development district.
Key links
Details as most recently confirmed against the official source linked above. Deadlines, amounts and windows change — verify on the official portal before applying.