Financing Resources

EEvery business owner will need funding in one way or another. When I looked at the websites provided on our assignment it was no surprise to me that so many options exist today to fit nearly every business owner’s needs. The first website I looked into was opportunity finance. The one thing that captured my attention is that this website is not going to provide direct funding but a network to learn and possibly find financing options. These options are not limited to small business but housing, community facilities and such. The website provides links to the possible resources a business owner can make use of including trade associations and government resources (opportunityfinance.net, n.d.).
The website does have certain requirements that need fulfilling before a member qualifies during the application process. Some requirements include (a) be a member in good standing, (b) demonstrate that the use of capital is consistent with OFN’s mission, (c) demonstrate the capacity to use capital productively, and (e) demonstrate at least two years of operating surpluses in the last three years (opportunityfinance.net, n.d.). Additional information includes an overview on the CDFI Bond Program overview that was enacted by the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 as a transformational tool that will provide a new source of long-term/low-cost capital to disadvantaged communities (opportunityfinance.net, n.d.).
The next website I decided to cover is cdvca.org. This website is also a network where business owners can also find funding options such as CDVC funds which basically makes equity investments on businesses in economically distressed areas in the United States. So this type of funding would apply to current business owners whose business is already up and running (cdvca.org, n.d.).
In order to start the process, one requirement is to fill out an application and questionnaire where you have to provide information about (a) your organization's mission statement, (b) a description of the organization, (c) a description of the investment strategy of your funds, and more. Some additional information includes local conferences and events, public policy, and other federal initiatives (cdvca.org, n.d.).


CDVCA. (N.d). Cdvca.org. Retrieved July 12, 2011,
From http://www.cdvca.org/index.php? option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=90&Itemid=104
Opportunity Finance. (2011). Opportunityfinance.net. Retrieved July 12, 2011,
From http://www.opportunityfinance.net/