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BELL Small Business Loan Fund
BELL loans are for business owners in Maryland who have applied for business loans or credit lines but been turned down by banks and financial institutions. Our business loans are targeted to small, minority, rural and woman-owned businesses. But all are welcome to apply. If you need more than we have available, we invite you to complete the application and we will refer you to one of our local network partners. CLICK HERE TO APPLY
Please note our loans are for business owners to be used for business purposes only. These are NOT personal loans. Once you have repaid BELL, we will positively report your payment history to our lending partners and refer you to them for larger loans and lines of credit. You will need to meet their criteria in order to receive financing.
Our interest rates are slightly higher than what you will receive at a traditional bank due to the risk factors of lending to small business owners who do not meet conventional lending qualifications. This higher rate also covers costs that come with educating, servicing and coaching our loan applicants. Every approved borrower must complete our online entrepreneurship training program. Our goal is to educate and service as many Maryland business owners as we can.
If you can find a lower rate and better terms, we encourage you to take the best offer available. Our loans are for those who have very limited options and who have been denied capital elsewhere.
Our BELL Loan Fund was grown from membership dues, donations, sponsorships and ticket sales from our events. We work hard to keep the fund growing, so we are very careful with whom we lend money. Our Loan Committe is a comprised of BELL Members who review the information you submit. They make a determination on the loan size and repayment term or if no loan can be offered at this time. BELL Members made the investment, so they determine who receives a loan.
Want to add to the fund? Donate. Sponsor. Join.
Need more than $100,000?
We partner with M&T Bank, Baltimore Community Lending, Meridian Management Group, WHC Lending and over a dozen national lenders. If you need more than $100,000 or they can offer you a better option, we will refer you there. Simply complete the pre-qualification application and we will refer you to the best option in our network.