As a small business owner in the Tar Heel state, you focus on the future with your hands on the present. You have plans to take your business to the next level. Luckily as a North Carolina resident, there are many types of loans from a variety of organizations and institutions to support your business specifically. Depending on your needs and plans, you’re sure to find business loans in NC that fits the bill.

You want to expand your staff; increase your product offerings; ramp up your credit; grow your inventory; invest in an exciting new opportunity. But to realize those plans, you need some financial support from a lender who understands you and your business on a near-personal level. You want a small business loan made just for you. Today, we’ll explore the offerings available to North Carolina residents and businesses so you can make your next move expediently.

Carolina Small Business Development Fund Loans

If you’re looking for business loans in NC, a great place to start is the Carolina Small Business Development Fund–a nonprofit and Community Development Financial Institution that “lend[s] to start-ups and existing businesses across the state, with emphasis on businesses that have difficulty accessing financing through traditional loan sources.”

Carolina Small Business offers a variety of core loan products specific to businesses in the state. For example, if you live in Mecklenburg County, have an annual revenue of less than $1,000,000,000 and don’t have any unpaid judgments, open tax liens, or principal and business bankruptcy in the past five years, you may qualify for the Mecklenburg County Small Business Loan Program. This program offers up to $75,000.

Are you rebuilding your business in the wake of a natural disaster? Consider the Small Business Recovery Fund. It’s designed to “provide gap financing as a complement to Small Business Administration [SBA] and other disaster recovery programs.” This loan grants a minimum of $1,000 to small businesses with no maximum amount. Other disaster-based loan programs offered by Carolina Small Business include the Hurricane Florence Recovery Loan Program.

Carolina Small Business also offers Veterans Direct loans if they’re in-state veterans and/or their spouses are, and Healthy Carolina loans to established businesses and new entrepreneurs involved in the “production, processing, wholesale, distribution, and retail of healthy food products.” This is only possible as long as they’re located and selling healthy foods and food products in food deserts. In addition, Carolina Small Business’s African-American Loan Fund assists African-American entrepreneurs as they develop and expand their businesses.

Mountain BizWorks Loans

Live in Western North Carolina? If so, you may qualify for a loan with Mountain BizWorks. Mountain BizWorks offers loans as low as $1,000 to as high as $250,000 for small businesses in your area. Their model is unique. This means that they “consider non-traditional collateral, offer flexibility in the loan structure, and loan decisions and relationships are managed locally.” What’s more is, they’re willing to work with you to discuss out-of-the-ordinary circumstances that might have hurt a once-strong score. Interest rates vary based on your individual circumstance. However, they promise an answer within two to three weeks of your loan application.

Carolina Farm Credit

Carolina Farm Credit specifically applies to North Carolina’s farmers and rural residents. They offer farm and land loans for agribusinesses. As a farmer, you can seek support in funding for farm improvements, equipment, livestock and operations. Carolina Farm Credit offers farm land and acreage financial options. This is a good option if you’re hoping to expand physically or just get off the ground.

Local Banks and Credit Unions

When it comes to finding the right loan for your business, banks and credit unions can be particularly helpful. Local banks may provide additional tools and resources and leverage connections to help you get a loan that suits your needs and credit that a nationally recognized bank might not be able to do. In North Carolina, there are many banks that value small businesses and their contribution to the economic well-being of the state.

BB&T

With 285 branches in nearly 200 cities, BB&T is one of the biggest banks in the state. Its options for small business loans in NC are vast. Borrowing options include loans through BB&T, and benefits for members who utilize the SBA.

Self-Help Credit Union

Self-Help Credit Union, another major bank in North Carolina, offers small-business and commercial loans, as well as:

• Specialty Loan Programs designed to promote local economic development and support “distressed and rural communities” across the state
• Neighborhood Stabilization Loans aimed at developers of affordable multifamily housing in specific places such as North Carolina
• United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Loans
• And many more

Truliant Federal Credit Union

Truliant Federal Credit Union has branches throughout the state. They offer tools to help you assess your business’s finances and secure the right loan for your needs. Loan options include SBA loans, USDA business and industry programs, construction and auto loans, equipment financing and others.

First Bank

First Bank, located throughout the Carolinas, is another fantastic option for business loans in NC. As a local bank, First Bank is intimately familiar with the markets your business touches. They can use that knowledge to support you in making financial decisions. First Bank’s small business loan offerings range from SBA loans to credit cards to lines of credit and beyond. They suit solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, and business owners with dreams to expand their business, to reconfigure financial structures, finance major investments, and beyond.

SBA Lenders

There’s a host of SBA lenders dedicated to supporting North Carolina small businesses in securing loans. According to the SBA North Carolina District Office, these include “SBA 7(a) Lenders, 504 Certified Development Companies, and SBA Microlenders.” For specific details and contact information, see the SBA North Carolina District Office’s official list.

As a small business owner based in North Carolina, you have lots of location-specific borrowing options. While this list contains some of the best and most diverse options for NC business loans, it certainly isn’t every single available option. In fact, depending on the nature of your business, your location and your needs, you might even be surprised to find a loan that’s “tailor-made” just for you.

Funding your next business endeavor can feel daunting, time-consuming, and confusing. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by choice and unsure where to start, utilize the resources offered by local banks (or local branches of major banks), the small business administration, or the Carolina Small Business Development Fund. Or, for fast, personalized service, unique expertise, and an answer guaranteed in as little as hours after you apply, consider finding your best financing solution through Kapitus. Once you’re approved, you can hit the ground running and make those pivotal moves that take your small business to the next level in 2020 and beyond.

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