Accompany Capital — Small Business Loans for Immigrant and Refugee Entrepreneurs
Accompany Capital (formerly Business Center for New Americans, BCNA)
$1,000–$350,000
CDFI loans for NYC immigrant entrepreneurs
Accompany Capital is a New York City CDFI with 20+ years serving immigrant, refugee, and new American entrepreneurs who are denied by traditional banks. Products range from $1K credit-building loans to $350K SBA Community Advantage loans, with no minimum credit score required. The organization has supported over 9,000 immigrant-owned businesses with $76M+ in total lending. Free business training, credit-building support, and one-on-one coaching are included.
- Funding type
- Loan
- Level
- Private
- Amount range
- $1,000 – $350,000
- Realistic amount
- Most immigrant micro-entrepreneurs start with $10,000–$35,000 microloans. Established businesses with 2+ years of operat…
- Deadline
- Rolling — applications accepted year-round, no cycle deadlines.
- Status
- active
- States
- NY
- Payment model
- loan
Who qualifies
- Business or individual must be located in New York City's five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island)
- Applicant must be at least 21 years of age
- No minimum credit score required — alternative underwriting used
- No bankruptcy within the past 24 months
- Must demonstrate income or positive cash flow from the business
- All required business licenses must be held
- Refugees and asylees with legal status are explicitly eligible
- Immigrant entrepreneurs without citizenship are eligible (program serves non-citizen new Americans)
Hard requirements
- Location restriction: New York City five boroughs only
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Working capital and operating expenses
- Equipment and machinery
- Inventory
- Leasehold improvements and renovations
- Technology and software
- Marketing and advertising
- Payroll (for established businesses)
- Startup capital (for new businesses — SBA Community Advantage product)
Ineligible expenses
- Personal expenses
- Speculative investments
- Refinancing of personal consumer debt
- Businesses located outside New York City's five boroughs
How to apply
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1
Contact Accompany Capital or visit an office
Call 212-898-7850 or visit accompanycapital.org/loans to start your application. You can also visit offices in Manhattan (11 Broadway, Suite 1515) or Queens (78-27 37th Avenue, Suite 1) for in-person assistance — especially useful if English is not your primary language.
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2
Submit loan application and business documentation
Complete the online application or paper form. For microloans: provide 3 months of business bank statements, any tax returns (or YTD P&L if newer), government-issued ID, and description of loan purpose. For SBA Community Advantage: additional documents including 2 years of tax returns, business plan, and collateral documentation.
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3
Loan officer review and credit analysis
An Accompany Capital loan officer reviews your application. No minimum credit score — they evaluate cash flow, business viability, and repayment capacity. May request additional documentation or schedule an in-person or phone meeting.
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4
Loan approval and fund disbursement
Approved borrowers receive funds via ACH to a business bank account within days of signed loan agreement. Free business training and coaching resources become available immediately upon loan approval.
No minimum credit score — cash flow and business viability are what matter. For refugees with legal status, Accompany Capital has dedicated staff and multilingual loan officers. NYC-only restriction is firm; businesses outside the five boroughs should look at Accion Opportunity Fund instead.
Deadline & timing
Applications accepted continuously with no intake windows. Loan decisions typically within 2–4 weeks of a complete application. Office hours at Manhattan and Queens locations for in-person assistance.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.