Appalachian Growth Capital — Small Business Loans (Appalachian Ohio)
Appalachian Growth Capital, LLC
Flexible CDFI loans (amount varies)
Appalachian Ohio's small-business CDFI
Appalachian Growth Capital (AGC) is the only local CDFI serving Ohio's 32-county Appalachian region, created to help small and mid-size businesses there obtain financing they cannot get from conventional banks. AGC provides direct, low-cost loans paired with targeted technical assistance — financial advising, business coaching, networking, and consultant referrals — to build the non-financial capacity of its borrowers. The lending capital is backed by a $10 million commitment from the Ohio Development Services Agency / Governor's Office of Appalachia. AGC's flexible terms are aimed at businesses that struggle to qualify for conventional lending; the small business is the direct borrower. Since 2020 AGC reports $18M+ deployed and 3,500+ businesses assisted.
- Funding type
- Loan
- Level
- Private
- Amount range
- Flexible CDFI loans (amount varies)
- Realistic amount
- Loan sizes are set per deal and not published; AGC reports $18M+ in total lending across 3,5…
- Deadline
- Rolling — applications accepted year-round.
- Status
- active
- States
- Ohio
- Payment model
- loan
Who qualifies
- Small or mid-size business located in Ohio's 32-county Appalachian region
- Loan for business purposes
- Typically businesses that cannot readily qualify for conventional bank financing
- Willingness to engage AGC's technical assistance / coaching
Hard requirements
- Must be in a rural area
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Working capital
- Equipment
- Business expansion
- Real estate / facilities (per deal)
Ineligible expenses
- Personal (non-business) expenses
- Activity outside the Appalachian Ohio footprint
How to apply
-
1
Contact AGC and confirm eligibility
Reach AGC via appcap.org or 740-216-4449, confirm the business is in the 32-county Appalachian Ohio footprint, and discuss the financing need.
~1 hrs
-
2
Submit application and financials
Provide business and personal financial information for underwriting. AGC's flexible criteria target businesses banks decline.
~4 hrs
-
3
Technical assistance and underwriting
AGC provides financial advising and business coaching to strengthen the deal, underwrites the loan, and may coordinate with partner banks/CDFIs to complete the financing.
~5 hrs
-
4
Closing and disbursement
On approval, AGC closes the loan and disburses funds; ongoing coaching is available.
~2 hrs
AGC is the ONLY local CDFI built specifically for Appalachian Ohio's 32 counties, so a business there that's been declined by a bank should treat AGC as a first call, not a last resort — and lean into the free technical assistance, because AGC underwrites the strengthened business case, not just the numbers a bank already rejected. Ask AGC to help layer their loan with a partner-bank or SBA piece for larger needs.
Deadline & timing
No fixed deadline; AGC underwrites on a rolling basis. Prospective borrowers contact AGC (740-216-4449) or apply via the website. AGC pairs lending with technical 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.