HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation / Hope Credit Union) — Small Business Loans
Hope Enterprise Corporation / Hope Credit Union (HOPE)
Up to $250,000
Researched for this program: 4 rejection traps · 6 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
Deep South mission business lender
HOPE is a Deep South family of mission-driven financial institutions — Hope Enterprise Corporation and Hope Credit Union — that provides small business loans up to $250,000 (and commercial lending above $250,000) to entrepreneurs in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. HOPE offers start-up loans, business real estate lending, equipment and vehicle financing, share-secured and unsecured business loans, and specialized programs for Black- and women-owned businesses, including the Deep South Economic Mobility Collaborative (DSEMC) delivered with Hope Enterprise Corporation. It focuses on borrowers and communities historically underserved by conventional banks across the five-state region.
- Funding type
- Loan
- Level
- Private
- Amount range
- Up to $250,000
- Realistic amount
- Most HOPE small business borrowers take a loan at or under the $250,000 small business ceiling; larger needs move to its commercial lending track. A typical small business loan realistically falls in the five-to-low-six-figure range.
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Status
- active
- States
- Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee
- Payment model
- loan
Who qualifies
- Business located in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Tennessee
- For-profit small business (start-ups and existing businesses both eligible)
- Demonstrates ability to repay from business cash flow
- For credit union products, membership eligibility applies
- Specialized programs target Black- and women-owned businesses and historically underserved communities
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Working capital and start-up costs
- Business real estate purchase or refinance
- Vehicle purchase or refinance
- Equipment purchase or refinance
- Inventory and general business needs
Ineligible expenses
- Personal, non-business expenses
- Activities outside HOPE's lending policies
How to apply
-
1
Start the online application
Begin the guided online application at hopecu.org or contact a HOPE business lender directly for help choosing the right product.
~1 hrs
-
2
Gather and submit documents
Provide a completed business loan application, business financial statements (last 2 years), personal tax returns for owners/guarantors (last 2 years), personal financial statements, and — for startups — a business plan with financial projections, plus articles of incorporation/bylaws as applicable.
~8 hrs
-
3
Underwriting and decision
A HOPE business lender reviews the application and underwrites the loan based on repayment ability, collateral, and the business plan.
~3 hrs
-
4
Close and fund
Execute loan documents and receive disbursement for your stated use (working capital, real estate, equipment, vehicle, etc.).
~2 hrs
HOPE's special programs — like the Deep South Economic Mobility Collaborative and its Black- and women-owned business tracks — are where a borrower the big banks overlooked gets the most flexibility. If you're in one of the five states and fit those communities, ask the lender specifically about the targeted program, not just the generic business loan, since the underwriting and support are built for you.
Deadline & timing
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through an online system that walks borrowers through the steps; borrowers can also contact a HOPE business lender directly.
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