Ohio Micro-Loan Program
Ohio Department of Development — Minority Business Development Division
$10K-$45K at 0%
0% micro-loan for MBE/WBE
The Ohio Micro-Loan Program provides 0% interest micro-loans to certified minority- and women-owned businesses in Ohio to stimulate the growth of new and existing companies. Administered by the Ohio Department of Development's Minority Business Development Division, loans range from $10,000 to $45,000, with repayment over five years for permanent working capital and seven years for equipment. To qualify, a business must hold State of Ohio MBE or WBE certification and have its principal place of business and operations in Ohio. There is no application fee, no commitment fee, and no client equity required; the loan amount cannot exceed two times the business's revenue in the most recent tax year and projected years.
- Funding type
- Loan
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- $10,000 – $45,000
- Realistic amount
- Awards fall within the fixed $10,000-$45,000 band and are capped at 2x revenue, so a smaller…
- Deadline
- Rolling — applications accepted on an ongoing basis subject to funding availability.
- Status
- active
- States
- Ohio
- Payment model
- loan
Who qualifies
- Must hold State of Ohio MBE or State of Ohio WBE certification
- Principal place of business and operations located in Ohio
- Loan amount may not exceed 2x revenue in the most recent tax year and projected years
- Funds used for permanent working capital or equipment
- No client equity required to qualify
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Permanent working capital
- Equipment purchases
- Costs supporting growth of a new or existing Ohio business
Ineligible expenses
- Loan amounts exceeding 2x revenue
- Uses outside permanent working capital or equipment
- Refinancing unrelated debt
How to apply
-
1
Complete the preliminary eligibility form
Submit the online preliminary eligibility information form on development.ohio.gov to begin the process.
~1 hrs
-
2
Eligibility interview or certification referral
Program staff contact you for an eligibility interview, or refer you to your area Minority Business Assistance Center (MBAC) for help obtaining State of Ohio MBE/WBE certification if not already certified.
~2 hrs
-
3
Submit the full micro-loan application
Provide business financials, revenue documentation (to confirm the 2x revenue cap), use of proceeds (working capital or equipment), and certification proof.
~6 hrs
-
4
Approval and disbursement
On approval, the 0%-interest loan is closed and disbursed, with repayment over five years (working capital) or seven years (equipment).
~2 hrs
At 0% interest with no fees and no equity required, this is essentially free capital for certified MBE/WBE firms — the practical gate is certification and the 2x-revenue cap. If you're newer with thin revenue, the cap (not the $45K ceiling) is what limits your loan, so make sure your most-recent and projected revenue are well documented.
Deadline & timing
Applications begin with a preliminary eligibility information form, after which staff conduct an eligibility interview (or refer the applicant to a Minority Business Assistance Center for certification). Processed on a rolling basis.
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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.