Business Funding Glossary

Plain-language definitions for 28+ small business funding terms — from annualized cost and factor rate to SBA 7(a), invoice factoring, DSCR, and more.

Loan Types

Term Loan

A lump-sum business loan repaid in fixed monthly installments over a set period. Pro Capital's unsecured term loan has no loan minimum or maximum, with a 5–7 year term and rates starting at Prime + 1.

Example: Term loans use fixed monthly payments over the life of the loan, with no prepayment penalty.

Who qualifies: Requires a 680+ personal credit score across all 3 bureaus and 2 years of personal tax returns showing $50,000+ of taxable income each year. No minimum time in business.

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Business Line of Credit

A revolving credit facility that lets a business draw funds up to a set limit, repay, and re-borrow as needed. Interest is paid only on the outstanding balance.

Example: A line of credit accrues interest only on the amount drawn until it is repaid.

Who qualifies: Typically requires 6+ months in business, $8,000+ in monthly revenue, and a 680+ FICO.

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SBA 7(a) Loan

The Small Business Administration's flagship loan program. Loans have no loan minimum or maximum and are partially guaranteed by the SBA, allowing approved lenders to offer lower rates and longer terms than conventional financing.

Example: An SBA 7(a) loan spreads repayment over a longer term to support manageable payments.

Who qualifies: SBA qualification depends on the lender and business profile. There is a program for every credit score, including 500. Term loans and lines of credit start at 680+ FICO.

See SBA loan options →

SBA 504 Loan

An SBA program for major fixed-asset purchases — owner-occupied real estate and large equipment. Structured as a 50/40/10 split between a bank, a Certified Development Company, and the borrower.

Example: A $1,000,000 SBA 504 used to buy a building typically requires only a 10% borrower down payment ($100,000).

Who qualifies: Open to for-profit businesses with under $15M in tangible net worth and under $5M in average net income.

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SBA Express Loan

An accelerated SBA 7(a) variant with no loan minimum or maximum and SBA decisions in 36 hours. Carries a lower SBA guarantee (50%) than standard 7(a) loans in exchange for the faster turnaround.

Example: An SBA Express loan uses a streamlined process designed for faster decisions.

Who qualifies: SBA qualification depends on the lender and business profile. There is a program for every credit score, including 500. Term loans and lines of credit start at 680+ FICO.

See SBA loan options →

SBA Microloan

An SBA-backed loan with no loan minimum or maximum issued through nonprofit intermediary lenders, designed for startups and underserved entrepreneurs.

Who qualifies: Newer businesses, sole proprietors, and underserved entrepreneurs with limited credit history are commonly eligible.

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Invoice Factoring

A financing method where a business sells its outstanding B2B invoices to a third party (the factor) at a discount, receiving 80–95% of the invoice value upfront and the remainder (less a fee) when the customer pays.

Example: On a $100,000 invoice with a 90% advance and a 2% factor fee, the business receives $90,000 after lender review and the remaining $8,000 once the customer pays the factor.

Who qualifies: Available to B2B businesses with creditworthy commercial or government customers. Personal credit requirements are typically light.

See invoice factoring →

Purchase Order Financing

Short-term financing where a lender pays a supplier directly so a business can fulfill a confirmed customer purchase order. Repayment comes from the eventual customer payment.

Example: A $250,000 confirmed PO can be funded so the supplier is paid up front, then repaid when the end customer pays.

Who qualifies: Best for businesses with verified, creditworthy customers and gross margins above ~20%.

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BTC-Backed Loan

A loan collateralized by Bitcoin holdings rather than business assets. Lets owners access liquidity without selling crypto and triggering a taxable event.

Example: A business owner pledges $200,000 in BTC and borrows $100,000 (50% LTV) without selling holdings.

Who qualifies: Requires sufficient BTC collateral, strong identity verification, and acceptance of a margin-call mechanism if BTC price falls.

See BTC-backed loans →

Revenue-Based Financing

Financing repaid as a percentage of your monthly revenue instead of a fixed payment. Payments flex with cash flow — you pay more in strong months and less in slow ones.

Example: A $150,000 advance with a 1.30 factor and 8% of monthly revenue: pay $12,000 in a $150K revenue month, $6,400 in an $80K month.

Who qualifies: Best for businesses with consistent monthly revenue ($20K+/mo) and 6+ months in business. Credit score less critical than revenue.

Merchant Cash Advance (MCA)

A lump-sum advance repaid via a fixed daily or weekly debit (or a percentage of card sales), priced with a factor rate rather than an annual interest rate. Funding timing depends on the lender and business profile.

Example: A $100,000 MCA at a 1.35 factor rate carries $135,000 in total repayment, debited daily over 6–12 months.

Who qualifies: Available with credit scores as low as 500 and as little as 3 months in business. Best when speed matters more than cost.

Costs & Pricing

Annualized Cost

The annual cost of borrowing, including interest and applicable fees, used to compare products with different terms and fee structures.

Example: Review the total repayment, payment schedule, fees, and term when comparing funding options.

Factor Rate

A multiplier (e.g., 1.20 to 1.50) used to price short-term funding such as MCAs and some short-term loans. Multiply the funded amount by the factor rate to get total repayment — but a factor rate is not an annual interest rate.

Example: A $100,000 advance at a 1.30 factor rate equals $130,000 total repayment. The repayment schedule determines the annualized cost.

Origination Fee

A one-time fee charged by a lender to process and fund a loan, usually 1%–5% of the loan amount. It can be paid up front or netted out of the funded amount.

Example: A $200,000 loan with a 3% origination fee nets $194,000 in proceeds; the $6,000 fee is included in the loan balance.

Prepayment Penalty

A fee charged for paying off a loan before its scheduled term ends. Common on SBA 7(a) loans (within the first 3 years) and some bank term loans.

Example: An SBA 7(a) loan paid off in year 1 may incur a 5% prepayment penalty on the prepaid principal.

SBA Guarantee Fee

A fee paid to the SBA on guaranteed portions of an SBA 7(a) loan, typically 2%–3.75% depending on loan size, financed into the loan.

Discount Rate (Factoring)

The fee a factor charges per invoice, usually 1%–5% per 30 days. The discount is deducted from the reserve when the invoice is paid.

Example: A 2.5% discount on a $50,000 invoice equals a $1,250 factoring fee per 30 days outstanding.

Underwriting

Personal Guarantee

A legal commitment by a business owner to personally repay a business loan if the business defaults. Required by most lenders for owners with 20%+ ownership.

UCC Filing

A public filing made by a lender to claim a security interest in business assets as collateral. Multiple UCC filings can affect future borrowing capacity.

Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR)

A ratio of net operating income to total annual debt payments. Lenders typically require a DSCR of 1.15–1.35 to qualify a business for additional debt.

Example: A business with $200,000 in NOI and $150,000 in annual debt payments has a DSCR of 1.33.

Collateral

An asset pledged to secure a loan. Lenders can seize collateral if the borrower defaults. Common collateral includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and accounts receivable.

Soft Credit Pull

A credit inquiry that does NOT affect a borrower's credit score. Pro Capital uses a soft pull only, with no hard pull and no credit impact.

Credit Review

A review of credit information used to evaluate an application. Pro Capital uses a soft pull only, with no impact to your credit score. There is no hard pull.

Time in Business

How long a business has operated under its current legal entity. Most alternative lenders require 6+ months; SBA and bank loans typically require 24+ months.

Cash Flow & Operations

Working Capital

The cash and short-term assets a business uses to fund daily operations — payroll, inventory, rent, utilities. Calculated as current assets minus current liabilities.

Advance Rate

The percentage of an invoice or asset's value a lender will fund up front. Invoice factors typically advance 80%–95% of an invoice; equipment loans often fund 80%–100% of cost.

Holdback

The portion of daily card-sales revenue a Merchant Cash Advance lender debits each day, often 8%–20% of card revenue, until the advance is fully repaid.

Factoring Reserve

The portion of an invoice the factor holds back until the customer pays — typically 5%–20%. The reserve, less the discount fee, is released to the business after payment.

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