
Benefits for Borrowers
- Finance up to 40% of the project at a long-term, fixed-rate
- Lower equity contribution, as little as 10% of project to preserve working capital
- Decreased risk for lenders
- Eligible soft costs may be rolled into the project financing
- For Expansion Projects – provides debt refinancing opportunity
Benefits for Lenders
- 1st lien position and low Loan-to-Value strengthens private lender's loan portfolio
- Fixed interest rate helps lenders compete for more business
- Offers creative financing to differentiate your lending institution in the marketplace
- Secondary market provides additional income opportunities
- CRA Credits on SBA portion of loan
- Eligible soft costs may be rolled into the project financing
Benefits for Brokers
- Quick turnaround enables closing in 60 days
- 90% financing helps fill in gaps when conventional loans fall short
- The business owner keeps more working capital due to the favorable loan terms, low down payment, and fixed rate of interest
- The lender gets a 50% LTV first lien on the building, resulting in a lower interest rate
- The broker earns a commission on a deal that might not have worked with conventional financing
- Neighborhoods benefit from additional jobs and increased economic development
Looking for a way to attract commercial clients?
Try the 504 Loan Program. Healthy businesses, which plan to invest in equipment or real estate for their own use, could qualify for attractive financing using the 504 Loan Program - in a way that can help you meet policy and regulatory guidelines.
| Source | Project Costs | Lien | Rate | Funding Limits | Term Real Estate | Term M&E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LENDER | 50% | 1st | Market | No Limit | Min. 10 Years | Min. 7 Years |
| 504 Loan | 40% | 2nd | Fixed | $50,000 - $5,500,000 | 20 Years | 10 Years |
| Borrower | 10% | - | - | - | - | - |
Note: If a public policy goal is being met, the maximum 504 Loan amount increases to $5,500,000.
By partnering with Capital CDC, we make the process easy.
We work with you and your client to tailor a financing package that meets program guidelines and credit criteria of your client. We work directly with your client to package, process, close, and service the 504 loan.
The 504 Loan Program is utilized to finance existing, expanding and start-up businesses in conjunction with another lender. Capital CDC provides permanent financing when the project is completed and the loan is closed in accordance with Capital CDC loan covenants and restrictions. Funding is arranged by Capital CDC issuing a 10 or 20 year bond that is sold to investors on Wall Street.
What’s the Lender’s Role?
The participating lender processes its loan as it would any loan request. Capital CDC and the lender can work together to collect documents from the borrower, and we can share our credit underwriting with the lender. The lender closes using its own loan documents.
Generally, the lender provides “interim” financing. The 504 Loan is a permanent loan. During the construction or renovation period, the lender would provide the full 90% financing based on the 504 commitment.
When the 504 Loan is ready to close, the lender will be asked to provide copies of its loan documents, provide copies of its draw schedules (for construction or renovation projects), certify that there has been no adverse change in the borrower’s financial condition, and agree to provide 60 days notice of default/foreclosure proceedings.
504 Project Sizes
Project sizes typically range from $250,000 to $14,000,000 with the 504 Loan size ranging from $50,000 to $5,500,000. For a small manufacturer, the 504 portion can be as large as $5,500,000.
The key advantages to the 504 Program for your financial institution:
- You have first lien position with low loan-to-value, minimizing your collateral risk.
- You set your own rate and fees on lender portion.
- The community gets the advantage of keeping or attracting small businesses that create jobs.
Occupancy Requirements
| Financing of: | Initial Occupancy | Occupancy + 10 Years |
|---|---|---|
| Existing Building | 51% | 51% |
| New Construction | 60% | 80% |
Down Payment Requirements
Typically, the small business contributes 10% of the project costs. If the business is a start-up business (less than 2 years of operating history), the down payment increases to 15%. If the loan will finance a special or limited use asset, the down payment increases to 15%. If the project is for a special use asset being financed for a start-up business, the down payment increases to 20%.
Eligible Businesses
The applicant must be a for-profit business whose business net worth is less than $15 million and after tax income is $5 million or less on average for the last two years.
Eligible Projects and Project Costs
504 financing is used to acquire, construct, renovate or expand an owner occupied facility. It can also be used to acquire machinery and equipment with a useful life of at least 10 years.
In addition to the acquisition and construction costs, the “soft costs” (appraisals, environmental, construction interest, closing costs, etc.) may also be included in the total 504 project. This allows the business to preserve working capital that will be needed in the larger facility.
The SBA permits a limited amount of debt refinancing, under certain circumstances, as part of the 504 Loan program. Small businesses can refinance existing debt related to fixed assets if they also borrow money to finance more real estate or equipment through an expansion project. The amount of debt being refinanced must be 50% or less of the total cost of expansion.



