Q1 2027 Cohort inquiries open
Private-sector financing initiative
Financing solutions for well-established NEO regional businesses. Access asset-based and sales-based financing through participating commercial lenders.
Sec. 01 — Programs
Our senior, junior, and hybrid solutions can replace, supplement, or sit alongside your existing lender. Each request is structured around your assets, sales, and cash flow — not a one-size-fits-all product.
Program 01
Senior capital collateralized by the assets you already own.
Revolving and term facilities secured by receivables, inventory, equipment, and real estate. Availability grows as your borrowing base grows, giving you working capital that scales with sales.
Program 02
Junior capital underwritten on your revenue and future receipts.
Capital sized to your sales and bank deposits rather than hard collateral. Sales-based structures move quickly and can sit behind a senior lender to fill the gap a bank will not.
Program 03
Structuring guidance before, during, and after a financing.
An experienced review of your capital stack, debt service, and liquidity. We identify what is costing you cash, map the options, and run a competitive lender process so rate, leverage, and covenants are all in play.
Sec. 02 — Who we serve
Companies with $3 million to $250 million in annual sales are the backbone of the regional economy — the manufacturers, distributors, contractors, and service firms that employ our neighbors. They are often too large for small-business loans and overlooked by the largest banks.
The Fund exists to give these owners a local front door to professional-grade credit: one request, a structured approach, and access to a national network of lenders competing for the deal.
Sec. 03 — Situations we address
From a once-in-a-decade order to a lender relationship under strain, these are the moments the Fund was set up to help with.
01
Keep the business moving between milestones.
When cash is due now but the money arrives later — a property sale, a pending refinance, or a customer on 90-day terms — interim capital keeps payroll and production on schedule.
02
Say yes to the contract that changes the year.
A new OEM program, a record purchase order, or a second shift on the line — funded against the opportunity itself, not your operating cash.
03
Several lenders, one plan.
When a need outgrows any one lender, we combine a bank, an asset-based lender, and junior capital, with priorities settled before closing.
04
Trade short, costly money for patient capital.
Merchant cash advances, hard-money notes, and overlapping loans eat margin. One longer-term facility lowers the monthly burden.
05
Change who owns the company, not who runs it.
Retiring a co-founder or settling a family succession, with debt-funded structures that keep current owners in control.
06
Steady hands when the pressure is on.
A tripped covenant, a bank that wants out, or a maturity with no renewal. We work with your current lender toward a resolution, not around it.
Sec. 04 — How it works
A competitive process puts rate, leverage, and covenants in play — typically improving terms on every line of the term sheet.
We design the financing around your existing assets, cash flow, profitability, current capital stack, and growth plans.
We take your request to lenders with the right appetite for your industry and for Northeast Ohio, and obtain competing offers.
We guide you through negotiation and underwriting requests, all the way through to closing.
Capital Desk co-invests in transactions it sources, so our interests stay aligned with yours after the close.
Sec. 05 — Service area
We know the region’s industries, its lenders, and the pressures facing owners here. Behind every request is a network of more than 60 lenders with appetite for Northeast Ohio businesses.
Sec. 06 — FAQ
Established Northeast Ohio businesses with roughly $3 million or more in annual sales. These companies are often too large for small-business loan programs but underserved by the largest banks.
The Fund works with businesses in cohorts. Inquiries received during the current intake period are considered for the Q1 2027 Cohort. Each business is still evaluated individually by our credit committee on its own merits.
Our credit committee reviews your inquiry and, if your business appears to be a fit, contacts you to discuss eligibility and program requirements. Eligible businesses are then invited to apply. From there, your application is structured, presented to lenders with the right appetite, and guided through underwriting and closing. Term sheets typically arrive in 3–5 business days.
Inquiries are accepted on an ongoing basis. Those received after a cohort closes are considered for the next cohort.
No. There is no cost to inquire, to apply, or for the initial review. Any fees are success-based and agreed in writing before any lender is contacted.
We do not run credit checks at the inquiry stage. If a lender requires one later in the process, it is a soft pull only, and only with your approval.
Not necessarily. Our senior, junior, and hybrid solutions can replace, supplement, or sit alongside your existing senior lender, depending on what produces the best overall structure.
Yes. Your information is confidential and is never shared with a lender without your approval. Submitting an inquiry does not obligate you to proceed.
No. The Fund is a privately operated financing resource for Northeast Ohio businesses, delivered in partnership with Capital Desk. It does not administer public grants or government loan programs.
No cost, no credit check, and no obligation. Our credit committee reviews every inquiry and contacts businesses that may be a fit to discuss eligibility.