Below is an overview of the loans offered through the Fearless/AOF partnership:
Loans up to $250,000
Flexible interest rates starting at 7.49%
Transparent and flexible terms from 1-5 years
No prepayment penalties
Working capital loans can be used for purchasing equipment, inventory, hiring staff, advertising and much more to grow your business.
Who should apply?
We recommend under-resourced MEN & WOMEN apply for the working capital loan if your business meets the following criteria:
You have $50,000 or more in annual revenue
You own 20% or more of the business
You have a credit score >570
APPLY and get your pre-qualification* loan offer in JUST 15 MINUTES.
(Applying will NOT affect your credit score.)
Why is this important?
Under-resourced entrepreneurs often struggle to secure capital as they are systematically shut out from traditional financing. Under-resourced businesses have often received lower levels of debt approvals, and more predatory terms from lenders. Small business owners are essential to local economies and create opportunities for their community. Fearless Fund believes that AOF offers flexible and practical loan solutions, and aligns with Fearless in backing under-resourced entrepreneurs.
Fast Facts About the Fearless Fund / Accion Opportunity Fund Partnership
Women of color are leading the small business boom.
- Women own 13 million businesses in the U.S. — 39% of all firms — which employ almost 10 million workers and generate $1.8 trillion in annual revenue
- Women of color own 50% of all women-owned businesses, employ nearly 2.4 million people, and generate $423 billion in annual revenue.
- In fact, women of color are at the forefront of the small business boom in this country, starting new businesses at 4.5X the rate of all other businesses.
But they face significant barriers to accessing capital and support.
- Black business owners who apply for funding have a rejection rate that is 3X higher than that of white business owners. As a result, research shows that 61% of Black women self-fund their total start-up capital.
- In a recent survey, 76% of Black entrepreneurs said access to capital was a challenge—and of those who have never received money for their business, nearly 80% said they either could not find the right support or could not afford to pay for services that would help connect them to capital.
Fearless Fund and Accion Opportunity Fund are bridging the gap.
- Fearless Fund has directly invested almost $27 million in women-led businesses and uses partnerships to connect its extensive network of more than 60,000 entrepreneurs to the resources they need.
- Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF) has loaned $800 million to more than 30,000 small businesses since inception; in 2022, it reached over a million diverse entrepreneurs with digital tools and resources..
¹Loans made by Accion Opportunity Fund Community Development. California Finance Lenders license number 6050609.
*’Pre-qualified' is defined as being presented with a loan offer - with varied term and monthly payment options - subject to final underwriting.
Questions?
ABOUT ACCION OPPORTUNITY FUND
Accion Opportunity Fund, a financial support system and loan provider for small businesses, provides working capital loans and educational resources to under-resourced entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses. They are committed to creating a financially inclusive world so small business owners of all identities can thrive.