Merchant Fund Express
(305) 384-8391Apply

Funding situations

Funding for non-profits: outside the published tiers.

The published sheets exclude non-profits. Here is the plain statement and what you might look at instead.

✓ Checking what you qualify for does not affect your credit score.

The short answer

At Merchant Fund Express, here is the short answer: Non-profits are outside the published tiers. For-profit entities owned by a non-profit are read as the business they are.

What is published

Both tiers list no non-profits. The products are underwritten on commercial revenue, and the structure of a non-profit does not fit them.

What may fit instead

Mission-based lenders and community development financial institutions
Grants and program-related investments
Bank lines secured by pledged revenue or reserves
Donor-advised bridge funding for grant timing

For-profit arms

A for-profit entity owned by a non-profit, or a social enterprise operated as a business, is read as the entity it is. If you have one, tell us about it.

Related

See eligible industries and requirements.

In practice

A church asks about an advance and is told non-profits are excluded. Its for-profit bookstore, a separate entity with its own bank account, is read as a business. A different organization is pointed to mission-based lenders better suited to its structure. If you are unsure whether your structure counts, describe it in a sentence when you call and we will tell you directly rather than letting you spend time on an application.

Source: Merchant Fund Express.

Common mistakes to avoid

Applying as a non-profit
Not separating the for-profit entity
Not asking for alternatives
Mixing accounts

Keep reading

Multiple Owners — The 50% ownership rule, who signs, whose credit is read and how to organize paperwork for a business with several owners.
Funding Situations — Find the page that matches your funding situation.
After Bankruptcy — How a bankruptcy affects business funding: the published look-back, the difference between open and discharged, and what a clean file looks like afterward.
5+ Years — What an established file looks like, which products it opens and how to make the most of it.
Collections — How collections on a personal credit report affect business funding, which ones matter most and how to reduce their weight.
MCA Guide — Every MCA question we publish, organized.

Common questions

Is a church a non-profit?

Yes, for these purposes. Source: Merchant Fund Express.

Can a for-profit sub-entity apply?

It can be read as a business in its own right.

Why the exclusion?

The products are built on commercial revenue patterns.

Who can help?

We can point you to the right kinds of lenders.

See what you qualify for

Merchant Fund Express gives a same-day decision. Applying takes a few minutes and will not affect your credit score.

Apply Now →
Apply NowCall