Take your Business to the Next Level
The Bank of America Access to Capital Connector can help you find resources designed to fit the needs of your small business.
About the Program
The Bank of America Access to Capital Connector is designed to help small business owners find capital, coaching, and support to run a strong and resilient business.
Our human-centered approach will provide you with resources tailored to your specific business needs and situation - providing you with a list of prequalified options for support. All of this is facilitated through a network of responsible, affordable, mission-aligned lenders who take the time to learn about your business and provide assistance that’s specific to your situation.
Our aim is to efficiently connect more entrepreneurs to the right capital and resource providers so they can focus on growing their business.
About the Program
The Bank of America Access to Capital Connector is designed to help small business owners find capital, coaching, and support to run a strong and resilient business.
Our human-centered approach will provide you with resources tailored to your specific business needs and situation - providing you with a list of prequalified options for support. All of this is facilitated through a network of responsible, affordable, mission-aligned lenders who take the time to learn about your business and provide assistance that’s specific to your situation.
Our aim is to efficiently connect more entrepreneurs to the right capital and resource providers so they can focus on growing their business.
How it Works
Review the program information and Frequently Asked Questions.
Fill out the short preapplication form to connect with a mission-aligned community partner.
Connect with that partner and begin working with them on the loan application or coaching program you’ve chosen.
Our Partners
Bank of America has partnered with Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF), a national nonprofit CDFI to build the program to serve more businesses with streamlined, affordable, responsible capital and coaching products.
We’re working with their CRF Connect platform which has nearly 150 mission aligned partners that have collectively funded >$500 million in loans to more than 8,500 individual businesses. All of them have been vetted by CRF and Bank of America as providing responsible coaching and capital opportunities and will put the needs of the business owner first.
CRF Connect connects small business applicants to mission-driven sources of capital and service providers around the country. Small businesses fill out a short intake form, providing basic information about their business needs and are then pre-qualified and matched to one or more mission-driven lenders or TA providers.
Frequently Asked Questions
The program aims to serve many types of businesses across a range of industries, sizes, and locations. Most of our lending partners are cash-flow lenders and you’ll need to show positive cash flow and an ability to afford your loan with your monthly inflows. Additionally, the program features a suite of mission-driven partners offering coaching and support resources designed to help entrepreneurs across all stages of their small business journey.
Community Development Financial Institutions, or CDFIs, are financial institutions that have a primary mission of community development and provide credit and financial services to underserved markets and populations. Most CDFIs are certified by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s CDFI Fund. CDFIs include banks, credit unions, certain non-profit organizations, and loan and venture capital funds. You can learn more at cdfifund.gov.
CDFIs are usually non depository institutions that operate alongside traditional banks. They most frequently serve clients who might have difficulty accessing bank financing and often have a target market in a certain community, demographic, or other common trait of their clients. Additionally, they’re usually nonprofit institutions that are able to extend more flexible capital opportunities to clients and work with them to support their business needs and growth.
Bank of America has partnered with Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF), a national nonprofit CDFI to build the program to serve more businesses with streamlined, affordable, responsible capital and coaching products.
Provide opportunities for small business owners to connect with a mission-aligned partner providing tailored capital and coaching services.
We’re working with nearly 150 mission aligned partners across the country. All of them have been vetted by CRF and Bank of America as providing responsible coaching and capital opportunities and will put the needs of the business owner first.
The size of your loan will depend on your unique business situation. Lenders will work with you to determine the financing that’s right for your business based on things like your financials, projections and capital needs specific to your situation. Most of our lenders lend from $10,000-$1 million and can meet business owners almost anywhere on that spectrum.
Most CDFIs and other community lenders are cash-flow lenders and will want to see positive cash-flow from their applicants, but they can also offer coaching and support for the businesses who aren’t quite there yet.
Most CDFIs lend at competitive market rates. Given the rising interest rate environment we find ourselves in, most of our partner products are between 7-15%. All rates, terms and fees will be disclosed when an applicant sees their results.
The preapplication form will ask general questions about your business, stage, location, and history. The lender will require more detailed information about cash flows, business plans, tax returns, and other documents to fully complete your loan request.
The information you provide in the preapplication form through the Bank of America Access to Capital Connector portal will be securely transferred to your chosen partner. That partner will review your information and may request additional information from your business.
No fees will be assessed from the program - however each individual lender might assess fees for application or origination. Fee information will be disclosed on your individual results page for review, so you’ll know what to expect before selecting a lender.
If you have questions about your referral, your partner, or your loan, please reach out to your matched partner using the contact information found in the email you will recieve after matching with a partner. If you’re experiencing technical difficulties or other challenges with the website, please send an email to smallbusiness@connect2capital.com and our team will try to assist you.
