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Economic Development Division | 389 Congress Street | Room 308 | Portland, Maine 04101 | 207-874-8683

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Loan Application Revolving Loan Program Brownfields Loan Program Public Infrastructure Grants Portland Development Corporation State Incentive Programs Tax Increment Financing

 

Revolving Loan Program

The City’s Revolving Loan Program (RLP) provides commercial loans to Portland businesses to facilitate economic growth and job creation. Loans are made to all types and sizes of businesses, from the smallest establishment to the largest corporation. They range from as much as $250,000 to as little as a few thousand dollars.

Businesses are encouraged to establish relationships with banks and credit unions, and to access conventional financing whenever possible. The City’s RLP is here to assist when there’s a financing gap or when businesses are not able to access conventional financing. Most RLP loans are provided as gap financing in which the City’s lending board, the Portland Development Corporation (PDC), partners with a lead lender (generally banks, credit unions and other community lenders). For start-ups and even existing businesses that cannot obtain conventional financing, direct loan assistance is available, particularly through micro loans.

Loans from the City’s RLP can help to fund a wide range of activities. These include building construction and renovations, leasehold improvements, machinery and equipment purchase, permanent working capital (e.g., inventory and receivables), purchase of an existing business, refinancing (if the project also includes a business expansion component at least 25% over the debt amount to be refinanced), acquisition of fishing vessels and marine related machinery and equipment, acquisition of real estate.

Fixed interest rates are set by the PDC, the City’s lending board. The PDC reviews the interest rate policy generally twice a year. The current policy is prime plus or minus 2% for most of the programs within the RLP. Within that range, the rate for each particular loan will depend upon a variety of considerations, such as anticipated job creation and retention, type of business, collateral, level of risk, credit worthiness, etc.

An overview of each of the loan programs within the City’s RLP follow:

60/30/10 Portland Business Program:

• Loan of $50,000 to $200,000;
• 60% lead lender (with possible guarantee from SBA or FAME), 30% City, 10% equity from borrower;
• Flexible terms up to 20 years with a 10-year balloon;
• Especially useful for projects between $250,000 and $500,000 for which the SBA 504 may not be cost effective;
• May be used for working capital
• No prepayment penalties.

Micro Business Loan Program and Creative Economy Loan Program

• Loans up to $50,000;
• Maximum loan term up to 7 years;
• Prefer minimum private investment to Micro Loan dollar ratio of 1:3 (for example, $30,000 project: $22,250 Micro Loan, $7,500 borrower).

Real Estate Development Loan Program

Loans up to $200,000

• Can be used to finance non-owner occupied real estate;
• Minimum private investment to RLP ratio of 1:1, including minimum 10% equity investment from borrower;
• Current interest rate policy is prime plus 2-4%;
• Maximum loan term of 30 years with 10-year balloon,
• Cannot be used for refinancing.

Regional Economic Development Loan Program (FAME)

• Loans up to $250,000
• Maximum loan term of 20 years with 10-year balloon;
• Maximum loan amount relative to project cost is as follows:

• Loans of less than $50,000 may be for the total amount of new funds being provided to borrower;
• Loans of $50,000 - $100,000 may not exceed ½ of the net new funds being provided to borrower;
• Loans over $100,000 may not exceed 1/3 of the net new funds being provided to borrower.

Applications to the City’s RLP require the same materials that a bank would request, for example, historical financials, projections and personal financial statements, along with business plans when the applicant is a new business. Applications can be accessed on line at http://www.portlandmaine.gov/citymanagers/copapp2.pdf

Please contact the City’s Business Programs Manager, Nelle Hanig 207-756-8019, nrh@portlandmaine.gov, with any questions or to discuss a possible loan.