We are with you every step of the way to help you navigate the loan process.

RIIF invests across industries, through a variety of loan products, in amounts that correspond to the enterprise’s need, creditworthiness, and ability to hire individuals overcoming significant barriers to employment.

Think of our process as not just applying for a loan, but as building your financial capacity and deepening your understanding of your financial picture along the way, too. Leveraging Redefine Alliance’s capacity building team, we pair each loan with targeted technical assistance in the key areas of business operations, financial management, and employee supports. Our goal is to extend to entrepreneurs the flexible capital to grow and the capacity building to help that growth stick.

The application cycle can run 60-90 days from initial conversation to loan closing, depending on complexity of the loan, capital stack, and availability of information needed to underwrite. The process, which is done in partnership between you and our underwriting team, looks like this:

If you are interested in learning more about our fund? Here are some tips to help you get started:

Define Your Loan Purpose and Options

Your loan purpose helps your lender match you with the right product and terms.

Identify the reason you’re seeking financing:

  • Growth: Opening a new location or hiring staff.
  • Equipment: Purchasing machinery, technology, or vehicles.
  • Working capital: Covering payroll, inventory, or day-to-day expenses.
  • Acquisition: Acquiring an existing profitable business.
  • Cash flow timing challenges: bridging committed receivables, ongoing timing mismatch between revenue and expenses

Match your need with the right loan option:

  • Term loans: Fixed payments for predictable expenses.
  • Lines of credit: Flexible access to funds for ongoing needs.
  • Bridge loans: Upfront disbursement to bridge committed receivables.
  • Equipment loans: Finance the purchase of machinery or technology.
  • Revenue-based financing: Long-term patient capital to fund long-term growth and expansion opportunities.

We can help you compare our loan offerings to help determine which loan best fits your situation, so you don’t invest time applying for the wrong type of financing.

Complete a Self-Check Before Filling Out the Inquiry Form

Before gathering documents, ask yourself:

  • Do I know how much I need to borrow and why?
  • Can I show how the loan will help my business grow or improve cash flow?
  • Am I confident in my ability to repay the loan?
  • Do I have collateral available to pledge? Most loans require collateral — assets you pledge to secure the loan.

If you answer “no” to any of these, we’ll help you align your loan request with your business goals.

When you’re ready, please complete our interest form. If you meet the minimum eligibility requirements, a loan originations team member will reach out to confirm mission fit, capital need, and potential impact of the financing.

A 30-60 minute conversation to discuss your capital needs, business model and financial health, proposed repayment source, and timing considerations. Following the call, the underwriter will send a follow-up email outlining next steps and share a Due Diligence Checklist, which may include historical financials, projections or budgets, and management background information.

RIIF will review the materials submitted and conduct further conversations to better understand your work, capital needs, and how the loan will address those. Using this information, the underwriter will prepare a preview memo – a short-form analysis of the loan’s purpose, repayment thesis, and impact alignment – for RIIF’s credit committee. The underwriter will then share the committee’s decision on whether to proceed to full underwriting.

If approved to move forward, the underwriter will share a Term Sheet outlining the preliminary terms and conditions of a potential loan. This non-binding document includes details such as loan amount, term, interest rate, fees, intended use of funds, covenants, remaining diligence items, and conditions to closing. A legal deposit will be collected at this stage.

The underwriter will complete a full credit memo for review by RIIF’s credit committee. During this phase, additional information and documentation may be requested to develop a comprehensive understanding of the borrower’s financial position, operations, and repayment capacity. The underwriter will also reach out to schedule a site visit and vetting calls. Based on the underwriting analysis, management discussions, and diligence materials, RIIF’s credit committee will decide whether to approve the loan and move forward with closing.

Tips to Speed Up Due Diligence:

01 Gather Your Business Financial Documents

Having accurate, up-to-date financial records is one of the most important parts of the application. Here is what you should have ready:

  • Business tax returns: 2–3 years of returns
  • Profit and loss (P&L) statements: Year-to-date and prior years
  • Balance sheets: A current snapshot of assets and liabilities
  • Cash flow statements: Show how money moves in and out of your business
  • Business bank statements: Typically the last 3–6 months
  • Business debt schedule: A list of your long-term debts

Clients who bring organized financials at the start often move quicker through the underwriting process. Save documents and keep them stored in a single folder for quick sharing and access.

02 Update Your Business Plan

Even if you’ve been running your business for years, having an updated plan shows off your strategy and your ability to repay. Here’s what to include in your business plan:

  • Include your company overview and market position.
  • Outline how the loan funds will be use and how the proceeds will be used to boost revenue and profitability.
  • Add updated financial projections for the next 12–24 months.
  • Explain your growth strategy and repayment plan

03 Collect Legal and Organizational Documents

Your lender needs proof of your business’s structure and legal standing. Here’s what that will likely include:

  • Articles of incorporation, bylaws, certificate of good standing (dated within the last 6 months)
  • Business licenses and permits
  • Partnership or operating agreements (if applicable)

These documents rarely change. Store them digitally so you can access them quickly for future financing needs.

Once approved, the loan will move into closing and RIIF’s external counsel will begin preparing the closing documents and checklist. Required items may include organizational documents, board resolutions, and insurance certificates naming RIIF as an additional insured. RIIF’s counsel will circulate a final package of legal documents for signature ahead of the agreed-upon closing date.

After all closing conditions have been satisfied, loan funds will be wired either in a single disbursement or in multiple disbursements over time, as outlined in the Loan Agreement.