Tools for businesses raising capital
Checklists, templates and guides. Free to use, no sign-up needed.
Short-term funding document checklist
Everything a working capital funder is likely to ask for, so your first application is complete.
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- CIPC registration documents and share register
- Certified IDs of all directors and shareholders
- Proof of business address
- 6 to 12 months of official PDF bank statements for every business account
- Latest management accounts, and annual financial statements if available
- Debtors and creditors age analysis
- Details of existing loans, advances and debit orders
- For PO funding: the purchase order or contract, supplier quotes and your margin
- For invoice funding: the invoices and proof of delivery
- Tax compliance status PIN and VAT number, if registered
Development finance application pack checklist
The core documents NEF, IDC, SEDFA and DBSA-style funders expect in a complete application.
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- Completed application form for the specific fund
- Business plan with market, operations, management and funding sections
- Financial model: 3 years of history and 5 years of projections with clear assumptions
- Latest 3 years of annual financial statements and current management accounts
- CIPC documents, share register, MOI and shareholder agreements
- B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit
- Valid tax compliance status PIN
- CVs of directors and key management
- Contracts, offtake agreements, orders or letters of intent
- Quotes for assets or equipment to be funded
- Details of own contribution and security offered
- Environmental, zoning and licensing approvals where relevant
Cash flow projection template
A spreadsheet template that shows funders, and you, exactly when cash comes in and goes out.
South African public funders at a glance
Who funds what, so you apply to the institution whose mandate fits.
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| Funder | Funds | Website |
|---|---|---|
| NEF | Black-owned and black-managed businesses: loans and equity, roughly R250k to R75m | nefcorp.co.za |
| IDC | Industrial capacity, manufacturing and larger projects | idc.co.za |
| SEDFA (formerly sefa and Seda) | Small enterprise loans plus business development support | sedfa.org.za |
| DBSA | Infrastructure and large development projects, usually public-sector linked | dbsa.org |
| NYDA | Grants and support for entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35 | nyda.gov.za |
| Land Bank | Agriculture and agri-processing | landbank.co.za |
Funding glossary
Plain definitions of the terms funders use.
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Merchant cash advance
An advance repaid as a percentage of future card or EFT sales, rather than a fixed instalment.
Revolving facility
A credit line you can draw, repay and draw again up to a limit, paying only for what you use.
Purchase order funding
Finance to fulfil a confirmed order. The funder usually pays the supplier and is repaid when the buyer pays.
Invoice discounting
An advance against unpaid invoices, typically 70 to 90% of their value.
DSCR
Debt service cover ratio: cash available for debt service divided by the debt payments due. Lenders often want at least 1.2 to 1.5 times.
Conditions precedent
Requirements that must be met before a funder releases money, such as signed security or shareholder approvals.
Own contribution
The owners' cash or assets committed to a project alongside the funder's money.
Tax compliance status
SARS confirmation that a taxpayer's returns and payments are in order, verified by a PIN.
Success fee
An adviser's fee payable only when funding is approved or a deal closes, usually a percentage of the amount.
Funding cost and loan calculators
Compare short-term funding costs, work out loan repayments and see how much you can borrow.
Funding readiness check
Test your business against 30+ short-term funders and see what to fix first.
See what your business qualifies for
Three minutes, 33 funders, no effect on your credit score.