E-Community
The El Dorado Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneurship Community loan program was created through the Kansas Center for Entrepreneurship Tax Credit Program and Network Kansas. The program is administered by the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce for Chamber Business members located in Butler County.
The purpose of the E-Community program is to provide low interest loans to entrepreneurs wishing to start, purchase or expand a business in Butler County. The loans are to be used in partnership with a financial institution and/or a Network Kansas partner as the “final piece” to complete the puzzle or “fill the gap” of financing a business start-up or expansion.
Qualifications:
Anyone wishing to start, purchase or expand a for-profit business in El Dorado/Butler County.
Use of Funds:
Purchase of business equipment
- Purchase of business inventory
- Purchase of real estate
- Working capital
- Existing inventory
Fees:
- $50.00 non-refundable application fee
Repayment:
- Terms to be determined
- No penalty for early repayment
Loan Funds May Not Be Used For:
- Salary or owner’s draw
- Payroll taxes
- Personal vehicle
- Building renovation not tied to a specific business
Businesses That Do Not Qualify:
- Non-profit organizations
- Academic institutions
- Gambling concerns
- Floor planning concerns (i.e. wholesale auto inventory financing)
- Speculative concerns
- Lending or investment institutions
- Multilevel marketing or pyramid sales
Scoring Criteria:
- Financial Soundness
- This will be determined by examining applicant’s financial statements
- Owner/Operator Experience
- This will include a review of resumes and references as well as the interview process. One resume and three references will be required with each application.
- Business Plan
- All business plans should include key elements such as:
- Executive Summary
- Business Description
- Products or Services
- Project Financing
- Management
- Ownership
- Marketing Strategy
- Description of Major & Prospective Customers
- Description of Market & Competition
- Financial Information
- Projected Growth & Economic Impact
- This will be based on applicant’s identified long-term and short-term goals and financial information.
- Business Development Partnerships
- We will be looking for applicant’s use of local/regional NetWork Kansas resource partners during the planning and implementation process (i.e. working with Kansas Small Business Development Center, local Economic Development organizations, Kansas Department of Commerce Business Development, Enterprise Facilitation and others available to help entrepreneurs. Resource partner list found at www.networkkansas.com)
- Quality of Life Impact
- These questions will help determine the Quality of Life score: Does the business provide an unfulfilled need within the community/county? | Does the business expand upon current business offerings? | Does the business provide jobs for highly skilled and or educated employees? | Will the business enrich the community with aesthetically and environmentally friendly facilities?
- Owner/3rd Party Funding
- This will be based on information in the applicant’s financial statements.
- Community Commitment
- Does or will the business participate in local organizations and projects through membership, volunteerism or financial contributions? Is applicant a member of the Chamber of Commerce?
