Business Loans
It takes capital to grow a business.
Whether you are launching a new venture, expanding operations, purchasing equipment, or creating jobs, access to capital is often one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face. Traditional financing can be difficult to secure, especially for startups and small businesses that may have limited operating history or collateral.
Maryland Capital Enterprises (MCE) provides financing solutions for small businesses and entrepreneurs seeking to start, sustain, or grow their businesses. As a nonprofit community lender, MCE works to increase access to capital and support economic growth throughout the communities we serve. MCE is the only microenterprise organization in Maryland certified as an SBA, USDA, and CDFI Intermediary Lender.
MCE’s work is supported through a combination of federal and state grants, private contributions, foundation support, and fundraising efforts.
For more than two decades, MCE has helped entrepreneurs transform ideas into thriving businesses by providing access to capital, business training, technical assistance, and one-on-one guidance. Through its lending and educational programs, MCE continues to support business creation, expansion, job growth, and economic opportunity throughout Maryland.
Micro Lending
Micro lending provides access to small business financing for entrepreneurs who may not qualify for traditional bank loans. These businesses are often startups, emerging companies, or growing enterprises that need modest amounts of capital to achieve their goals.
MCE’s microloan program is designed to help entrepreneurs launch, stabilize, and expand their businesses by providing affordable financing along with business training and technical assistance. Microloans can be used for a variety of business needs, including working capital, equipment purchases, inventory, marketing, and other growth-related expenses.
Our microloan clients are typically small businesses with limited access to conventional financing. By bridging the gap between entrepreneurs and capital, MCE helps business owners create opportunities, strengthen local economies, and build a foundation for long-term success.
Microenterprise Development
Microenterprise Development is a financial innovation originating in Bangladesh. It offers counseling, training, and loans to small groups of entrepreneurs and is peer lending. It was Americanized and fine-tuned in South America and extended larger loans to individual entrepreneurs. Micro Lending at Maryland Capital Enterprises evolved similarly. It started with loans up to $500 to individual entrepreneurs in peer groups of six and has evolved to offering micro-loans up to $35,000 to individual entrepreneurs as well as small business loans up to $50,000.
Who can use Microcredit?
Microcredit can be used if you are currently self-employed and need capital to expand your business, have an idea for a start-up business, want to expand your business beyond your home, need financial, marketing, and management support with your business, need small business training, need a loan for purchasing equipment or for working capital, have been denied a business loan from traditional lenders, and have limited credit and little collateral.