General eligibility criteria include:

1. Your business must be located in a rural community of Alberta
2. You must be involved in the day-to-day operations of the business
3. You must be of legal age and a resident of Canada
4. You must contact a bank first. If you are unable to secure appropriate financing under reasonable terms elsewhere, contact us.

If you are interested in applying for a Community Futures business loan, you must be prepared to make a personal investment. We ask that you provide cash plus security (such as vehicles, equipment, land, buildings, etc.) to back the loan. This shows that you are committed to making your business work.

For more information, contact us.

Yes. All financial institutions including Community Futures will run a credit check on you or your incorporated company to see if you have dealt responsibly with past loans and debt. A bad credit rating is a concern to most lenders, including Community Futures. More information can be found on Industry Canada's website: http://strategis.ic.gc.ca. There are a number of things you can do to improve your credit rating. Feel free to contact us to discuss options.

Yes. A business plan provides important information about your company's management expertise and viability. Almost all financial institutions, including Community Futures, require that you prepare a business plan – and we can help you write it, or provide you with useful tips and tools.

Community Futures strives to provide a decision for each loan application within 10 business days from the date the completed loan application (including all required support information and documents) is received by the Community Futures office.

Contact us to discuss loan products and to obtain a Loan Application package.

Community Futures loans and services are available for businesses in rural areas. Your business must be located outside of the metropolitan areas of Edmonton (including St Albert and other communities within the Edmonton Capital Region) and Calgary.