Financing

 

Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA)

The Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority’s (PIDA) low interest loan financing for land and building acquisition; construction and renovation costs; machinery and equipment purchases; working capital and accounts receivable lines of credit, Multi-tenant facility projects and industrial park projects.  PIDA funding may be used in conjunction with private financing and other economic development programs.  PIDA will finance between 50% and 75% of the total eligible project cost, depending on the type of loan.

Eligible businesses include:

  • Agricultural Processor
  • Agricultural Producer
  • Industrial Enterprise
  • Manufacturing Enterprise
  • Research and Development Enterprise
  • Hospitality Enterprise
  • Defense Conversion Enterprise
  • Recycling Enterprise
  • Computer-Related Services Enterprise
  • Construction Enterprise
  • Child Day-Care Enterprise
  • Mining Enterprise
  • Service Enterprise
  • Developer

Specifications include:

  • Interest rate for the program are based on current market conditions.
  • Loan amounts range from $100,000 to $2,250,000
  • Up to 15-year term on land and building acquisition and construction; Up to 10 years for machinery and equipment purchases; Up to 1 year for working capital and accounts receivable; Loans used to implement pollution prevention or energy efficiency programs shall have a term not to exceed 10 years.
  • $35,000 cost per job retained and/or $50,000 cost per job created.

For more information, please visit the PIDA website or click here to view the PIDA Factsheet and PIDA Guidelines.

Manufacturing Technology Loan Fund

The Manufacturing Technology Loan Fund (MTLF) from Catalyst Connection provides low-interest loans for machinery and equipment purchases. All manufacturers located in Armstrong County are eligible for the MTLF.  Catalyst Connection is the Industrial Resource Center (IRC) for Armstrong County. For more information contact the ACIDC.

  • Loans up to $400,000
  • 5% fixed interest rate
  • Term of the loan 3 to 7 years, or the life of the asset, whichever is less

Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission Revolving Loan Fund

Loan Limits: 50% of total project cost or $300,000; whichever is less

  • Construction Costs will fall under Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage Guidelines
  • Maximum for Working Capital is $100,000

Terms:

  • Low Fixed Interest Rates
  • Land and Building: Up to 15 Years
  • Machinery and Equipment: Up to 10 Years
  • Working Capital: Up to 3 Years
  • No prepayment penalty

Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority (PEDFA)

The PEDFA program provides tax-exempt and taxable bonds, in both pooled and stand-alone transactions, to be used to finance land, building, equipment, working capital, and refinancing.

  • Since 1989, PEDFA rates have averaged 46% of prime interest rate.
  • Weekly variable interest rate tied to market for tax-exempt bonds.
  • Up to a 30-year term.
  • Borrower generally must secure letter of credit from bank.
  • $500 fee due at time of application, to be credited against the issuance fee when project closes.

For more information, please click below to obtain PEDFA guidelines
Taxable Bonds and Tax Exempt Bonds

Small Business Administration (SBA) 504

The SBA 504 Loan Program is a fixed asset financing program for expanding small business.  Assets that can be funded by SBA 504 include:  land acquisition; building construction; building purchase; leasehold improvements; equipment; renovations; and related project costs.

  • Lending limits for SBA 504 are up to 40% of eligible project costs; $5,000,000 for typical projects.
  • 50% of financing from private financial institution and minimum of 10% equity injection from business/applicant.

Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program (B&I)

The United State Department of Agriculture offers guarantees on loans  made by private lenders to help new and existing businesses based in rural areas.  The 2008 Farm Bill places special emphasis on businesses and facilitating the processing, distribution, storing and marketing of locally or regionally produced food products.

Eligible businesses include:

  • Corporations and for-profit businesses
  • Non-profit organizations and cooperatives
  • Other legal entities or individuals

Loans can be used for a wide variety of business activities, including:

  • Business conversion, expansion, repair, modernization, or development;
  • Purchase and development of land, easements, rights-of-way, buildings or facilities;
  • Purchase of equipment, leasehold improvements, machinery, supplies, or inventory;
  • Working capital and debt refinancing.

For more information, please click here to obtain B&I Guidelines.

Pennsylvania Infrastructure Technology Alliance (PITA)

The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Technology Alliance (PITA) is a Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) program designed to provide economic benefit to Pennsylvania through knowledge transfer, the discovery of new technologies and the retention of highly educated students. PITA is a collaboration among the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Institute for Complex Engineered Systems at Carnegie Mellon University.  PITA Research and Educational programs assist the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and its companies in increasing operating efficiency and enhancing economic development by:

  • Combining physical and informational infrastructure technology development expertise in Pennsylvania.
  • Leveraging complementary technology development in design, manufacturing, and environmental issues.
  • Focusing research and educational capabilities of world-class universities on technology solutions to economic issues in the Commonwealth.
  • Creating an environment linking Pennsylvania companies with students to create high paying jobs and retain highly educated students.

Projects must address one of the following PITA Technology Focus Areas: Transportation; Telecommunications and Information Technology; Facilities; Water Systems; Energy & Environment; Public Health & Medicine; Hazard Mitigation & Disaster Recovery.

Project duration is typically 18 months.  Project involves graduate and/or undergraduate students.  Project targets $2 of leveraged funding for every $1 of PITA funding.  All PITA funds are expended within the University.

For more information, click here to be directed to Carnegie Mellon University’s website.

Pennsylvania Dairy Investment Program

The Pennsylvania Dairy Investment Program was established under Act 42 of 2018 for research and development, organic transition, value-added processing, and marketing grants in support of Pennsylvania’s Dairy Industry. The program is administered jointly by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and the PA Department of Agriculture (PDA), under the direction of the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA).

For more information, please visit DCED website or click here to view the

The Progress Fund

The Progress Fund is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that assists new or expanding tourism businesses.  Loans can be used to purchase real estate, equipment, inventory and working capital.  Funds can also be used to restore or rehabilitate buildings, expand an existing business or purchase an existing business. The Progress Fund encourages job creation, historic preservation, local agriculture and trail-based development.  The Progress Fund provides loans from $5,000 to over $1,000,000.  Terms range from 5 to 15 years and interest rates are variable.