Financing Resources

This page is a part of the McNair Center's Guide to Small Business in Houston section on Houston's Small Business Resources.

Securing financing is a crucial part of starting a business. Resources can help you finance your business venture.

What Is It?

Financing is obtaining funds for your enterprise. Many organizations have money or resources available to help you get the funding you need to finance your business.

Why Is It Important to My Business?

The strategic use of financial tools is key to the development of any business. Consideration of a business’s finances is key to employing staff, acquiring the appropriate licenses, purchasing goods, and expansion and development.

Some of the most important ways to finance a small business include Venture Capital (VC) and Loans. VC specializes in funding new companies and their expansion efforts. VC investments are typically high-risk, but offer potential for high return on investment (ROI). If VC isn’t the right path for your small business, the primary other way to acquire capital is through loans. There are a variety of providers for small business loans aside from traditional banks. The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides loans to small business, with several specialized programs which target minorities, women, veterans, and other conventionally underrepresented business owners. No matter the method, proper financing of a small business is critical to its current and future successes.