All funding
LoanRolling
The Lending Lab (Building Hope Impact Fund)
Term Loan
A loan built for small private schools, not a grant. 6% fixed (5% with a SchoolStack commitment), 2% origination, 4–6 year term, interest-only in year 1. It pays for operating costs, not construction or real estate. The fund says many Year 0–1 founders use one cycle to get their file ready and apply the next.
- Amount
- $10,000–$50,000 (home-based schools capped at $20,000)
- Can a for-profit school apply?
- Yes, a for-profit school can apply
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Who this fits
- Microschool · Private school · Homeschool co‑opIn-person schools run by an LLC, a corporation or a nonprofit (the funder's words: “LLC, Corporation, or 501(c)(3)”), including nonprofits with a 501(c)(3) pending.
- New schools
- Not stated for new schools
- Where
- National
- Last checked
- Oct 1, 2026on lendinglab.org
Unconfirmed: check with the funder
We couldn’t confirm these on an official page. Treat them as open questions, not facts.
- Student count: the page says 10–200 students, but the site’s description says 10–100. Ask help@lendinglab.org.
- Whether homeschool enrichment programs or co-ops qualify, and whether informal parent groups are excluded (reported, but not on the pages we checked).
How to apply
- Step 1: Take the free 15-minute eligibility screener on lendinglab.org
- Step 2: Get an EIN and a dedicated business bank account (no mixing personal and school money)
- Step 3: Carry $1M general liability insurance
- Step 4: Build a five-year financial model in Excel (XLSX): assumptions, a repayment schedule and an affordability check
- Step 5: Keep books reconciled monthly in QuickBooks Online and run formal payroll
- Step 6: Have a draft lease, letter of intent or written facility plan
- Step 7: Have signed tuition contracts or enrollment agreements with deposits ready; they are verified later through the fund's secure process
Funders change their requirements. Check the official page before you apply. Getting ready? See what funders usually ask for.
Who can apply
“We lend to legally registered in-person schools (LLC, Corporation, or 501(c)(3)) enrolling 10 to 200 students. Charter schools and fully virtual programs are not eligible.”
Not currently available in California, Hawaii or North Dakota. A personal guarantee is required.
- In-person school, 10–200 students (the site also says 10–100 in one place)
- Not for sole proprietors, charter schools or online-only programs
- The borrower can't be a DBA or a fiscal sponsor
- Signed tuition contracts plus deposits (verified after you apply)
- Personal guarantee required
- FICO 650+ preferred, not a cutoff
Timing
Rolling. About a 15-minute screener, then a 2–4 week review.