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Sprout Loan

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If you're building something on Vermont's working lands and need a more flexible and patient loan option, the Sprout loan was made for you.

With extra flexibility and support from the State of Vermont's Working Lands Enterprise Initiative, it meets you where you are.

Loan Guidelines

Eligible businesses include:
- Farms & other agricultural operations
- Food processors & producers using local ingredients
- Foresters & forest products businesses
Applicants must be:
- Start-up or early-stage operations with demonstrated or projected growth that are supporting Vermont's working landscape.
- Unable to obtain credit at reasonable rates and terms.
- The ideal Sprout applicant will be a business playing a central role in a local supply chain proposing to undertake a significant growth opportunity, such as the development of a new product or expansion into a new market.
Uses may include:
- Real estate/land acquisition
- Facility construction or improvement
- Equipment
- Inventory
- Working capital
Sprout offers low-interest loans of up to $60,000.
Terms range from two to seven years. Sprout loans will typically feature two years of 1% interest, and a fixed 2% interest rate thereafter.
If your working lands business has a need greater than $60,000 or is otherwise ineligible for Sprout financing, VCLF offers other flexible, affordable financing options through the Food, Farms & Forests Fund, our Agritourism Loan, or through our general business loan program.
Complete the business loan application found here.
We encourage you to speak with us before submitting a loan application. Please complete the form below, contact us at admin@vclf.org, or call us at 802-223-1448.

VCLF offers a suite of business financing options to serve borrowers in a variety of situations and circumstances. Not all prospective borrowers will qualify for Sprout financing. Our Business Program staff work with prospects on a case-by-case basis; we strongly encourage you to get in touch with us, and we'll help determine which loan program will best meet your needs.

Need more than a loan?

Our Business Resource Center provides free advising and technical assistance to help you apply for one of our loans — plus ongoing support once you're a borrower.