Fund Your Social Impact
The SEG Capital team connects Rhode Island’s social entrepreneurs with the funding, expertise, and relationships needed to grow your business and your social impact.
We provide holistic capital navigation as well as access to our two funds – the Microgrant and the Loan Fund.
Capital Navigation
For any entrepreneur ready to access financing, but unsure where to start.
Whether you’ve been through SEG programming or are coming to SEG for the first time, our Capital Access experts help you understand your options and connect you to the right funding at SEG or beyond.
We Help You:
- Identify the best funding options for your business and stage
- Strengthen your business plan, financials, and pitch
- Connect with expert advisors and tailored support
- Get warm referrals to investment opportunities
- Help you prepare confidently for funder conversation
- Identify whether SEG’s Microgrant and Loan Fund are right for you
Funding for Changemakers
Microgrant Fund
An accessible grant for Rhode Island’s next generation of high-impact startups. These grants help bold, community-rooted entrepreneurs take a critical step toward launching or growing their venture.
Who qualifies:
- SEG program alumni: Accelerator, Incubator, and Incubadora (español)
- Rhode Island-based social entrepreneurs
- Under $25,000 in revenue to date
What it funds:
One off projects including technology, legal, events, space improvements, marketing, capacity building.
How to apply:
We will be accepting applications starting July 1st. To learn more and inquire about applying, book a capital navigation appointment with our team.
Loan Fund
The Loan Fund supports Rhode Island based social enterprises who already have some traction (and revenue) and a clear vision for growth. We provide competitive rates and loan terms up to 3 years.
Who qualifies:
- Rhode Island-based social enterprises with at least 1 year in operation
- A commitment to job creation or retention
- Over $25,000 in revenue to date
What it funds:
Inventory, equipment, business expansion, marketing, working capital, development initiatives.
How to apply:
We accept applications on a rolling basis. To learn more and inquire about applying, book a capital navigation appointment with our team.
FAQ – Before you apply
It depends. The Microgrant Fund is only open to SEG program alumni of the Incubator or Accelerator. The Loan Fund does not require alumni status. If you're an established Rhode Island social enterprise that meets the financial criteria, you're eligible to apply.
No — we ask that applicants choose one fund at a time. The two products are designed for different stages of a business's growth. Our team can help you navigate which is best for you.
Yes. We support ventures that make a meaningful impact in Rhode Island and the surrounding New England region.
Yes. Both the Microgrant and Loan Fund are open to any venture with a social impact mission — including for-profit businesses, nonprofits, worker cooperatives, and LLCs. You do not need to be formally registered as a business.
A social enterprise is a business that generates revenue while creating measurable social, environmental, or community impact. Some examples of businesses we've supported include a company making sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics; a medical equipment brand designed for patients with chronic illness; a worker-owned cleaning cooperative providing living-wage jobs.
We receive more applications than we can fund, especially for the Seed Microgrant. We focus on clarity of need, feasibility, and potential impact—not polish or perfection.
Microgrant Fund
We receive more strong applications each cycle than we're able to fund. That said, our goal is to fund the most impactful projects, not to keep acceptance rates artificially low. The best thing you can do to strengthen your application is to be specific: clear project goals, a realistic budget, and a concrete explanation of the impact you expect to create will always stand out over general descriptions.
Absolutely.
Loan Fund
No. Our primary focus is on the financial health and repayment capacity of the business itself — not your personal credit history. We look at business financials, cash flow, and your plan for repayment.
The Loan Fund offers competitive rates that are designed to be accessible to social enterprises — typically well below commercial lending rates. Exact rates are set by the loan committee based on the specifics of your application and loan amount. You'll be given a full summary of your proposed terms, including interest rate, repayment schedule, and any conditions, before you're asked to sign anything. There are no hidden fees.
The Loan Fund does not require traditional collateral. We recognise that many early-stage social enterprises don't have significant physical assets, and we don't want that to be a barrier to accessing capital.
The Process
Yes — we commit to providing brief feedback to every applicant who is not selected.
The Capital Navigation appointment is required before submitting an application for either the Microgrant or Loan Fund. This meeting helps ensure you qualify for and are applying for the right funding. It's also your chance to ask us questions before you invest time in the full application.
We’ll talk through your business, your goals, and your funding needs, and help you understand which options, at SEG or elsewhere, might be the best fit. It’s a guidance conversation, not a formal evaluation.
Sí. SEG ofrece programas y apoyo en español, y nuestro proceso de solicitud puede realizarse en español. Si prefieres comunicarte en español, indícalo al reservar tu cita de Acceso a Capital y te conectaremos con un miembro del equipo que habla español.
Yes. SEG offers programs and support in Spanish, and our application process can be completed in Spanish. If you'd prefer to communicate in Spanish, let us know when booking your Capital Access appointment and we'll connect you with a Spanish-speaking team member.
What Our Alumni Say About Funding Options
