While certain financial institutions are emerging on the up and up compared to this time last year and beginning to repay government issued TARP funds, there are still exceptionally diminutive means to starting up a green business. Opportunely, there are many resources for struggling business pioneers that can help gain strong financial foothold in the industry. As most well know, competition to receive American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funded projects is rigid at best, giving way to the optimal resource in green initiatives; Onvia Recovery Contacts Sourcebook. Onvia offers access to over 17,000 stimulus decision-makers and buyers with active or approved economic recovery projects through May 2009, and provides direct e-mail and phone contacts. However, this list is not free, so unite with a few other green capitalists and pitch in on fees to lower initial outlay.

In making direct connections with clean tech businesses and investors there is the Clean Tech Capital Portal, which offers partnership between global cleantech investors, including cleantech share traders, fund to fund investments, cleantech company investments and cleantech projects. Additional funding resources include the Community Conservation Enterprise, which works closely with tourism businesses to help them thrive while conserving biodiversity and providing a boost to local economies. Green Seed Money Grants are offered to budding social entrepreneurs to initiate new organizations that deliver bold, high-impact solutions; with the group having invested over $28 million in seed funding to over 471 social capitalists. As the U.S. leader in microfinance, Accion works to bring affordable small business loans to microentrepreneurs – with about $117 million invested in over 18,500 microloans since its establishment in 1991.

Not to mention, there are also modest lending organizations willing to finance equipment for new business ventures with sufficient credit and background, such as WB FINANCIAL. Located in Southern California, WB offers a wide range of business financing resources throughout the U.S. and Canada, and provides the most comprehensive commercial equipment leasing programs available on the market today. There are more groups and private lenders who are willing and able to financially assist green entrepreneurs, however the market is still as constricted as ever and will remain so until major financial institutions once again open their doors to stable lending practices.

General Motors has recently selected Chris Liddell - Microsoft Corp’s chief finance officer - as vice chairman and CFO to replace Ray Young. Liddell, age 51, has been CFO at Microsoft Corporation since May 2005 but is leaving his position there as of December 31st. Despite his demotion, Ray Young is staying with the company as vice president of international operations; leading the unit’s finance projects, with additional responsibilities to be “clarified in the near term,” GM said. Kenneth Feinberg, the U.S. pay czar, placed salary caps on the financially-assisted company which affected GM executive salaries by 31 percent and allowed only one senior manager - apart from then CEO Fritz Henderson - to receive more than $500,000 in 2009. GM has not yet acknowledged that executive. Chairman and interim CEO for GM, Ed Whitacre, expressed last month that the salary cap made hiring from the outside challenging, and urged Feinberg to re-evaluate the restrictions. Soon after, the pay czar said he would be open to flexing the limits for new hires.

According to the Fitch Ratings 2010 outlook report, U.S. structured finance sectors indicate a significant instability even with recent signs of economic recovery. The Fitch credit rating report also specifies that U.S. consumer heath and unemployment will play an important part in consumer ABS (asset backed securities) performance in 2010. Fitch expects unemployment rates reaching 10.5 percent by mid 2010, credit card charge-off rates at 12 percent, and annualized auto net losses between 2 and 25 percent. However despite regression in ABS security performance, Fitch anticipates that U.S. ratings will remain strong for credit card and auto ABS. Primary concerns for next year were shown in the CMBS (commercial mortgage backed securities) division, where Fitch illustrated the risks associated with protracted illiquidity and refinancing. In the RMBS (residential mortgage-backed securities) sector, increasing delinquencies and losses will counteract financial aid from provisional government assistance programs.

“Negative equity, high re-default rates on modified loans and additional rises in unemployment may deter any positive momentum for RMBS,” said Senior Director Grant Bailey. Fitch assesses that home cost will drop an additional 10 percent nationwide, while modification redefaults will be 50 percent for Prime and 60 to 75 percent on Alt-A and subprime. Recovery rates for distressed prime RMBS is anticipated at 95 percent; jointly, recovery rates for distressed Alt-A RMBS will reach 80 percent while distressed subprime RMBS will see a 50 percent recovery rate. Fitch’s report also acknowledged refinance risk as a main problem for CLOs (collateralized loan obligation). Managing Director Kevin Kendra states, “High yield bond issuance and maturity extensions in 2009 have addressed less than 10% of the leverage loans requiring refinancing by the end of 2014.” He continues, “Traditional bank loan activity will remain challenged as tighter lending standards limit refinancing opportunities to the higher quality borrowers.”

President Obama recently held a meeting with some of the nation’s largest commercial banking groups, stressing the importance of taking “extraordinary” steps to restore the U.S. economy after obtaining taxpayer bailout dollars. Financial service institutions were monetarily assisted by taxpayers to avoid bankruptcy, which was “largely of their own making,” he said; rendering them indebted to homeowners and small businesses alike. “America’s banks received extraordinary assistance from American taxpayers… Now that they’re back on their feet, we expect an extraordinary commitment from them to help rebuild the economy,” Obama said in comments after the White House session.

Among the crowd were CEOs of U.S. Bancorp, Bank of America Corp., Wells Fargo & Co. and JPMorgan Chase & Co., who afterwards announced that they would substantially expand their lending. “Every bank in that room talked about adding many, many small business originators, and setting very aggressive goals for small business lending next year,” said Richard Davis, the chief executive officer of Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp. Wells Fargo also announced plans to increase lending in 2010 as much as 25 percent - to more than $16 billion - for businesses with $20 million or less in annual revenue, according to Sarah E. Toffoli, VP and communications manager. However while White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said that all the banks determined to take “second looks” at loans that had been previously refused, some executives warned that they still need to proceed sensibly. “Not everyone is credit worthy in today’s world,” said Robert Kelly, chairman and chief executive of Bank of New York Mellon, on CNBC after the meeting. The U.S. economy is recuperating, he said, “but it’s really fragile.”

Southern Nevada’s existing solar array at Nellis Air Force Base is currently the largest operating solar PV plant in the United States. The new project, expected to be completed in 2010, is larger in scale and will employ 120+ people during the construction phase alone. Details of the PPA were not readily available, but this is great news to Nevada residents who have become frustrated with their state’s reluctance to adopt renewable energy reform. Despite the  great potential to produce solar power in Nevada, inadequate transmission lines connecting the state’s northern and southern power grids have held back development in the past. NV Energy reported that ALL of the power generated by the production facility will go to consumers in their southern service territory.

Now more than ever, financing options are becoming a HUGE factor in the equipment acquisition process. Salesmen of heavy equipment/capital equipment will tell you time and time again, the ability to control the financing process allows them to close more deals. In this economy, many companies simply cannot handle the burden of paying cash for new equipment purchases, even if the purchase is necessary. Small businesses all across the US and Canada are delaying equipment acquisitions until the economy turns around, even if the upgrade/purchase is well past due. As an equipment/technology vendor, the ability to offer comprehensive equipment leasing and financing options is a must, and the ability to control the financing process can be just as important.

Annual equipment leasing volume in the United States is now over $260 billion; looking closer, those figures reveal that over 35% of all capital equipment is acquired under an equipment lease contract. Equipment leases are a very popular financial tool that is currently used by over 80% of U.S. companies to acquire capital equipment. Your customers WANT to lease!

As a salesperson, you have a couple different choices when your clients inquire about leasing & financing options:

1. Your company can finance the equipment internally- This option ties up cash and you may face future liability in the event of any defaults.
2. Tell your client that you do not directly offer financing options- This may alienate your customer and drive them into the arms of another vendor that might be able to offer flexible financing.
3. You can provide them a list of “approved” equipment leasing companies to choose from- The client is forced to pursue financing on their own. In this economic environment, the process cannot only be confusing, but very time consuming as well. Your customer can easily get lost in the sea of commercial financing options.
4. Develop a relationship with a full-service leasing company- This option provides the vendor with a cash sale and gives the end-user flexible financing options. Full-service equipment leasing companies should be able to provide comprehensive financing for a wide variety of credits (not just your A++ credits).

To avoid delays and loss of control you MUST offer financing along with your equipment.  But, as discussed, getting into the finance business presents a whole different set of challenges and your business is selling equipment, not financing it. During the slower summer months, take the time to develop a relationship with an equipment leasing company. Make sure they are able to offer marketing support and truly understand your market and clients. A proactive marketing partnership gives you the benefits of an internal finance company while avoiding the challenges, liabilities and exposure of being in the finance business.

Help your salespeople make more sales with less hassle… offer equipment leasing & financing options!

A group of world business leaders issued a clear call for change this Tuesday, issuing “The Copenhagen Call,” a demand for a global climate treaty. This came after Al Gore, on Sunday, called on attendees to pressure governments around the world to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

“The clock is ticking…” Gore Said. “We have to do it this year. Not next year. This year… because Mother Nature does not do bailouts.”

“The Copenhagen Call” encourages businesses around the world to adopt a treaty which will help reach GHG (Green House Gas) reduction targets in 2020 and 2050, and cut global emissions by at least 50% by 2050. The Copenhagen Climate Council also supports unified emissions measurement and reporting/verification standards that would lead to mandatory reporting across the globe. In addition to more obvious goals, the group also advocates financial incentives that would help finance low-carbon technologies, and jump start investment in these areas. While everyone seemed pleased with the general direction of the “call,” Greenpeace seemed less than enthused that “polluters” from Shell and Duke Energy “hijacked” the conference and were in attendance.

If you are a business owner that has weathered the economic storm over the past few years, you’ve probably seen your competition going out-of-business at an alarming rate. Their exit from the marketplace might have your business poised for growth as the economy picks back up in the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2009. That is… if you are able to acquire the necessary capital equipment needed to accommodate the additional clients/jobs. With banks tightening lending requirements and sometimes, exiting markets all together, leasing companies have been using their asset-based expertise to their advantage. By truly understanding the value of a given asset, an equipment leasing company can structure a lease/loan with no additional collateral besides the piece of financed equipment.

Over 80% of businesses in the United States utilize equipment leasing options as a means of business financing. Equipment leasing approvals are generally available in as little as 48-hours for amounts under $75k, with larger commercial approvals up to $3MM available after full financial disclosure. The majority of businesses turn to equipment leasing because of the flexibility it affords. With credit approval, an equipment lease can be executed with only one month’s payment due in advance. This can be a HUGE help, especially when compared to the 15% traditionally required to initiated bank loans and credit lines. If you are involved in a high-tech industry, or one which requires constant equipment upgrades, you’ll be happy to know that equipment leases can be structured with upgrade options. The ability to upgrade your equipment down-the-road means never having to worry about technology obsolescence.

So who qualifies for commercial equipment leasing programs? While the application requirements vary, generally any sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation, partnership, or freelance professional can apply for commercial financing options. Credit approvals up to $75k are generally available on an application-only basis, with personal guaranties of the majority owners (if a closely held company) being required. For amounts over $75k, expect any reputable leasing company to request business financial statements to assess a company’s financial strength.

When applying for an equipment lease, you should have the following information handy and ready to supply for final credit approval:

1. Trade References- 3 companies from which you purchase goods/services from on a regular basis.
2. Business Banking Statements- Copies of the first page, showing average daily balance, for the three latest months.
3. Exact Legal Business Name- Needed to verify time-in-business (TIB).
4. Personal Information on Majority Owners- Anyone owning more than 15% of a company will need to provide personal information (name, address, social security number) and sign a credit authorization to begin the credit application progress.
5. Financial Statements/Tax Returns- For financed amounts over $100k, be prepared to provide an equipment leasing company with two-years federal tax returns, as well as a current interim statement with balance sheet/profit & loss statement. Additional financials will be requested as needed, on a case-by-case basis.

Factoring companies are usually very well-versed commercial lenders with tremendous experience in risk assessment. In this current economic environment, developing a relationship with the right factoring company can relieve some of the burden associated with A/R collections and cash flow management. Of course, with the increased risks facing commercial lenders in the current marketplace, many factoring companies will be requiring more financial information from a client before entering into a factoring arrangement. Expect any reputable factoring company to complete a credit check on a client before developing a relationship. That being said, once the factor establishes a comfort level with a given client and their accounts, a credit line can then be established for future use.

While there has been an increase in small business factoring in recent years, please keep in mind that A/R factoring should only be used for short-term financing and cash-flow needs. For more long-term financing, especially for the acquisition of capital equipment and fixed assets, consider equipment leasing options and business lines-of-credit.