Capital Ladder

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Four professionals stand in front of a presentation screen and banner, engaging with an audience in a conference room. They are dressed in business attire, with two men in suits, one woman in a black blouse, and another man in a red blazer. Audience members are seated, including a woman in a pink sweater in the foreground.

The Problem

Memphis and other West Tennessee markets do not simply face a shortage of capital for entrepreneurs. It faces a shortage of right-sized capital at the right stage.

Too many promising entrepreneurs can access fragments of support, but not a sequenced pathway. Some receive technical assistance but no flexible proof-of-concept funding. Others may need equipment, tenant improvements, marketing support, early hiring capital, or working capital, but are either too early for conventional lending or pushed toward high-cost capital that weakens the business before it can become durable.

As a result, businesses that could become stable employers, neighborhood commercial anchors, and community wealth builders are often forced to either stall, overpay for capital, or fail before reaching maturity.

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WHY NOW

We believe this is the right moment to build a staged capital system in Memphis and West TN because the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has strong technical support resources, strong founder energy, and strong corridor-based business activity, but still lacks an organized capital progression model that safely moves entrepreneurs from idea to durable enterprise.

The model also aligns with a broader corridor-based support framework already under discussion in Memphis, built around organized business councils, multi-week business training, proof-of-concept grants, coordinated lenders, and storytelling tied to measurable business outcomes.

The Solution

RCC Capital Ladder is designed to address that structural gap through four sequential tranches of capital:

01

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Outline of a small plant with two leaves growing from a mound of soil.

Proof

Small proof-of-concept grants for customer discovery, business setup, licensing, market testing, compliance, and launch readiness.

◴ Coming soon

02

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Build

Early operating and asset-building loans for equipment, vehicles, leasehold improvements, technology, marketing, inventory, and first hires.

03

An upward trending line graph with an arrow indicating growth or increase.

Scale

Larger growth loans for businesses that have demonstrated traction and are ready to expand operations, capacity, or location footprint.

04

Black shield with a white checkmark in the center.

Sustain

Flexible working capital lines of credit for maturing businesses that need liquidity support for payroll timing, receivables gaps, inventory cycles, seasonality, or growth opportunities.

RCC is not proposing this as a stand-alone loan program. We are proposing it as a community capital infrastructure model for Memphis.

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What Will You Use the Funds For?

◇ Purchase equipment and/or inventory

◇ Purchase a vehicle or fleet of vehicles

◇ Provide working capital for operations

◇ Purchase owner-occupant commercial real estate

◇ Support cash flow and seasonal needs

◇ Down payment support on a community project

❖ Loan Products ❖

Six Loan Products. One Clear Pathway.

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River City Launchpad

UP TO $50,000

◇ ‍Businesses with at least 1 year in operations

◇‍ ‍Working capital

◇‍ ‍Equipment purchases

◇‍ ‍Vehicle purchases

Apply for Capital
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River City Accelerator

UP TO $250,000

◇‍ ‍Businesses 2+ years in operations

◇‍ ‍Working capital

◇‍ ‍Equipment purchases

◇‍ ‍Vehicle purchases

Apply for Capital
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NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACT

UP TO $250,000

◇‍ ‍Local neighborhood organizations

◇‍ ‍Working capital

◇‍ ‍Equipment purchases

◇‍ ‍Vehicle purchases

Apply for Capital
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Chart the Course

UP TO $250,000

◇ ‍Local Charter Schools

◇‍ ‍Working capital

◇‍ ‍Fund Upfront Expenses

◇‍ ‍Grow Student Enrollment

Apply for Capital
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River City Real Estate

UP TO $250,000

◇‍ ‍Owner-occupied only (no landlords)

◇‍ ‍Up to $250,000 financing

◇‍ ‍Acquisition & renovation (up to 120 months)

◇‍ ‍Up to 85% LTV

Apply for Capital
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Contractors Program

UP TO $250,000

◇‍ ‍Contractors & subcontractors

◇‍ ‍Fund upfront project expenses

◇‍ ‍Compete for larger contracts

◇‍ ‍Build capacity & bonding history

Apply for Capital

❖ What You'll Need ❖

Loan Application Requirements

Our streamlined application process is designed to be straightforward. Here's what you'll need to get started. Additional documentation may be requested based on the nature of the loan. For each owner with 20% or more ownership, their driver's license, bank statements, and tax returns will also be required.

  1. Copy of valid state issued driver's license

  2. Three (3) months most recent bank statements (business & personal)

  3. Two years of tax returns (business & personal)

  4. Business structure document(s) - ex. LLC, Sole proprietor, C Corp, S- Corp, Nonprofit, etc.

  5. Copy of business license

  6. Copy of the bill of sale (vehicle purchase requests)

  7. Loan amount requested (max loan request amount is $250,000)

  8. Copy of the purchase agreement (real estate or equipment purchases)

❖ The RCC Advantage

Why Entrepreneurs Choose RCC

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RISK FREE APPLICATION

Submit an application risk free and with no impact to your credit score.

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QUICK, EASY PROCESS

Our simple application process helps you get funding quickly for your business.

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PERSONAL TOUCH

An RCC representative will help you through the process to secure funding.

Ready to Apply?

Submit your application risk-free with no impact to your credit score. Our quick, easy process helps you get the funding your business needs — with a personal RCC representative to guide you every step of the way.

Start Your Application

Questions? Contact our Portfolio Manager: Amelia Crowley — amelia@rivercitycapital.org
or call (901) 521-4232