Rise Business Funding

Revenue-Based Financing in Tennessee

Tennessee's economy spans advanced manufacturing in the greater Memphis corridor, healthcare systems anchored in Nashville, and a thriving hospitality sector. Revenue-based financing gives local businesses flexible capital that scales with monthly sales, helping owners across the Volunteer State manage growth without rigid fixed payments.

$5K to $5M

Funding available to qualified Tennessee businesses

Decisions in 24 Hours

Fast approvals so you can act on opportunities quickly

Statewide Coverage

Serving small businesses in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and beyond

About Revenue-Based Financing in Tennessee

Tennessee's small businesses generated 80.7% of the state's net private-sector job growth between March 2023 and March 2024, adding more than 40,000 net jobs in a single year, according to the SBA Office of Advocacy. That output reflects an economy where transportation corridors, entertainment districts, and assembly plants create constant revenue movement but uneven cash flow timing. Revenue-based financing matches repayments to that rhythm: you pay a percentage of monthly revenue, not a fixed installment, so slower months cost less.

Consider how that structure fits the industries driving Tennessee's growth right now. Logistics operators running freight through the I-40/I-65/I-24 corridors near Nashville or supporting FedEx's global hub at Memphis International Airport carry heavy fuel, maintenance, and driver costs that precede invoice collection by weeks. Trucking business loans built around revenue share absorb that gap without forcing fixed payments during a slow freight cycle. On Music Row and along the Beale Street Entertainment District in Memphis, entertainment-focused businesses face the opposite problem: concentrated revenue around festival seasons and touring cycles, followed by leaner quarters. A flexible repayment model lets a recording studio or live-venue operator scale payments down when bookings thin out rather than drawing on reserves.

Automotive suppliers serving the Nissan assembly plant in Smyrna or Volkswagen's Chattanooga facility often run on net-30 to net-60 supplier payment terms, which creates a predictable but persistent working-capital gap. Equipment financing can address capital-intensive tool purchases, while revenue-based financing covers operating expenses between purchase orders. For general contractors active in the Nashville-Murfreesboro-Franklin MSA, where Davidson County recorded 47,037 new business applications in 2023 alone, construction business loans structured around project revenue keep materials procurement and subcontractor payments on schedule. Tennessee exported $38.9 billion in goods in 2024, and the supplier ecosystems around those exports need working capital that moves as fast as the revenue does. Rise Business Funding structures financing around your actual monthly receipts, not a bank's fixed-payment schedule. Use the business funding calculator to see what an advance against your Tennessee revenue could look like.

Financing Options in Tennessee

Every product Rise Business Funding offers is available to Tennessee businesses. Choose the structure that fits how you want to access and repay capital.

Requirements to Qualify

Tennessee businesses typically meet the following thresholds. Even if you fall short on one factor, Rise Business Funding evaluates your full financial picture.

Minimum Credit Score

FICO 600+

A credit score of 600 or above meets the baseline for most revenue-based financing programs available through our network. Tennessee business owners with scores below this threshold may still explore other products.

Monthly Revenue

$25,000+

Lenders in our network look for at least $25,000 in average monthly revenue. Larger monthly revenue typically unlocks larger funding amounts; lenders evaluate each application individually.

Time in Business

6+ Months

Your Tennessee business should have at least six months of operating history. This helps lenders assess revenue trends and repayment capacity based on real sales performance.

Business Bank Account

Required

An active business bank account is required for funding. Lenders use bank statements to verify revenue consistency and to deposit and collect funds electronically.

How It Works in Tennessee

1

Submit Your Application

Complete our streamlined online application in minutes. Share basic details about your Tennessee business, monthly revenue, and funding needs. No lengthy paperwork is required to get started.

2

Receive a Decision

Lenders in our network review your application and typically deliver a decision within 24 hours. You will see offers tailored to your revenue profile and business profile so you can compare options.

3

Access Your Funds

Once you accept an offer and complete any final verification, funds are deposited directly into your business bank account, often within one to three business days.

Why Tennessee Business Owners Choose Rise Business Funding

  • Flexible Repayment That Matches Your Revenue

    Revenue-based financing payments rise and fall with your sales, so a slow month never puts your Tennessee business under undue pressure.

  • Access to a Broad Lender Network

    Rise Business Funding works with multiple vetted lenders, giving Tennessee business owners more options and a better chance of finding terms that fit their situation.

  • Fast, Transparent Process

    Our application is straightforward, decisions arrive quickly, and there are no hidden fees or surprises buried in fine print.

  • Dedicated Support for Tennessee Businesses

    We understand the industries that drive Tennessee's economy and tailor our matching process to connect you with lenders who have experience serving businesses like yours.

Industries We Serve in Tennessee

From the dominant sectors of the Tennessee economy to the small operators that keep neighborhoods running, Rise Business Funding works across every legitimate industry.

Tennessee-Specific Resources

Tennessee entrepreneurs have access to several public-sector resources worth knowing before you decide how to structure your capital stack. Fund Tennessee administers $117 million in federal SSBCI 2.0 funding through programs like LendTN, which channels debt capital through Treasury-certified CDFIs across all 95 counties. Pathway Lending, a Nashville-based CDFI endorsed by the Tennessee Bankers Association, offers term loans and lines of credit averaging $202,000 and can serve as a complementary source for longer-horizon needs. The Tennessee Small Business Development Center, hosted by Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, provides free consulting on loan packaging and financial projections. These programs are valuable, but they carry approval timelines and eligibility criteria that do not fit every situation. Rise Business Funding's revenue-based financing and short-term products are designed to move on your schedule, bridging gaps that public programs cannot always close quickly enough.

Fund Tennessee

Tennessee's State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI 2.0) program, administering $117 million in federal funding statewide through three components: LendTN (a $47 million debt program delivered via Treasury-certified CDFIs across all 95 counties), InvestTN (equity investments into Tennessee-located startups at the pre-seed and seed stages), and AssistTN (technical assistance to help SEDI-owned and very small businesses become capital-ready). At least 58% of loaned dollars must serve socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.

fundtennessee.org

Pathway Lending

Nashville-based, U.S. Treasury-certified CDFI and the only CDFI endorsed by the Tennessee Bankers Association, offering small business term loans, lines of credit, equipment and commercial real estate financing starting at $5,000 (average small business loan size of $202,000 in 2024), with a focus on veteran-, women-, minority-, rural, and low-to-moderate-income borrowers across all regions of Tennessee. Pathway is a participating lender in the LendTN program under Fund Tennessee and has delivered more than $587 million in direct lending over 25 years.

pathwaylending.org

LiftFund

Treasury-certified nonprofit CDFI operating a Tennessee-specific lending portal, offering SBA Community Advantage loans (up to $350,000, 7 to 10 year terms) and microloans to small businesses in Tennessee that do not qualify for traditional bank financing, with particular emphasis on underserved entrepreneurs including minorities, women, and veterans. LiftFund has deployed nearly $1 billion in funding to more than 28,000 business owners across 13 states, with Tennessee as a primary service market.

tennessee.liftfund.com

SBA Tennessee District Office

The U.S. Small Business Administration's single district office for Tennessee, located in Nashville, serves all 95 counties of the state and delivers SBA 7(a) loans, 504 loans, and microloans through more than 120 approved lending partners, which collectively approved over $670 million in SBA-backed loans for Tennessee businesses in Fiscal Year 2025. The office also provides counseling referrals, federal contracting certifications, and disaster recovery assistance.

sba.gov

Hope Credit Union

Treasury-certified CDFI credit union serving the Deep South including Tennessee, providing small business loans up to $250,000 and commercial loans above that threshold, with 64% of small business loans historically going to Black-owned businesses and 74% made in economically distressed regions. HOPE also administers the Spectrum Community Investment Loan Fund, which explicitly covers Tennessee, and offers start-up loans, business real estate lending, and SBA-sponsored financing for businesses in underserved areas.

hopecu.org

Tennessee Small Business Development Center

Statewide network of Small Business Development Centers hosted by Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro and accredited by the National Association of Small Business Development Centers, providing free, confidential consulting on business planning, financial projections, loan packaging, and market research to Tennessee entrepreneurs at every stage. The TSBDC also serves as the designated technical assistance partner for the AssistTN component of Fund Tennessee (SSBCI).

tsbdc.org

Frequently Asked Questions

About Funding in Tennessee

Revenue-based financing in Tennessee is a funding structure where a lender advances capital to your business in exchange for a fixed percentage of future monthly revenue until the total amount owed is repaid. Unlike traditional loans with set monthly installments, your payments move up or down based on how much revenue you bring in. This makes it a popular choice for Tennessee businesses with seasonal or variable income, such as tourism-adjacent hospitality businesses or food service operators in Nashville and Knoxville.

Revenue-Based Financing in Tennessee Cities

We serve businesses in Memphis, Nashville. Pick your city for local programs, qualification specifics, and city-tailored FAQs.

Get Revenue-Based Financing Today

Apply in under 5 minutes. No credit impact. Funding decisions in 24 hours.