Working capital for women-owned government contractors
Government work pays reliably — just not quickly. Lady's First Group arranges lines of credit, term loans, SBA loans and commercial real estate financing for certified women-owned contractors, sized to your contract revenue and your deposits.
Start an Application →The gap every contractor knows
Under the Prompt Payment Act, federal agencies generally pay within 30 days of a proper invoice — and a prime contractor often pays its subcontractors later still. Payroll, meanwhile, runs every week or two. Win a larger award and the gap grows with it: you staff up and buy materials months before the revenue arrives. That timing gap, not the quality of the business, is why so many certified firms need capital.
What contractors use it for
The structures that fit government work
Revolving line of credit. The natural fit for the payment gap: draw when payroll lands before the payment does, repay when the agency or prime pays, and draw again. You pay interest only on what you use.
Term loan. A fixed amount for a defined need — mobilizing a new contract, a vehicle fleet, equipment — repaid on a schedule you can plan around.
SBA loans. Longer terms and lower rates when the timeline allows. The SBA's CAPLines program includes a contract line built specifically to finance the costs of performing on contracts.
Commercial real estate. Purchase or refinance the property you operate from, including SBA routes when the building is owner-occupied.
What certification does — and doesn't do
WOSB and EDWOSB certification opens doors to set-aside contracts. It isn't a lending program and it won't change a credit decision; lenders underwrite your deposits, your contracts and your cash flow. Anyone who tells you certification gets you funded is selling something. What it does do is put you in line for the kind of steady, documented contract revenue that lenders like to see — which is why a well-presented file from a certified contractor is often a strong one.
Frequently asked questions
Does WOSB or EDWOSB certification help us get approved?
Certification opens set-aside contracts; it isn't a lending program, and it doesn't change a credit decision. Lenders underwrite your bank deposits, your contracts and your cash flow. What certification often does is create the need: new awards that have to be staffed and carried before the first payment arrives.
Can you lend against our government invoices?
Payments on federal contracts can't be freely assigned (the Assignment of Claims Act), so most of our lenders don't lend directly against a government receivable. What usually fits is a revolving line of credit or a term loan sized to your contract revenue and deposits, and it covers the same gap.
What do you need to look at options?
Your last four months of business bank statements, a list of active contracts or awards (contract number, value and period of performance), and any existing business debt. Your credit isn't pulled until you decide to move forward on a specific offer.
Do we need to be a prime contractor?
No. Subcontractors often feel the gap most, because a prime typically pays its subs after the agency pays the prime. What matters is steady revenue — most businesses we place are doing $30,000 or more a month.
See what your contracts support
Four months of bank statements and a list of your active contracts is enough to start. No credit pull to look at options.
Start an Application →