Loan Awards | SOIL Sangre de Cristo

Applying for a Loan

SOIL Sangre de Cristo is a member-driven investment organization dedicated to supporting local food producers in Colorado's South Central Region.

SOIL Sangre de Cristo offers 0% interest loans to support individuals starting or expanding food-related for-profit businesses. These loans aim to enhance the economic, health, social, and environmental well-being of food systems in the Arkansas Valley, San Luis Valley, and nearby communities.

Shareholder investments in the SOIL Sangre de Cristo Revolving Loan Fund provide the essential capital used to support qualifying farms and food-related businesses in South Central Colorado.

Investing in food production has a wide-reaching impact: it creates jobs on farms and throughout the food system, enhances food security, keeps money circulating within local communities, and serves as an economic catalyst to revitalize rural areas.

Presenting the Loan Award
From Left: Ann Graham, Tylor Berreth, Liz Peuser Mary Ann Bavaria, PJ Bergin

Step 1: Inquiry Questionaire

Step 2: Loan Application

Paso 1: Cuestionario de consulta

Paso 2: Solicitud de préstamo

What You Can Expect

Who Can Qualify?
“Food Producers” include farmers, ranchers, and individuals who use local ingredients to create new food products, such as preserves, pickled vegetables, and other edible goods.

Customized Repayment Plans & Flexible Loan Amounts

Loan repayment schedules are designed to fit each applicant’s unique circumstances. Many loans have quarterly payments and are repaid over 3–5 years, depending on the loan amount. There is no cap on loan requests althought the majority of our loans fall in the range of $5 - 20K as our mission is to support as many food producers as possible.

Loan Review Process

1. Complete the Questionnaire
Begin by filling out the questionnaire to provide us with basic information about your needs. Our team will reach out to learn more about your financial goals and answer any questions you may have.

2. Submit Application
Based on your situation, we’ll guide you through completing the full loan application and work with you to create a repayment schedule tailored to your financial needs and cash flow

3. Loan Application Review

Applications are due at the end of each calendar quarter (March 31st, June 30th, Sept 30th, and Dec 31st) but we recommend submitting them at least 2 weeks ahead of that to give us time to make sure your application is complete.
Additional information may be requested up to two weeks after the quarter close.
The Loan Committee is to meet the third or fourth week of the month. Additional information may be requested after this meeting should the vote remain undecided.
Member meeting and vote is to occur the first week of the following month. Here you’ll have the opportunity to meet our members and present your loan request before a vote is conducted.

4. Approval & Fund Disbursement
Upon approval and the return of a signed promissory note, funds will be disbursed within 10 business days.

5. Ongoing Support

As a loan recipient, SOIL Sangre de Cristo will remain engaged with you throughout the loan term and beyond. You’ll be invited to future meetings and events where we’ll celebrate your achievements together!

The SOIL Sangre de Cristo review committee carefully discusses all the information that’s required to be provided by applicants prior to voting to disburse funds to qualifying clients.

What are the lending criteria?

Recommendations for zero-interest loans will be prioritized largely on the following criteria: ● Makes the greatest impact on our local food economy ● Utilizes ethical business and regenerative land practices ● Demonstrates a strong commitment to community and collaboration ● Shows the ability to repay the loan within the agreed terms Applicants must be a farmer member of SOIL Sangre de Cristo. The applicant can be located anywhere in the state of Colorado as long as the food produced is made available to communities in the South Central Region of Colorado. This can be accomplished through CSA programs, delivery and the Valley Roots Food Hub, among others. Loan awards range from $500 to $20,000. Loan applications are accepted throughout the year and loans are awarded on a quarterly basis. SOIL Sangre de Cristo is not a bank. We are open to considering applicants that would otherwise have a difficult time finding funding.
What can loans be used for?

Funds awarded to food producers can be used for a variety of improvements and expansions, including but not limited to: Upgrading and enhancing irrigation systems. Building or improving wash stations. Purchasing storage solutions like coolers to keep freshly harvested produce fresh. Acquiring equipment to reduce physical labor, such as small tractors and specialized hand tools. Investing in new machinery and tools to boost overall productivity.
Where do SOIL Sangre de Cristo's funds come from?

The loan fund is built through tax-deductible contributions from community members and business sponsors across Colorado's South Central Region. These contributions fuel a revolving loan fund, meaning the money is continuously recycled—distributed to new applicants as previous loans are repaid.