A nonprofit CDFI · working capital for small business
You've shipped the order. The invoice says your buyer pays in 60 days — but payroll, suppliers, and the next production run won't wait. LEAF advances cash against your invoices in about three business days, and your buyer's payment later squares everyone up. We're a certified Community Development Financial Institution — a mission-driven lender, which is why our pricing looks different from a commercial factoring company's. This page explains how it works and, just as honestly, who it isn't for.
The order
You land a great purchase order from a big buyer. You make it, you ship it, you invoice it. So far, so good.
The wait
The invoice is on net-60 terms. The money is real — it's just two months away while your bills are due this week.
The squeeze
Growth makes it worse: every new order means more cash out the door before the last one has paid you back.
The coin is your cash; the track is one invoice's life. Take the long way and you wait the full 60 days while bills pile up. Take the LEAF shortcut and cash is home in about three business days — so the loop just keeps spinning: new invoice, new advance, another lap.
Payroll
Due day 7
Suppliers
Due day 21
Rent
Due day 30
Next-order deposit
Due day 45
Nothing changes with your buyers. You deliver the order and invoice it on the terms you already have.
Upload it to your portal. If the buyer is on your facility's approved list, LEAF advances a portion of the invoice's value — cash usually lands in about three business days.
When the buyer pays the invoice, LEAF recovers the advance plus agreed interest and fees — and anything left over is yours.
Invoice factoring is the first product on the platform — it isn't the last.
Available now
Advances of up to 80% against invoices you've already shipped, to buyers on your facility's approved list — the exact rate follows your buyer's payment history. Fees run 0%–1% per advance, with interest between 7% and 10% APR; your exact terms are set in your facility agreement.
Coming soon
Funding to produce an approved order — before there's an invoice to factor. The same portal, the same terms-up-front approach. If this is what you need, it's on the roadmap; the timing isn't set yet.
A commercial factoring company is the natural alternative, and for some businesses it's genuinely the better fit. Here's the trade, plainly.
| LEAF | A typical factoring company | |
|---|---|---|
| Advance fee of 1% or less | ✓0%–1% per advance — that's the whole fee | ✗Typically 1%–5% of the invoice, most commonly 1.5%–3.5% — and often charged per 30 days outstanding, with add-on fees (per-invoice, ACH, minimum-volume) that can raise the real cost another 20%–40% |
| Interest under 10% APR | ✓7%–10% APR, accrued daily on what's outstanding | ✗A middling 2.5%-per-month factoring rate works out to roughly 30% APR |
| Advances up to 80% of the invoice | ✓Up to 80% — the exact rate follows your buyer's payment history | ✓Commonly 70%–90% upfront, sometimes more |
| Works with any creditworthy buyer | ✗We advance against buyers we've approved — by preference, large institutional buyers. We can expand the list where it makes sense | ✓Often, yes |
| Handles books over $150K | —Not our sweet spot — but talk to us and we'll explore options that make sense | ✓Usually |
| Cash in about 3 business days | ✓About 3 business days | ✓Comparable — sometimes faster |
| Nonprofit CDFI mission | ✓A certified Community Development Financial Institution — affordable capital is the point | ✗Commercial owners and their returns |
Two more honest notes. First: if you have a solid balance sheet and a few years of revenue history, a conventional bank line of credit may be cheaper than factoring — ours included — and with a line of credit it doesn't matter who your buyer is. We'll tell you if that's your better path. Second: the market figures above are typical published ranges as of mid-2026, not quotes — always compare the actual numbers you're offered.
Every LEAF client gets a secure portal with the same numbers we work from, in plain language. No calling to ask where things stand.
What's outstanding, what interest has accrued, and how much room you have left to draw — updated as things happen.
Drop invoices into your document inbox and request an advance. Approved funds are usually on their way in about three business days.
Download a facility statement or a payment receipt whenever you need one — for your books, your accountant, or your own peace of mind.
When your buyer pays, you see exactly how the payment applied — the advance repaid, the interest and fees, and what's held for you.
LEAF facilities come with real restrictions, and it's better you know them up front than three meetings in:
Your facility, advances, and statements are waiting in the portal.
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