• Intake & Readiness Check

    Welcome, and thank you for your interest in Proofing Station. This first step helps us learn about your enterprise and whether we are a good fit for each other. If we are, we will invite you to stage 2 application.
  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
  • Is your enterprise any of the following? (select all that apply)*

  • Based on your answers, Proofing Station is not able to consider an investment at this time. You are welcome to complete and submit this form, and we will point you toward other resources where we can.

  • Proofing Station invests in enterprises that are already earning regular revenue, so we may not be able to invest right now. You may be a strong fit for our Investment Readiness program instead. Please complete and submit this form, and we will reach out to you. There is nothing else you need to do.
  • What is your entity type?*
  • Does your enterprise hold any of these certifications or registrations? (select all that apply)
  • Which best describes your enterprise today?*
  • In which state is your enterprise headquartered?*
  • In which states does your enterprise operate or sell? (select all that apply)*
  • Which food-system segment best describes your enterprise?*
  • How does your enterprise contribute to local or regional food systems in the Midwest? (select all that apply)*

  • Proofing Station works to close four market gaps.

    Advancing Sustainable Cultivation — access to investment capital to transition to or expand organic and regenerative farming practices.
    Engaging Excluded Market Players — owners and operators from divested groups (Black, Indigenous, and people of color; women; nonconventional farming operations) who lack access to capital and support to grow their operations.
    Access to Land and Real Assets — longer-term access to more land and real assets to match the long-term nature of sustainable and just operating models.
    Expanding Regional Infrastructure — supply chain infrastructure that enables the growth of new agricultural products and markets.

  • Which impact theme(s) best fit your work? (select all that apply)*
  • How much capital are you seeking?*
  • If you have a specific target amount, have other capital providers committed to financing a portion of what you are seeking?
  • What type of capital are you seeking from Proofing Station? Selecting a grant is not required and does not limit what we can offer.*
  • If Proofing Station invested in your enterprise, when would you expect to be able to pay that investment back or buy out our ownership stake?
  • Is the enterprise currently party to any active or pending litigation or legal disputes?*
  • What was your total revenue in your most recent full fiscal year?*

  • The next four questions are optional. Best estimates are fine — they help us understand the shape of your business, not test your bookkeeping. Leave any that do not apply blank.

  • Is your revenue seasonal?
  • What is your ideal timeline to secure this capital?

  • Financial readiness self-check: what you have in place

  • Which of these financial documents do you currently have ready to submit? (select all that apply)
  • Do you have a bookkeeping system in place for your enterprise?*
  • If applicable, do you have written documentation for all of your loans and debts, including their terms?
  • Do you have a written plan for how you would spend the money you are seeking, sometimes called a use-of-funds plan?*
  • Do you have a financing plan that names the type of financing you are pursuing and the likely sources? For example: a $150K equipment loan from a CDFI lender, plus a $50K grant you have already applied for.*
  • Do you have an operating agreement or bylaws in place?*
  • If you have multiple owners, do you have a founders' or ownership agreement in place?*
  • If you have multiple owners, do you have a capitalization table (a simple list of who owns what share of the enterprise)?*
  • If a lender asked for your financial and operating documents today, how quickly could you share them?*
  • Are your financial and operating documents saved digitally in one place you could share with a lender, for example a shared drive folder or a data room? A data room is simply a digital folder where all of your organizational documents are stored and organized in one place.*
  • Do you have a set of key performance indicators that you track regularly?*
  • Do you use a standard customer or client contract?*
  • Do you have business insurance?*
  • Do you have a marketing plan for the next six to twelve months?*
  • Do you have a one-pager or sell sheet?*

  • Financial readiness self-check: what you understand

  • How well do you know your cash inflows and outflows, meaning the money coming in and going out each month?*
  • If a lender or investor asked you to walk through your financial numbers, how would that go?*
  • How well do you know how much new debt the enterprise could realistically afford to repay?*
  • How clear are you on which types of capital fit your enterprise, such as debt, grants, equity, or a blend?*
  • How well do you understand what borrowing money would actually cost your enterprise, including interest and fees?*
  • Roughly what share of your monthly revenue currently goes to loan payments?
  • Should be Empty: