Utah Microloan Fund

08/25/2026

Curious to learn more about Banking on Women? (And why you should deff apply?)

Join us for our virtual Information Session on Tues Oct 6th on Zoom. This is a statewide program so ladies from all 29 counties are encouraged to attend!

Register now via link in comments and we will see you there!

08/24/2026

We LOVE seeing our clients in the news!

Meet Somer James, owner of Strong Lady Mobile Mechanics and one of the newest members of the UMLF family!

Somer is an ASE-certified mechanic and Dixie Tech graduate who is shaking things up in Southern Utah with a mobile auto repair business built around honesty, education and making car care feel a whole lot less intimidating.

Through Strong Lady Mechanics, Somer comes directly to her customers, explains what she finds, encourages questions and helps people actually understand what’s happening under the hood. And she has an even bigger goal: getting more women behind the wrench and showing them there’s a place for them in the automotive trades.

We’re proud to have helped fund Somer’s business and even prouder to see her story featured by St. George News. This is exactly why we do what we do. Sometimes a loan is about much more than financing a business. It’s about helping someone build the kind of business they wish existed.

Way to go, Somer! 💪🔧

Grease-stained hands, a toolbox and a set of wrenches are all part of the job for one Washington City woman who is building a business around helping women keep their

08/20/2026

Applications are officially OPEN for the Spring 2027 Banking on Women™ cohort! 💛

Banking on Women is a 15-week entrepreneurship program designed to help Utah women build, strengthen, and grow their businesses with the support of experienced instructors, mentors, and a community of fellow entrepreneurs.

Participants will work on everything from business planning and finances to marketing, pitching, and long-term growth. The program includes:

✨ In-person cohort in Salt Lake City
✨ Virtual cohort for women in rural Utah
✨ Curriculum developed with Westminster University
✨ Offered via scholarship through Synchrony
✨ A supportive network of women building businesses right alongside you
✨$300 mini grant upon completion of the program

Not sure if Banking on Women is right for you? Join us for our Information Session on October 6th to meet our team, learn how the program works, and get your questions answered before applying.

📅 Spring applications are due October 30.

Ready to take the next step? Learn more, register for the info session, and apply via link in comments or visit our website.

08/18/2026

Check out this grant opportunity from Utah Asian Chamber of Commerce and Utah Asian Charitable Foundation!

✨ The Utah Asian Chamber of Commerce and Utah Asian Charitable Foundation, in partnership with SoFi, is offering grants up to $5,000 to support small businesses. Whether you’re a startup, new small business, or an existing small business facing challenges UACC & UACF are here to help you succeed.

🗓️ Although applications are accepted and grants are awarded on a rolling basis, final deadline for 2026 consideration is on August 31st, 2026. Applications received after the deadline may be considered depending on available funds. 

📢 Grant recipients must attend the 21st Asian Chamber Scholarship & Awards Gala on Saturday, November 14th, 2026 at Zions Bank 18th Floor Founders Room on 1 S Main St.

👉 For Criteria, Application, and more information, check www.utahasianchamber.org under 'Events & Programs'! or bit.ly/uacc-gives

08/17/2026

Ten years of Laziz Kitchen! 💚

This one feels extra special for us.

Long before Laziz had a restaurant, Derek Kitchen and Moudi Sbeity came to the Utah Microloan Fund as they were growing their small food business selling hummus, muhammara, and toum at local farmers' markets and through wholesale.

We had the chance to support their journey with two microloans over the years. The first helped them move into a larger production space so they could make more product and scale their wholesale business. Later, we helped finance their next big leap: opening their first brick-and-mortar Laziz Kitchen in Salt Lake City's Central Ninth neighborhood.

And now that restaurant is celebrating 10 YEARS! 🥳

Laziz has grown into so much more than a restaurant. Their food is rooted in Moudi's Lebanese heritage and recipes from his mother's kitchen, with modern takes on traditional flavors. Think hummus, falafel, kafta, tabbouleh, toum, Mediterranean platters and plenty of za'atar and tahini goodness. Just as important is the culture they've built around it. Laziz describes itself as a gathering place for inclusivity, connection, acceptance, good food and love, and that spirit has been part of the business from the beginning.

Laziz is celebrating on Sunday, August 30 from 12–8 PM at 912 S. Jefferson Street in Salt Lake City, with brunch from 12–4, special merch, desserts, a look back at Laziz's history, and plenty of hummus, of course.

Getting to watch a business go from farmers' markets to a bigger production kitchen, to its own restaurant, and then stick around long enough to celebrate a decade is exactly why we love this work.

Congratulations to the entire Laziz team on 10 years! We're so happy the UMLF got to play a small part in this very delicious story. 💚

08/14/2026

From Salt Lake City to OGDEN! 🎉

Huge congrats to longtime UMLF client Joshua Lucero, owner of Lucero Hair and Wellness, who just closed on another Utah Microloan Fund loan to help bring his second location to life on Ogden’s historic 25th Street!

Josh originally came to the UMLF for funding to help open Lucero Hair & Wellness in Salt Lake City. Since then, he’s built an incredible business, created a space centered on inclusion and self-expression, earned some pretty impressive recognition along the way, and now he’s ready to grow again.

And THAT is something we want more small business owners to know about microloans.

A UMLF loan can help you start it, but we don’t disappear once your doors are open. As your business grows, funding can also help you take that next big step, whether that means adding equipment, stocking inventory, increasing working capital or, in Josh’s case, opening another location.

We’ve loved getting to watch Lucero Hair & Wellness grow from an idea into a business ready for location #2.

Congrats, Josh! Ogden, you’ve got something very good coming your way. ✂️

08/14/2026

Thinking about selling online but unsure where to start? Join the Utah Microloan Fund and Utah State University Extension for an introduction to e-commerce for rural small businesses.

You’ll also learn about USU Extension’s six-week E-Commerce Accelerator program, which helps eligible rural and agricultural Utah businesses start, improve, or grow their online sales.

Register your free spot now! Link in comments.

08/14/2026

Want to build foundational business finance skills?

Join our Intro to Business Finance & QuickBooks course and learn to:
1) Read basic financial statements
2) Understand cash flow
3) Practice on real QuickBooks
4) Measure business's financial performance

Why join?

💡Beginner-friendly
💡Free 1-year QuickBooks subscription to practice upon completion.
💡Offered in English and Spanish translation
💡Free of charge (application review)

Help us spread the word if you know someone who is a good fit.



1️⃣Finance 01 (Beginner-friendly): Aug 31 to Oct 5 (5 weeks)
2️⃣Finance 02 (Intermediate): Sept 2 to Oct 21 (8 weeks)
📍 Promise South Salt Lake (South Salt Lake Community Center)

3️⃣Introduction to QuickBooks (Beginner-friendly to Intermediate): Sept 22 to Nov 24 (10 weeks)
📍 PROG Foundation Development Center (West Valley)

Limited seats. Register now: https://linktr.ee/westminsterbusiness

08/10/2026

08/07/2026

A big thank you to MWSBF and Vice President for Community and Economic Development Danielle Lower for their generous grant to the Utah Microloan Fund!

Danielle, Madi, and the entire Mountain West Small Business Finance team have been longtime supporters of the UMLF. From financial support and referrals to sharing resources and being our go-to event buddies, they continue to show up for our small business community in so many ways.

We are incredibly grateful for their partnership, friendship, and continued support of our work!