Quick answer
A one-page funding plan tells a lender, in order: the goal and its full cost; every piece of the funding mix, including non-loan pieces; the gap you're asking them to fund; how and when it's repaid; what happens if things go slower; and what documents back it up. business.govt.nz notes lenders want proof you can repay the loan and the interest — a clear page makes that case quickly.
Key points
- Put the goal and the full mix on the page — not just the loan request.
- Show the gap and how it was sized.
- Explain repayment in plain words, with a slow scenario.
- Disclose known issues up front: credit, IRD debt, existing facilities.
- List the supporting documents you can provide.
Most funding applications start with a number: “We need $250,000.” The lender then spends days working out what it’s for, whether it’s the right amount, how it comes back and what else is going on in the business. A one-page funding plan flips that. It tells the story in the order a lender thinks — and because you’ve remixed your funding, it shows them something most applicants never do: the full mix, with the loan as one sized piece.
business.govt.nz notes that, just like investors, banks will want to see your business is viable, and will ask you to prove you can pay back the loan and the interest — expecting financial records, a cash flow forecast and a business plan. A one-pager doesn’t replace those documents; it’s the cover that makes them easy to understand.
Why does a one-page plan work?
- It answers the first five questions before they’re asked. What’s it for? How much? Why that much? How will it be repaid? What could go wrong?
- It shows judgement. A plan that uses supplier terms, deposits and your own cash before asking for a loan tells the lender you think like a careful operator.
- It shrinks the request. Lenders are more comfortable funding a defined gap than an entire goal.
- It speeds things up. A clear page goes to the right person faster and generates fewer follow-up questions.
What goes on the page?
Seven short sections, in this order.
1. The business in two lines
Who you are, what you do, where, how long you’ve traded and roughly how big. For example: “Family-owned commercial cleaning company, Wellington region, trading six years, 18 staff, annual turnover about $1.6 million.”
2. The goal and its full cost
What you’re funding and everything it costs, including GST and the ramp-up period. Not just the quote — the real number. The remix by goal pages show what each goal typically involves.
3. The full funding mix
Every piece, with amounts. This is where remixing pays off. A lender seeing that 55% of the goal is already covered by supplier terms, deposits, an asset sale and your own cash knows you’re sharing the risk.
4. The gap and the request
The remaining gap, how you sized it (your forecast’s low point plus a buffer), and the facility you’re requesting: amount, term and proposed security. If you used the method on sizing your funding gap, say so.
5. How it’s repaid
In plain words. “Repayments come from the additional contract revenue, which starts in month two. The forecast shows the business covers all repayments, wages and tax from month three.” If there’s an exit — a refinance, a known payment, an asset sale — name it and give a date.
6. Risks and the slow scenario
What happens if sales are slower or customers pay later? Show the result of your repayment load test. Name the main risks and what you’d do about each.
7. What you can provide
A list of attachments: bank statements, GST returns, financial statements, the forecast, quotes, contracts, property details, ID.
A template you can copy
Illustrative only; describes no real business.
Funding plan — [Your company name] Ltd (illustrative)
The business: Commercial cleaning company, Wellington region, trading six years, 18 staff, turnover about $1.6m.
The goal: Take on a new three-year contract cleaning four office buildings. Full cost of mobilising: $142,000 (equipment, two vans, recruitment and three months of wages before the first payment), including GST.
The mix:
- Client mobilisation payment: $20,000 (agreed in contract)
- Equipment finance on vans and machines: $58,000 (secured on the assets)
- Sale of an older van: $9,000 net after GST
- Owner cash, keeping a $40,000 buffer: $15,000
- Gap requested: $40,000
The request: $40,000 unsecured business facility over 18 months. No property offered.
Repayment: Contract pays monthly from month two. Forecast shows repayments, wages, GST and provisional tax covered from month three, with a minimum balance of $28,000.
Slow scenario: If the client pays 30 days late each month and one building is delayed by two months, the minimum balance falls to $9,000 but remains positive. A $20,000 line of credit would add comfort.
Known issues: One late GST payment in 2025, now up to date. No other tax debt. Existing vehicle finance with two years remaining, listed in attachments.
Attachments: 12 months of bank statements, last two GST returns, 2025 financial statements, 12-month forecast, signed contract, equipment quotes, ID for both directors.
That fits on one page and answers most of what a lender needs to decide whether to look further.
What makes a plan more convincing?
- Specific numbers, not ranges. “$40,000 over 18 months” beats “around $40–60k”.
- Evidence for the mix. A supplier’s email agreeing terms, a contract clause for the mobilisation payment, a sale agreement for the asset.
- A forecast that ties to the bank statements. If your forecast shows $130,000 a month coming in and your statements show $95,000, expect questions.
- Honest disclosure. Lenders run credit checks and search the PPSR. Tell them about defaults, IRD debt, existing facilities and personal guarantees before they find out. If there’s IRD debt, a formal instalment arrangement — which Inland Revenue says reduces penalties compared with paying without one — is worth mentioning.
- The exit. Especially for property-secured or short-term facilities, name how it will be repaid or refinanced.
What should you leave off?
- Projections without assumptions. If you show growth, explain where it comes from.
- Every detail of the business’s history. Two lines is enough; attach more if needed.
- Interest-rate demands. Pricing depends on the lender’s assessment of your situation; focus the page on the case for the funding.
- Vague purposes. “General working capital” invites questions; say what the money pays for.
How does the plan help after a decline?
If a bank has already said no, a one-page plan is the best way to start again. It reframes the request around the goal and the gap rather than the original ask, and it shows a new lender what’s changed. Combine it with the bank loan alternatives stack and the route finder. If you’d like a real person to read your draft before you approach anyone, start a short enquiry and mention the plan.
Where do security details fit?
If the mix includes secured pieces — equipment finance, invoice funding, property — list each lender and its security in the attachments. The guide on who ranks first when you mix funding explains why that matters, and a clean list prevents surprises at the PPSR search stage.
How do you know the plan is ready?
Read it as if you were the lender and ask:
- Do I understand what the money is for in ten seconds?
- Is the amount clearly sized to a gap, not the whole goal?
- Can I see how it’s repaid, in the slow case as well as the plan?
- Has the owner told me everything I’ll find anyway?
- Can I verify the key numbers from the attachments?
If the answer to all five is yes, it’s ready. The page on when a loan is the right piece is a good final check.
Ready to put your plan in front of a real person?
A clear one-page plan makes every conversation shorter and more useful. When yours is ready — or even half-ready — send us the goal, the mix and the gap. Asking doesn’t involve a credit check, your enquiry stays with one real person instead of being spread around a list of lenders, and we’ll talk through which lender and structure suit it. Fill in the form as accurately as you can; the same honesty that makes a good plan gets you the right route first time.
Frequently asked questions
What should a funding proposal for a lender include?
The goal and its cost, the full funding mix, the amount requested, how it will be repaid, the main risks and how you'll handle them, and a list of supporting documents such as bank statements, GST returns and a cash flow forecast.
Do I need a full business plan to get a business loan?
business.govt.nz lists a business plan among what lenders expect, alongside financial records and a cash flow forecast. For many funding requests, a concise one-page plan plus the supporting documents covers what a lender needs to start.
Should I mention bad credit or IRD debt in my plan?
Yes. Lenders will find it in their checks anyway. A short, factual explanation and what you've done about it — such as an instalment arrangement — reads far better than a surprise.
How long should a funding plan be?
One page for the summary, with attachments for detail. Lenders read a lot of applications; a clear page that answers the main questions quickly makes yours easier to progress.