For many small business owners—especially women and entrepreneurs of color—the dream of owning commercial property often feels out of reach. While the SBA 504 loan program offers attractive features like long terms and low fixed interest rates, the required 10% down payment can be a major barrier for businesses with limited liquidity.
AmPac Business Capital—a member of the California Small Business Coalition for Racial Justice—saw this disparity firsthand. After reviewing nationwide lending data, AmPac found that women- and minority-owned businesses, despite growing at a rate of 23–30%, were not tapping into the SBA 504 program at the same rate as their peers. The reason wasn’t lack of qualification, but rather the challenge of coming up with the down payment.
To close this gap, AmPac created the “It Is Possible” Loan Program, which provides up to 5% or $100,000 in Down Payment Assistance to help under-resourced entrepreneurs access SBA 504 financing—and ultimately, ownership.
These recent success stories show just how powerful that support can be:
A Latina-Owned Aerospace Manufacturer Takes Flight
In Huntington Park, a Latina-owned aerospace manufacturer was poised for growth but needed more space to meet rising demand. With an SBA 504 loan and $80,150 in Down Payment Assistance from AmPac, she was able to purchase a building—transitioning from a leased site to ownership, with added warehouse capacity to support expansion.
A Food Distributor Secures Its Future
A USDA-certified food service distributor, operating since 2011, had the opportunity to buy the building it was already renting in Brea. But like many growing businesses, the down payment was a challenge. Thanks to AmPac’s support and $100,000 in Down Payment Assistance, they secured the property—ensuring stability, cost control, and uninterrupted operations.
A Hispanic-Owned General Contractor Builds Big
In Riverside, a thriving Latino-owned general contracting firm was expanding fast. With AmPac’s help, the company purchased a $5.34 million office building to house its growing administrative team. The original leased site continues to serve as a storage and operations hub. AmPac’s $100,000 in Down Payment Assistance made the leap to ownership possible.
All three businesses were recipients of AmPac’s Down Payment Assistance Program, which is tied to the SBA 504 loan program—a unique partnership between AmPac and traditional lenders. This structure is key: without the SBA 504 partnership program and AmPac’s Racial Equity Lens (REL) down payment assistance product, these borrowers would not have been able to access funding through traditional lenders.
The Down Payment Assistance Program is specifically designed to support Black-, Hispanic-, and women-owned businesses, aligning with AmPac’s Racial Equity Lens initiative. By removing capital barriers and offering customized, affordable support, the program helps under-resourced entrepreneurs take the leap from leasing to ownership—building equity, creating stability, and investing in their futures.