Program
Funding Readiness
Records, forecast, and a case a funder can act on. Most first funding conversations end with "send me a plan" — and what most owners send is a wish, not a plan. Funders open four things, in order: trailing financials, an honest forecast, a specific use of funds, and a downside case. Missing any one loses the room.
Who this is for
Three learners this program is written for.
- →You're preparing to talk to a bank, cooperative, family funder, or investor within six months.
- →You've been turned down before and want to understand what a credible pack looks like.
- →You want to know whether you're actually funding-ready before you spend cycles trying.
Topics covered
What this domain includes.
Not a fixed lesson list. eZine Trades curricula are AI-generated per learner from a 12-stage blueprint — the Study Desk weaves these topics into a personalized sequence based on your business, industry and stage.
- What a funder actually reads — the four-part pack and the order of it.
- Trailing financials: cleaning up 12–24 months of records so a stranger can trust them.
- Forecasts that are honest about seasonality, input-cost swings and collection lags.
- "What's the money for?" — specificity as a signal of discipline.
- The downside case — what you'll do if it doesn't work — and why funders want to hear it.
- Matching funder to need — grant, cooperative, bank facility, investor — and their different asks.
Practical outcomes
What "done" looks like.
Outcome patterns we see in learners who complete the program. Not guaranteed results — see the disclaimer below.
- ✓You have a fundable pack — trailing financials, forecast, use of funds, downside — that fits in one email.
- ✓You can answer the three questions every funder asks in the room: unit economic, input-cost stress, second-biggest customer.
- ✓You've shortlisted three funders whose asks match what you're building.
Application tasks
Three concrete things you actually do.
- Reconcile the last 12 months of records to bank statements with a written explanation for every variance.
- Build a 12-month cash-flow forecast tied to historical months. Stress-test it. Note the assumptions you're not sure about.
- Write a one-page 'use of funds' that a funder could reply yes/no to.
Estimated commitment
Time honestly.
Six to ten hours a week for six to eight weeks. The pack is the deliverable, not a course completion.
Assessment approach
Evidence, not quizzes.
Evidence-based. Stage-gate is a real funder opening the pack and reaching a yes/no in one sitting.
Mentor support
Where the mentor shows up.
Inside your Study Desk, the AI Business Mentor reads your application tasks, names your assumptions, and offers a next-best action. High-risk questions — legal, tax, regulated financial, health — are escalated to qualified humans rather than answered from thin air. An anonymous visitor to this page has not received individual professional advice.
Related stages
Business stages where this program lands hardest.
Common questions
A few answers before you start.
Will you introduce me to funders?
No. eZine is a school, not a broker. We prepare the pack and rehearse the room; the funder relationship is yours.
Can I use the Loan-Repayment Estimator on the site for my forecast?
The calculator is illustrative only and carries its own disclaimer. A funder's own quote — with the fees, insurance and rate structure they actually use — is what goes into your forecast, not the calculator.
Pricing. This program is included in the single eZine Trades subscription — see pricing for your country. No income guarantees. Results depend on execution, market conditions, capital, timing and other factors.
Start with Funding Readiness. See it inside your Study Desk.
Forty-eight hours in the Study Desk — diagnostic, first action, mentor thread. Come out with a real first artifact for your business.