Quick answer: Women-owned businesses in South Africa can access funding through government grants and development funds — such as the Isivande Women’s Fund or sector-specific programmes — as well as through standard business loans arranged by a broker like New Heights Finance. Grants and government funds often have specific eligibility criteria, limited budgets, and longer application timelines; a broker-arranged business loan can be a faster or more flexible alternative when those don’t fit your situation.
Key facts
| Grant/fund route | Government and development-fund programmes aimed at women entrepreneurs, each with its own eligibility criteria |
| Loan route | Standard business loans (secured, unsecured, working capital) assessed on the business, not the owner’s gender |
| Typical timeline difference | Grant/fund programmes can involve longer application and approval windows; broker-arranged loans are often faster |
| Who arranges the loan route | New Heights Finance, as a broker, across a panel of lenders |
What funding is available specifically for women-owned businesses?
South Africa has several government and development-fund initiatives aimed at women entrepreneurs, including the Isivande Women’s Fund and sector-specific programmes run through bodies such as the Department of Small Business Development. These typically offer grant or low-cost funding, but with specific eligibility criteria and a limited annual budget — meaning not every qualifying applicant is funded in a given cycle.
Grants and funds vs a standard business loan
| Government grants/funds for women | A standard business loan | |
| Eligibility | Specific criteria — often sector, business size, or women-ownership percentage | Based on trading history, turnover, and security |
| Funding availability | A limited annual budget; competitive | Available through NHF’s lender panel, subject to approval |
| Typical timeline | Can be lengthy | Often faster |
| Repayment | Often none (a grant) or favourable terms (a fund) | Standard loan repayment terms |
Should you apply for a grant, a loan, or both?
If your business and funding need fit a specific women’s grant or fund programme, it’s worth applying — it can be the most cost-effective route if you qualify and can wait for the process. If your timeline is tighter, your need doesn’t fit the programme’s criteria, or you’d simply rather not wait, a standard business loan — secured, unsecured, or working capital — arranged through a broker can be a faster, more flexible alternative. The two routes aren’t mutually exclusive.
How does New Heights Finance help women business owners?
New Heights Finance, as a broker, assesses funding applications on the business itself — trading history, turnover, and security where relevant — rather than restricting options by owner demographics. This means a women-owned business can access the full range of NHF’s lender panel alongside, or instead of, dedicated grant programmes.
FAQs
Are there business loans specifically for women in South Africa?
Most mainstream business loans are assessed on the business itself rather than the owner’s gender. Dedicated funding specifically for women tends to come through government grants and development funds rather than standard commercial loans.
What is the Isivande Women’s Fund?
It’s a South African government fund aimed at supporting women-owned businesses. New Heights Finance is not affiliated with this fund and cannot apply on your behalf.
Is it harder for a woman to get a business loan?
A commercial lender’s decision is generally based on the business’s financials, trading history, and security — not the owner’s gender. Access challenges some women entrepreneurs report are more often tied to industry, business age, or available security than gender itself.
Does New Heights Finance arrange grants for women-owned businesses?
No. New Heights Finance, as a broker, arranges standard business loans through its lender panel. Government grants and funds are separate programmes with their own application processes.