Small business

Protecting Your Access to Financing and Chasing New Grants

YuhChat Team · November 12, 2026

Two developments this month should be on the radar of every Jamaican business owner who wonders where the next loan or grant will come from. The first is renewed discussion about merging the Development Bank of Jamaica with EXIM Bank. The second is an upcoming summit where entrepreneurs can pitch for grant funding. Together they point to one lesson: access to money is shifting, and owners who prepare early will be ready.

What the merger talk is about

Business groups have started speaking up again about a possible merger between the Development Bank of Jamaica and the National Export-Import Bank. Their main worry is that specialised financing could lose the focus it has today. Lenders that understand sectors such as manufacturing, exporting and tourism often design products that suit those industries well. A combined institution could change that, and the effects would reach small firms first.

Nothing has been settled yet. The sensible approach is to follow the conversation closely and avoid assuming that today's loan products will stay exactly the same.

Why this matters for shops, clinics and rental owners

Shop owners often need working capital to restock before busy seasons. Clinics may need equipment financing with repayment terms that match their cash flow. Rental owners might be planning refurbishment or property upgrades. Specialised lenders can suit these needs better than a standard overdraft, so it helps to know which institutions you already have a relationship with.

Some practical steps to take now:

Keep your financial records current and easy to share, including monthly sales or booking figures, recent bank statements and a simple cash flow forecast.
Build a relationship with a loan officer before you need money, not in the middle of a crisis.
Write a one-page summary of any financing request: what you will buy, how it will bring in income and when you expect to see returns.
Ask your industry association what members are hearing about upcoming changes.

Chasing the grant opportunity

The Young Entrepreneurs Success Summit, known as YESS 2026, is scheduled for November 20 at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston. The Young Entrepreneurs Association of Jamaica is organising the event, which will bring together business leaders, policy voices, financial institutions and entrepreneurs. Participants who start or expand a business will have a chance to pitch for grant funding.

Before you plan around it, check the eligibility rules directly with the organisers, since age, business stage and location may all matter. If you do decide to apply, prepare well:

Write a short pitch covering the problem you solve, who your customers are, what the funding would do and how you will measure progress.
Keep your numbers realistic. Reviewers usually trust sensible projections more than bold promises.
Use the day to meet people. Introductions to lenders, mentors and other owners can be as valuable as the funding itself.

Make your business easier to say yes to

Whether you are applying for a loan or a grant, decision-makers look for businesses that are organised and easy to understand. Keep a folder with your registration documents, tax records, recent statements and a short description of what you do. Review it every quarter so it is never out of date.

Responsiveness matters too. Lenders and grant panels notice how a business handles its customers and enquiries. Missed calls can quietly cost you opportunities. YuhChat's voice assistant answers your business calls day and night, takes the caller's name, reason and callback number, and places each call in a customer dashboard you can review. The same dashboard brings in your WhatsApp inbox, so customer messages are kept in one place.

The bottom line