Rural Business Energy Efficiency Improvement Loan Program
Administered by Maryland Agricultural and Resource Based Industry Development Corporation
MARBIDCO offers unsecured energy efficiency loans of $5,000 to $30,000 at a fixed 4.5% interest rate, with terms of 2-7 years aligned to your energy savings payback period. To qualify, you need a credit score of at least 620 with no bankruptcies in the prior seven years, plus a third-party energy audit and a commercial lender referral letter with your application. If you stay current on payments, you'll receive a 10% grant incentive on top of the loan (up to $1,000), with only a $75 origination fee at closing.
You can help farm and agricultural business customers access affordable financing for energy efficiency improvements through MARBIDCO's program, which covers equipment and technologies that reduce business energy consumption. Customers will need a current energy audit from a qualified third-party auditor and a commercial lender referral to apply; loans are structured so monthly payments align with anticipated energy savings, ensuring strong repayment capacity. The program's 4.5% fixed rate and 10% grant incentive make it competitive for qualifying projects between $5,000 and $30,000.
This RGGI-funded microloan program, administered by MARBIDCO in collaboration with the Maryland Energy Administration, processes applications on a first-come basis and targets farms and rural food/fiber processing businesses. Loans are unsecured (personal guarantee only) with strict underwriting: minimum 620 credit score, no recent bankruptcy, debt service coverage of at least 1.0:1.0 against annual energy savings, and amortization capped at the payback period. The program also includes a 5% equity match incentive in Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's counties through the Upper Shore Regional Council to improve credit quality and lower down-payment barriers.
Program details
- Program ID
- 2907
- Last updated
- 7/30/2025
Eligibility
- Sectors
- agricultural
- Technologies
- agricultural equipment custom/others pending approval
Program summary
The Maryland Agricultural and Resource Based Industry Development Corporation (MARBIDCO) offers low interest loans for energy efficiency improvements to farms and rural businesses through the Rural Business Energy Efficiency Improvement Loan Program. The program is designed to facilitate the purchase of equipment or technology that lowers business energy consumption. Applicants must have a credit score of at least 620 without any bankruptcy during the prior seven years in order to qualify for a loan.
Unsecured loans from $5,000 to $30,000 are available at a fixed interest rate of 4.5% under this program. Loans will be fully amortized over a term of two to seven years, not to exceed the anticipated energy savings payback period. Loan payments will correlate with the anticipated energy savings payback with at least a 1.0:1.0 ratio of debt service coverage to annual energy savings payback. Loans may not exceed the cost of improvements minus any grants received for the project. The program also offers an additional grant incentive of 10% of the loan for borrowers that remain in good standing on their loan repayments. All applicants must include a letter of referral from a commercial lender and a copy of an energy audit report completed by a qualified third party auditor with the application. There is a $75 loan origination fee associated with participating in this program, payable at closing.
Contact & resources
- Contact email
- info@marbidco.org
- Additional resources
Please verify current program details with the administering agency before making any financial decisions.
