At a glance
From its website, read 2 Nov 2026Sabre Finance d/b/a VentureSouth is a loan fund based in Birmingham, Alabama. Its website describes equipment loans, SBA-backed loans and small-business loans. Where it lends: Alabama, with a focus on the greater Birmingham region.
Each point is backed by a quote further down this page. Terms change: confirm with the lender.
How to reach them and apply
| Main | (205) 690-4906 source |
|---|---|
| info@sabrefinance.org source | |
| Website | www.sabrefinance.org |
| Office (official list) | 1800 International Park Dr Suite 215, Birmingham, AL 35243 |
What their website says about applying
Get in touch with us to set up a consultation, or use the contact form at the bottom of this page to inquire whether our services are right for you.
sourceGather the following items and get in touch with us:
sourceGather your important documents such as your business plan, resume & relevant financial documents and fill out our application.
source
Phone numbers and addresses are the ones on the lender's own site and the CDFI Fund list. CDFI Atlas does not take applications.
Rates and terms they state
Read 2 Nov 2026| Loan | Stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial real estate loans | Term: up to 25 yr | Financing For Up To 25 Years | source |
| Microloans | Term: up to 7 yr | Financing For Up To 7 Years With A $50,000 Maximum | source |
| SBA-backed loans (7(a)/504/Community Advantage) | Term: 10 yr–25 yr | 10-, 20-, 25-year terms | source |
As published on the lender's website on that date, not an offer or a quote. Your rate depends on the lender's review. A missing rate means the pages we read did not state one. For consumer loans we repeat a rate only when the lender states it as an APR (annual percentage rate, which includes fees); otherwise read the lender's own wording and ask for the APR.
Official record
CDFI Fund list, 21 Oct 2026| Institution type | Loan fund |
|---|---|
| Native CDFI | No |
| Date certified (as listed) | 13 Jul 2026 |
| RSSD ID | — (none listed) |
| Address | 1800 International Park Dr Suite 215, Birmingham, AL 35243 Directions (Google Maps) |
| Website | www.sabrefinance.org |
Head officeBranch or officeApproximate (ZIP code area)
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, © OpenMapTiles, tiles OpenFreeMap. Head-office points: U.S. Census Bureau geocoder.
Loans and eligibility
Verified from lender site on 2 Nov 2026Read from 5 pages of the lender's website on 2 Nov 2026. Quotes are verbatim. Extracted with AI help from the pages listed below and checked automatically against them. Not reviewed by a person. Confidence: medium. No online loan application link was found on the pages fetched; the sba and commercial real estate entries come from program descriptions without stated amounts. Terms change — confirm with the lender before applying.
| Product | Amount stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim, incl. menu labels) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment loans | — | From short-term cash flow needs to lines of credit or from small equipment purchases to mortgages for that new building | source |
| SBA-backed loans (7(a)/504/Community Advantage) | — | The SBA 504 loan program supports start-up and existing businesses that are seeking to buy land, build a new facility, or purchase new machinary. | source |
| Small-business loans | — | We work with entrepreneurs to help start or grow small businesses | source |
Loan sizes
Financing For Up To 7 Years With A $50,000 Maximum
source
Service area
Alabama, with a focus on the greater Birmingham region
The goal of our lending program is to promote economic growth and investment in Alabama by focusing on small businesses that are in:
source
Counties this matches: Jefferson County, AL, Shelby County, AL
Borrower focus
Languages
- No non-English service found on the pages we read.
Online application
No online application link found on the pages we read.
Questions to ask when you contact them
Based on what their website said when we read it on 2 Nov 2026, and what it left out. Something missing here does not mean they don't offer it: ask.
- What are the smallest and the largest loans you make?
No loan amounts are stated on their website. - What interest rate and fees should I expect on your equipment loans and SBA-backed loans?
Their website does not state a rate for this. - Do you need collateral, a business plan or a minimum time in business?
Their website does not say what they require. - Can I apply online, or do I need to call or visit?
We found no online application on their website. - Do you offer free coaching or help preparing my application?
CDFI certification requires development services, such as training or advice, alongside lending. - What documents will you need from me, and how long does a decision usually take?
Their website describes some application steps (above); ask for the full document list.
Write down the answers, who you spoke to and the date, and ask for the terms in writing before you sign.
CDFI Fund awards
CDFI Fund database, 3 Nov 2026$2.1 million in 4 awards from the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, 2017–2024 (CDFI Program, Financial Assistance; CDFI Program, Technical Assistance; CDFI Rapid Response Program).
| Round year | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $625,000 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $1,000,000 |
| 2020 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $400,000 |
| 2017 | CDFI Program, Technical Assistance | $123,130 |
These are awards and investments made to the institution itself to build its capital and capacity. They are not loans to borrowers, and an award does not mean the lender has money available for a particular loan today.
Source: CDFI Fund Searchable Awards Database, all 12,628 award records (1996–2025), read 3 Nov 2026. Years are the award round as the database lists it. Matched to the official CDFI list by exact name and state; see the method on the About page.
Size of the fund (IRS Form 990)
Fiscal year ending Jun 2023| Total assets | $9.3M |
|---|---|
| Total liabilities | $5.4M |
| Net assets | $3.9M |
| Total revenue | $1.7M |
| Notes and loans receivable, net (Part X line 7) | $5.6M |
End-of-year figures from the Form 990 this organisation filed with the IRS for the fiscal year ending June 2023 (tax year 2022; EIN 46-5457673, filed as “SABRE FINANCE”), taken from the IRS Annual Extract of Tax-Exempt Organization Financial Data (returns processed in 2024). Figures are self-reported to the IRS, not audited by us, and lag one to two years behind today. The lender’s own annual report may show newer numbers. This organisation’s filings on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
Filings over time
| Fiscal year ending | Total assets | Net assets | Revenue | Notes and loans receivable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2021 (990) | $6.2M | $3.2M | $1.7M | $3.4M |
| Jun 2022 (990) | $6.9M | $3.7M | $1.8M | $4.6M |
| Jun 2023 (990) | $9.3M | $3.9M | $1.7M | $5.6M |
Total assets grew 49% from Sep 2021 to Jun 2023; notes and loans receivable rose 66%. One row per fiscal year in the IRS extracts of returns processed in 2022, 2023, 2024; “—” = the line was empty or zero on that return (a fund can book its loans on other lines).
How it compares
Computed from public data| Measure | This lender | Compared with |
|---|---|---|
| Median SBA 7(a) loan it approved, FY2020–FY2026 | $128,100 (82 loans) | All 7(a) lenders in Alabama: $289,800. Larger than the median loan of 34% of the 97 other certified CDFIs with 10 or more 7(a) loans. |
| SBA approvals, FY2023–24 → FY2025–26 | 37 → 48 | Rank among the 7 certified CDFIs in Alabama with SBA approvals in either period: 1 → 1. |
| Total assets, latest IRS Form 990 | $9.3M | Larger than 37% of the 449 other certified loan funds and venture funds nationwide with a matched Form 990 (median $15.6M). |
How these comparisons were worked out
| Measure | Peer group (this lender left out) | Peers | Where this lender sits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median SBA 7(a) loan | certified CDFIs with 10+ 7(a) loans, nationwide | 97 | larger than 34% |
| SBA approvals then vs now | certified CDFIs in Alabama with SBA approvals FY2023–2026 | 6 | rank 1 → 1 of 7 |
| Form 990 total assets | certified loan and venture funds with a Form 990, nationwide | 449 | larger than 37% |
“Larger than X%” = the share of the peer group with a smaller value. Ranks count from the largest. Peer groups use the lender's home state when it has at least 5 peers, otherwise the whole country. Full definitions: methodology.
For comparison, not an offer and not a rating. Past records show what this lender did, not what you would be offered; your rate depends on the loan and on the lender's review. Peer groups and sources: methodology. SBA 7(a) & 504 FOIA data as of 30 Sep 2026. Form 990 figures: IRS annual extracts (see the Form 990 section).
SBA loans approved
SBA data as of 30 Sep 2026The SBA's public loan data lists 87 SBA-backed approvals for Sabre Finance d/b/a VentureSouth in fiscal years 2020–2026 (October 2019 to September 2026):
- 82 7(a) loans as the lender: $12.7M in total (gross amount approved), median $128,100
- 5 504 loans as the Certified Development Company (CDC): $1.7M in total (CDC (SBA-backed) portion approved), median $242,000
By fiscal year: FY2020 0 · FY2021 0 · FY2022 2 · FY2023 11 · FY2024 26 · FY2025 32 · FY2026 16.
What actually happened
- Size of its 7(a) loans: half were between $87,550 and $223,525, median $128,100 (82 loans)
- Term of its 7(a) loans: median 120 months (10 years) (82 loans)
- Interest rate at approval on its 7(a) loans in FY2025–26: median 10.00%, half between 9.50% and 10.50% (47 loans; SBA's initial rate, before any change on a variable loan)
- Fixed or variable: 98% of its 7(a) loans had a fixed rate (82 loans)
- Young businesses: 54% of its 7(a) loans went to a startup or a business two years old or less (82 loans with an answer)
Descriptive only: what the SBA file records for loans this lender approved in fiscal years 2020–2026. Each figure covers at least 10 loans; with fewer we show nothing. It is not an offer, not the rate or term you would get, and says nothing about your chance of approval.
By program
- 7(a) standard (68, 78%)
- 7(a) Community Advantage (13, 15%)
- 504 loans (as the Certified Development Company) (5, 6%)
- 7(a) working-capital and trade lines (1, 1%)
Borrower industries
NAICS sector, 3 or more loans.
- Accommodation and food services (28)
- Other services (except public administration) (10)
- Retail trade (9)
- Health care and social assistance (9)
- Manufacturing (7)
Where borrowers are
County of the borrower's ZIP code, 3 or more loans.
- Jefferson County, AL (32)
- Madison County, AL (11)
- Shelby County, AL (9)
- Lee County, AL (5)
- Baldwin County, AL (3)
- St. Clair County, AL (3)
How this lender was matched in the SBA files: SBA CDC ID 0596438: same name, state and city (SBA lists “Sabre Finance”); SBA lender ID 0596438: same name, state and city (SBA lists “Sabre Finance”).
Approved is not the same as paid out: an approved loan can be reduced or never drawn. SBA lists the lender each loan is currently assigned to, which can differ after a merger or loan sale. Sabre Finance d/b/a VentureSouth may also make loans outside SBA programs, which are not counted here, and SBA Microloans are not in these files. For 504 projects, the CDC amount is the SBA-backed portion and the third-party lender amount is that lender's own first-lien loan.
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, 7(a) & 504 FOIA loan data, files as of 30 Sep 2026, downloaded 3 Nov 2026. Our counts, cancelled approvals left out. How we match lenders.
Other certified CDFIs in Birmingham and Alabama
- Bronze Valley CorpVenture capital fund · Birmingham, ALOfficial list only
- CAMINO LOAN FUND LLCLoan fund · Birmingham, ALOfficial list only
- OPAL Community Capital LLCLoan fund · Birmingham, ALCommercial real estate loansVerified
- SIXTH AVENUE BAPTIST FCUCredit union · Birmingham, ALAuto / vehicle loans, Home mortgagesVerified
Work at Sabre Finance d/b/a VentureSouth? Link to this page
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