> Marketplace disclaimer: Loanable is a commercial funding marketplace, not a lender. Funding partners underwrite applications and decide approvals, pricing, and terms. Referral program details on this page match the Loanable partner program page as of November 2026 and can change. Nothing here is a promise of earnings, approvals, or funding. This article is educational, not legal, tax, or ethics advice.
By the Loanable Editorial Team · Partner editorial · Updated November 2026
Consultants, business coaches, and fractional CFOs are often the first people a business owner asks, "Where do I get the money for this?" A business funding referral program lets you introduce that client to a funding marketplace or lender. The marketplace and its partners handle the application, underwriting, and funding. If the deal funds, you're paid under your partner agreement. You stay the advisor, and the client gets options without you becoming a lender or broker. This guide covers who these programs fit, when a referral actually helps a client, how payouts and disclosure work, and what to ask before you join one. If you're ready to sign up, see the Loanable referral partner program.
Why consultants get asked about funding first
Advisors sit where funding questions come up. A fractional CFO builds the cash-flow forecast that shows a gap in March. A growth consultant writes a plan that needs two new hires before revenue catches up. A business coach hears an owner say the bank turned them down. In each case, the owner trusts you and wants a next step.
Without a referral path, most advisors either say "talk to your bank" or send the client to a search engine full of lead-gen ads. A structured referral program gives you a better answer: a single place where the client can apply once and see real offers, plus a clear, disclosed way for you to be paid for the introduction.
Who this fits
Fractional CFOs
You already own the numbers. You see the 13-week cash flow, the receivables aging, and the capital spending plan. That puts you in the best position to spot when a line of credit, invoice financing, or equipment financing would ease a known gap. If you also hold a CPA license, read the disclosure section below.
Management and operations consultants
Your recommendations often stall on working capital. A new location, a systems upgrade, or a process change can need funding before it pays off. A referral lets the client move forward without you managing the financing.
Business coaches
Coaches usually have deep owner trust but lighter financial involvement. The best fit here is a simple introduction: you point the owner to the application and let funding specialists handle the rest. Don't try to recommend a specific product.
Marketing and growth agencies
Clients sometimes approve a campaign they can't fund yet. A short-term working capital option can bridge the gap. Be careful not to push debt to pay for your own services, which creates an obvious conflict.
When a funding referral actually helps the client
A referral is only valuable if the funding fits the problem. Here's how common client situations map to products:
- Seasonal dips or payroll gaps: Working capital or a line of credit the client draws only when needed.
- Slow-paying customers: Accounts receivable financing, which advances cash against open invoices.
- Equipment or vehicle purchases: Equipment financing, where the asset backs the deal.
- Fast, short-term needs with steady card or daily sales: A merchant cash advance. It's fast, but usually expensive, so make sure the client understands the total cost.
- Expensive existing debt: Loan refinancing may lower payments or simplify a stack of debts.
- Long-term growth or acquisition: SBA loans or term loans with longer repayment periods.
When not to refer: If the client has no realistic way to repay, or wants to borrow to cover ongoing losses without a plan to fix them, funding usually makes things worse. Saying "not yet" protects the client and your reputation.
How a referral works, step by step
Most marketplace referral programs follow the same basic flow. Here's how it works with Loanable:
- Join the program. Apply on the partner page. It's free.
- Get your partner link. You receive a unique link that credits referred applications to you.
- Make the introduction. Share the link directly, or make a warm intro by email and include it.
- The client applies once. They complete one application. You don't collect documents or fill anything out for them.
- The client is matched. Their file can reach Loanable's network of 150+ lending partners across 30+ products.
- The client chooses. They review offers and decide. You don't negotiate terms.
- The deal funds, and you're paid. If the client accepts an offer and funds, the deal is credited to you.
For the full borrower side, see how it works. Your role is the introduction and the trust behind it. The funding partner handles the lending.
How consultants get paid
Most marketplace programs pay a share of the platform's commission on funded deals, not a percentage of the loan amount. If the client isn't approved or doesn't accept an offer, nothing is paid and nothing is owed.
Under Loanable's program, partners receive 50% of the net commission on funded deals. Payouts go out weekly by ACH on Mondays, with no minimum payout threshold, and you can track referrals and earnings in a partner dashboard. Commission amounts vary by product and deal, so there's no "typical" payout to promise. For a deeper look at fee structures and how disclosure is usually handled, read our guide to business loan referral fees.
Disclosure, licensing, and keeping client trust
Your value as an advisor rests on trust. Handle referral compensation openly.
Disclose the fee when you refer. Tell the client you may be paid if the deal funds, ideally in writing at the time of the referral. Most clients appreciate the honesty, and it keeps your advice clean.
If you're a CPA, follow AICPA rules. Fractional CFOs who hold a CPA license and practice publicly are covered by the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, including the Commissions and Referral Fees Rule (1.520.001). It bars accepting commissions for referrals to clients for whom the member or firm performs an audit or review, certain compilations, or an examination of prospective financial information. Where commissions are allowed, the member must disclose them to the client. Our guide on how to refer business funding as a CPA goes deeper.
Stay a referrer, not a broker. Referring and brokering aren't the same, and some states regulate commercial financing brokers. Generally, the safest path is to introduce and let the marketplace handle the rest. Read how to refer business funding without becoming a broker. State rules vary and change, so check current requirements where you work. This isn't legal advice.
Put it in your engagement letter. Note that you may receive referral compensation from funding platforms. It sets expectations early.
Never push a product. Your job is to connect the client with options, not to pick their lender or talk them into an offer.
Questions to ask any referral program before you join
Not every program is built the same. Before you sign up, ask:
- Who underwrites and funds? Is it one lender, or a marketplace with many?
- How many lenders and products? More coverage means more clients can find a fit.
- How is attribution tracked? By link, code, or both? How long does credit last after a click?
- What does the client see? Is the experience clear and professional?
- When are you paid? What triggers payment, how often, and is there a minimum?
- Are there clawbacks? What happens if a deal is unwound or paid off early?
- What about renewals? Are you credited if the client returns?
- What reporting do you get? Can you see referral status in a dashboard?
- How is client data used? Will the client be marketed unrelated products or have their data sold?
How to bring up funding without sounding like a salesperson
The best referrals come from moments when funding is already the topic. A few approaches that keep you in the advisor seat:
- During a cash-flow review: "The forecast shows a gap in the next quarter. There are options to bridge it, and I can introduce you to a marketplace where you apply once and compare offers. I'm paid a referral fee if anything funds, so it's your call."
- When a growth plan stalls on money: "The plan works if we can fund the first two months of the new hire. Want to see what financing would cost before we decide?"
- After a bank decline: "One bank's no isn't the whole market. A marketplace can show you what other lenders would offer, and you're not obligated to take any of it."
- When reviewing existing debt: "Those daily payments are eating your margin. It may be worth checking whether refinancing could lower them."
Keep it optional, disclose your compensation, and let the client lead.
How Loanable's referral program works for consultants
Loanable is a commercial funding marketplace, not a lender. Here's what partners get, per the partner program page:
- Free to join, with a short signup.
- A unique partner link and a dashboard to track referrals and deal status.
- 150+ lending partners across 30+ products, including MCA, term loans, SBA, equipment, real estate, and lines of credit.
- 50% of net commission on funded deals.
- Weekly ACH payouts on Mondays, with no minimum.
If you run a software platform or client portal and want funding inside your product, see embedded solutions.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a license to refer business funding as a consultant?
It depends on your state and what you do. Making introductions is generally different from acting as a broker, but some states regulate commercial financing brokers. Check current rules where you work; this isn't legal advice.
How much do consultants earn per referral?
There's no fixed amount. Most programs pay a share of the platform's commission on funded deals. Loanable pays partners 50% of net commission, which varies by product and deal.
Do I have to disclose the referral fee to my client?
Disclosure is best practice for every advisor, and CPAs in public practice are required to disclose permitted commissions under AICPA rules. Disclose at the time you make the referral.
Can a fractional CFO who is a CPA accept referral fees?
Sometimes. Under the AICPA Commissions and Referral Fees Rule, CPAs in public practice can't accept commissions tied to clients for whom they perform audits, reviews, certain compilations, or examinations of prospective financial information. Where commissions are allowed, they must be disclosed.
What if my client doesn't get approved?
Nothing is owed by you or the client. You're paid only on funded deals, and applying through Loanable is free for the business, with no obligation to accept an offer.
Will the funding partner take over my client relationship?
The funding partner works with the client on the loan itself. You remain the client's advisor. Ask any program how client data is used before you join.
What types of funding can I refer?
Loanable's partners offer 30+ products, including working capital, lines of credit, invoice financing, equipment financing, merchant cash advances, SBA loans, term loans, and refinancing.
Become a referral partner
If your clients already ask you about funding, give them a clear next step. Join the Loanable referral partner program for free and start referring with your own partner link.