Requirements vary by institution, facility, amount and circumstances. A checklist prepares the business; the final list must come from the financial institution handling the application. There is no universal document list.

1. Business and ownership information

The institution needs to know which entity is borrowing and who ultimately owns or controls it. Information may include:

• current ACRA business information;
• ownership and corporate-shareholder information;
• details of directors, partners or proprietors;
• business addresses and contact information;
• group structure where other companies are involved.

Check that the legal name and registration number match across every document. If the business trades under a different brand, make the relationship clear.

For government-supported schemes, current official eligibility conditions may require particular registration, operating, ownership and group-size criteria. Verify those conditions against the scheme owner immediately before relying on them.

2. Financial statements and management information

Financial information helps an institution understand revenue, margins, profitability, assets, liabilities and changes over time. Depending on the application, it may request:

• annual financial statements;
• recent management accounts;
• profit and loss accounts;
• balance sheets;
• aged receivables and payables;
• inventory or fixed-asset schedules;
• cash-flow forecasts.

Current information matters. If the most recent annual accounts are old, management accounts help explain what has happened since the year end.

Do not alter classification merely to make the business appear stronger. If a number is unusual, add a short factual explanation and supporting evidence.

3. Bank activity

Bank statements show the timing and concentration of receipts, operating payments, existing repayments and cash balances. Before submission, check:

• every page is included;
• the account belongs to the applicant entity;
• the period is current;
• material transfers between related accounts are explained;
• returned payments, unusual credits or one-off transactions are identified accurately;
• bank inflows can be understood alongside reported revenue and receivables.

An inconsistency is not automatically disqualifying. An unexplained inconsistency creates avoidable uncertainty.

4. Existing liabilities and commitments

Prepare one complete schedule of term loans and revolving facilities, hire-purchase and equipment obligations, leases, guarantees, tax payment arrangements, material supplier arrears and other contractual payments.

Include the outstanding amount, repayment, maturity, rate basis and security or guarantee position where known.

The purpose is not merely to satisfy a lender. The owner needs the complete schedule to decide whether the business can safely carry another obligation.

5. Evidence for the use of funds

A request becomes easier to assess when the amount is tied to a business purpose. Evidence may include supplier quotations, purchase orders, awarded contracts, invoices, inventory budgets, project cash-flow schedules, equipment proposals, or tenancy and renovation budgets.

The requested amount should reconcile to the evidence and to the cash-flow forecast. If the business includes a contingency, explain how it was calculated.

6. Repayment forecast

A forecast should show when the money is needed, when receipts are expected and when repayments fall due. Build it once, properly: Build a rolling 13-week cash-flow forecast

Use realistic collection dates rather than invoice dates. Include payroll, rent, suppliers, GST or tax, existing debt and a minimum operating reserve. Add a downside case for delayed receipts, lower sales or higher costs.

Make the information consistent

Before submission, read the application as one story:

• Does the business activity described match the revenue shown?
• Do bank inflows broadly support the accounts and receivables?
• Does the amount requested match the stated purpose?
• Do the proposed repayment dates match the cash cycle?
• Are existing liabilities complete?
• Are unusual changes explained with dates and evidence?

Avoid copying an old explanation into a new application if circumstances have changed.

Explain unusual items without overexplaining

A short note helps where there is a seasonal swing, one-off expense, related-party transfer, project delay or customer concentration. Use facts: what happened, when, the amount involved, whether it is expected to recur, and what evidence supports the explanation.

Do not invent reasons the business cannot substantiate, and do not omit unfavourable information the institution has requested.

Submit documents securely

Sensitive financial and identity information should be sent only through an authorised secure process. Fundwise's public enquiry form is intended for basic context. It should never be used to submit:

• NRIC numbers or images;
• bank credentials or passwords;
• bank statements;
• identity documents;
• complete financial records.

Confirm who will receive the documents, why they are required, how access is controlled and how long they will be retained.

Final preparation checklist

Create sections for corporate information, ownership, financials, banking, liabilities, use of funds, forecast, explanations and secure delivery. Test each item against five questions:

1. Current: is the document recent enough for this application?
2. Complete: are all pages, entities and periods included?
3. Consistent: do the accounts, statements, liabilities and purpose tell the same story?
4. Requested: has the financial institution confirmed it needs this item?
5. Secure: is the delivery route approved for sensitive information?

Good preparation cannot guarantee approval. It reduces preventable delays, clarifies the financing case, and helps the owner understand the business's own position.

Sources

• DBS — Business term loan (example of one lender's stated process)

Figures verified on 3 August 2026. Scheme parameters, rates and lender requirements change — check the primary source before relying on any figure.

Fundwise is an intermediary, not a lender. This is general information, not individual financial, legal, tax, accounting or credit advice. Financial institutions run their own eligibility and credit assessments and set all terms — we cannot guarantee approval, rate, amount or timing.

Read more about working capital loans, or get in touch to talk through your situation.