Open Road Impact Fund Bridge Loans
Open Road Impact (formerly Open Road Alliance)
Fast, flexible short-term debt for impact-first organizations facing a temporary cash-flow gap ahead of a committed but delayed inflow — a delayed government contract, a signed but unpaid grant, or a slipped philanthropic tranche. For a research or evaluation shop, this is the instrument that keeps a funded study staffed while the money is in transit rather than forcing a stop-work. Loans are underwritten on the certainty of the future receipt, not on collateral or endowment.
- Indicative award
- $250k–$1.5M (total award)Funder's own page states bridge loans range from $250K to $1.5M with tenors up to 12 months; average loan approximately $700K over 7.5 months. Interest rate is not published on the page.
- Timing
- Rolling / openNo specific published date recorded. This funder publishes a cycle rather than a date, and this database does not invent one.Rolling — inquiries accepted on an ongoing basis with no deadline. Funder states the full process from application to decision typically takes four to six weeks.
- Who can apply
- Community organisation, Practitioner
- Eligibility
- Open to impact-first organizations globally working on climate change or reducing inequality; the funder's page frames eligibility around four tests (impact-first with tracked outcomes, a short-term rather than ongoing operating need, a gap the loan fully closes, and demonstrated capacity to repay in full) rather than around legal form. The page does not state a 501(c)(3) requirement and its examples include for-profit social enterprises, so a nonprofit research organization or a university-partnered community agency would need to confirm entity eligibility directly. This is repayable debt, no
- SSWR clusters
- Topics
- bridge financing · cash-flow gap · impact investing · delayed government contract · organizational resilience
- Apply at
- https://openroadimpact.org/loans/
- This entry
- Curated by the working group. Written 2026-08-07. The funder link has not yet been machine-checked.
Amounts and dates on this page are indicative and are maintained by people rather than scraped. Funders change ceilings, windows and eligibility without notice; confirm all details at the source above before applying.
Also on the Organizations and Management shelf
- Health services research grantsAgency for Healthcare Research and QualityAmount not published · Several times a year · Feb, Jun, Oct
- Behavioral health services and evaluation grantsSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration$100k–$5M · Periodic calls
- Behavioral health workforce education and trainingHealth Resources and Services Administration$300k–$2M · Annual cycle · Dec, Jan, Feb
- Research Grants on Reducing Inequality and on Improving the Use of Research EvidenceWilliam T. Grant Foundation$100k–$1M · Several times a year · Jan, May, Aug
- Faculty grant programLois and Samuel Silberman Fundup to $50k · Annual cycle
- Grants in aging and serious illness careThe John A. Hartford Foundation$250k–$3M · By invitation