Daycare business loans require underwriters who understand high staff-to-child ratios, seasonal enrollment swings tied to the University of Florida academic calendar, and Alachua County licensing requirements. A lender in another state may balk at your playground upgrade or van purchase, but Florida-focused institutions recognize these as revenue-driving assets. We connect you to those lenders, explain your cash-flow story, and package applications so underwriters see your stability, not just your startup risk.
Path one: approach a single bank with incomplete documentation, wait weeks for a decline, then scramble for alternatives. Path two: work with a commercial-loan broker who shops multiple lenders simultaneously, pre-qualifies your scenario, and presents daycare-specific narratives that highlight your VPK contracts, retention rates, and waitlist depth. Laurelhaven Funding Group operates from 101 SE 2nd Pl in downtown Gainesville, so we understand why a Haile Plantation center needs different square footage than a Micanopy home daycare.
Loan programs
SBA 7(a) loans cover real estate purchases, major renovations, and refinancing existing debt for licensed centers. Equipment financing funds playground structures, kitchen appliances, cribs, and transport vans. Working capital bridges tuition gaps during summer enrollment dips. Business lines of credit handle payroll between VPK reimbursement cycles. Commercial real estate loans let you buy the building instead of leasing. Each program matches a different stage: startup, expansion, or stabilization.
For a home daycare adding capacity, equipment financing and working capital often pair well. Larger centers in Tioga or Fairbanks exploring a second location typically need SBA 7(a) or commercial real estate products. We assess your situation, then broker the fit.
Imagine you run a 60-child center near Grove Park. You want to add an infant room, install a commercial kitchen to meet new USDA meal standards, and hire two more teachers. Construction bids total $180,000. Your bank offers only $100,000 because they cap exposure to single-industry borrowers. We broker an SBA 7(a) package combining your equity, the lender's funds, and a term that keeps payments below your projected tuition increase. No rate promises, but we present your enrollment contracts and state subsidy history so underwriters see predictable revenue, not speculation.
We gather your licensing documents, enrollment records, and lease or deed. We translate childcare jargon into banker language. We identify which lenders in our network have approved Florida daycare deals recently. We coordinate inspections, appraisals, and closing timelines so you stay focused on ratios and curriculum. Because we are brokers, not lenders, we have no internal loan committee bias. Our job is matching, not underwriting.
Learn more about business loans in Gainesville or explore our full SBA 7(a) program and equipment financing options. We serve Gainesville and surrounding areas including Rochelle, Haile, Micanopy, Tioga, Fairbanks, and Grove Park.
Call Laurelhaven Funding Group at (352) 645-6128 or visit us at 101 SE 2nd Pl, Gainesville, FL 32601 to discuss your daycare loan.
Serving the Gainesville area

We know which lenders fund which kinds of Gainesville businesses, and we position your file where it fits.
One local broker, many lenders, and no cost to apply.
Common questions
Why Gainesville owners trust Laurelhaven Funding Group
Talk to a local advisor and get matched to the right program, no obligation.