← Ask Ali

A free business plan for the Guyana Development Bank

Ask Ali asks about twenty plain questions about a business and its money, then writes the business plan a Guyanese lender will ask for — a lender comparison, a 12-month cash-flow projection, and the document checklist below, all in one file. It costs nothing.

Start your free business planNo account, no fee, no obligation.

What this is — and what it is not

  • It is a business plan: an executive summary, a cash-flow projection, a use-of-funds breakdown and a lender comparison, built from figures you supply.
  • It is not a loan application — the Guyana Development Bank has not published an application form, portal, office or hotline, so there is nothing to submit it to yet.
  • It does not predict or score approval. No tool can promise that, and Ask Ali never claims to.
  • It is free — not a trial, not a discount tier. Free.

Which lender fits

The plan routes to the lender your loan amount actually fits, and shows the others for comparison.

LenderUp toRateCollateralAvailable
Guyana Development Bank — direct loanG$3,000,0000%None reported for this tierThe bank becomes operational on 5 October 2026
Guyana Development Bank — through a partner commercial bankG$7,000,000about 4%Reduced, per reports; terms not publishedExpected with the bank from 5 October 2026
Small Business Bureau — Credit Guarantee ProgrammeG$30,000,000about 12%SBB guarantees 40% for a first-time borrower, 70% for a repeat borrowerOpen now
  • Guyana Development Bank — direct loan: Reported at zero interest and no collateral up to G$3,000,000. No application form, portal, office or hotline has been published, so nobody can apply yet — and nobody can register you, pre-qualify you or put you first in line for a fee. The bank has said it will help applicants prepare business plans free of charge.
  • Guyana Development Bank — through a partner commercial bank: Reported as up to a further G$7,000,000 at a preferential rate, targeted below 4%, taking the combined ceiling to G$10,000,000. The participating banks have not been named.
  • Small Business Bureau — Credit Guarantee Programme: This one is lending today, through Republic Bank and GBTI. The rate shown is a conservative placeholder for a commercial loan, not a published SBB figure — your bank sets it.

Lender terms above were read on 18 September 2026. Confirm them with the lender before you rely on them.

The twelve documents a lender asks for

Two of these — the business plan and the cash-flow projection — are what Ask Ali produces. The rest are chased from the agency that issues them.

DocumentWhy it is neededWhere it comes fromStatus
Business planThe lender has to see that the business works and the loan can be repaid.This documentIn this document
Cash-flow projectionIt shows you can meet the payment month by month, not just on average.This documentIn this document
National ID or passportConfirms who you are.GRO or ImmigrationNot confirmed yet
TIN certificate A Taxpayer Identification Number is required before any government loan can be paid out.GRAUsually same dayNot confirmed yet
Business registration Only a registered business can receive a loan from the bank.Deeds Registry (DCRA)~G$6,000 · 1-2 weeksNot confirmed yet
Proof of addressThe lender verifies where you and the business operate.GPL or GWI billWithin 3 monthsNot confirmed yet
NIS compliance Funds are not released to a business that owes the National Insurance Scheme.NISNot confirmed yet
GRA tax compliance A standard requirement once the business is registered.Guyana Revenue AuthorityNot confirmed yet
Bank statements (6 months)The lender wants to see money moving, not only hear about it.Your bank, or MMGNot confirmed yet
Sales recordsShows where the income in this plan comes from. A notebook is acceptable.You keep theseNot confirmed yet
Your existing debtsThe lender works out whether you can carry another payment on top.You list theseNot confirmed yet
Price quotationsThe lender funds specific purchases, not a cash lump sum. A WhatsApp message from the seller counts.Your supplierNot confirmed yet

Why this is a plan, not an application

The Guyana Development Bank has not published an application form, portal, office or hotline. This is a business plan prepared so you are ready — it is not an application, and it cannot be submitted anywhere yet. The bank has said it will help applicants prepare business plans free of charge, and Ali is free too.

Need help with the paperwork itself?

Registering a business, getting a TIN certificate or clearing a compliance letter can be done yourself at the issuing office, or through an agent who does it for a fee. Service of Guyana is one such option — it is not the only one, and it is not affiliated with the Guyana Development Bank or with Ask Ali. Building the business plan itself, with Ask Ali, stays free either way.

Common questions

Is this the loan application?

No. The Guyana Development Bank has not published an application form, portal, office or hotline, so nobody can apply yet. What Ask Ali builds is a business plan — the document a lender will ask for once you can apply, and the same kind of preparation the bank has said it will help applicants with, free of charge.

What does it cost?

Nothing. Building the business plan with Ask Ali is free, and the bank itself has said it will help applicants prepare their plans free of charge too.

Will this get my loan approved?

No one can promise that, including Ask Ali. A business plan does not predict or score approval — it puts your numbers, your paperwork and your lender options in one place so a lender can make that decision.

Do I have to use Service of Guyana to get this done?

No. Service of Guyana is one option for help gathering documents such as a TIN certificate or a business registration — it is one way to get that done, not the only one, and it is not affiliated with the Guyana Development Bank or with Ask Ali.

What does Ask Ali ask for, and where does it go?

About twenty questions about the business, its money and the loan — figures you supply, never numbers Ask Ali invents. No national ID or passport number is ever stored; a business registration number is kept only if you give one.

Who is behind Ask Ali?

Ask Ali is an independent project. Not affiliated with the Government of Guyana or any public official.

Ready when you are — free.

Ask Ali is an independent project. Not affiliated with the Government of Guyana or any public official.

Start your free business plan