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Sources of Business Finance

Every business needs money to start and grow. Sort the short-term sources from the long-term, match each to what it is, and choose the right finance for a business situation.

⏱️ 16 min 🎯 14 activities Teachers Not yet rated Students Not yet rated

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What you'll cover

Where does the money come from? 💰

Starting and growing a business takes money. That money is called a **source of finance**, and there are many to choose from. Some are **short-term**, for a quick cash gap; others are **long-term**, for lasting investment. This module sorts them out and matches each to the right situation.

The language of finance 🔑

Four ideas run through this module:

Short-term and long-term ⚖️

Sources of finance split into two families, depending on how long the money is needed.

Match each source to its meaning 🔗

  • Overdraft
  • Trade credit
  • Retained profit
  • Crowdfunding
  • Borrowing more than is in the bank account
  • Buying now and paying the supplier later
  • Profit kept back and reinvested
  • Many people each giving a small amount online

Spot the short-term source ⏳

Which of these is a SHORT-TERM source of finance?

  • An overdraft
  • A ten-year bank loan
  • Share capital
  • Retained profit

Bringing in outside money 🏦

For bigger, long-term needs a business can look outside. A **bank loan** is borrowed and repaid with **interest** over several years. **Venture capital** is money from an investor in return for a share of the business, often with advice too. **Share capital** is raised by selling **shares**. **Crowdfunding** gathers small amounts from many people online.

Match each long-term source 🤝

  • Personal savings
  • Venture capital
  • Share capital
  • Bank loan
  • The owner's own money put into the business
  • An investor's money in return for a share
  • Money raised by selling shares
  • Money borrowed and repaid with interest

Spot the long-term sources 📊

Select the TWO LONG-TERM sources of finance.

  • A bank loan
  • Retained profit
  • An overdraft
  • Trade credit

Finance in words 🧩

Money a business gets to start or grow is a _____ of finance. An _____ is short-term borrowing from a bank. Buying now and paying the supplier later is _____ credit. A bank _____ is repaid over years with interest. Profit kept back and reinvested is called _____ profit.

source overdraft trade loan retained use savings cash mortgage personal

How to choose a source 🪜

An interactive activity.

Funding a brand-new business 🌱

A brand-new start-up has no track record and no past profit. Which source is a founder most likely to use to get going?

  • Personal savings, their own money
  • Retained profit from past years
  • A large long-term bank loan
  • Selling shares on the stock market

Spot the true statements 🖍️

An interactive activity.

Choose the finance 🧭

An interactive activity.

Recommend a source ✍️

An interactive activity.