Revealed
Is Your Business Eligible For An Interest-Free Loan?
Learn whether your business may be able to access limited funding before demand rises.
Small businesses are often hit hardest when fuel, freight, supplier costs and cash flow pressure rise at the same time. On 20 April 2026, the Economic Resilience Program was introduced for eligible businesses to access interest free funds.
If you run an SME, read on to see how the pathway works and whether it may fit your situation.
No time to read?
The Program comes with strict industry and bank criteria.
Click below to match with non-bank lenders that may be more suitable for your business.
Start the funding-fit checkIn this article you’ll learn:
- •What the Economic Resilience Program zero interest pathway is.
- •Which businesses may fit the program criteria.
- •How to check your funding fit before applying.
What is the Economic Resilience Program?
Opening on 20 April 2026, the Australian Government allocated $1 billion from the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund to the Economic Resilience Program.
The program provides zero interest loans to eligible businesses that fit the program criteria.
Loans of up to $5 million are administered by the Big 4 Banks, as well as BOQ, Bendigo and Judo.
Loans over $5 million are administered directly by the NRFC.
Who’s Eligible?
The Program is available for businesses in critical manufacturing, supply chain, logistics, transport and food businesses.
The funds can be used for most business purposes, particularly if they are for costs incurred by market disruption or to increase production of critical goods and services.
The biggest catch right now is how the program is being delivered. Unlike the Coronavirus SME Guarantee Scheme, this zero interest pathway is not broadly open through non-bank lenders.
At the moment, access is through the major banks and their strict criteria.
That can make the program harder to use than the headline suggests. Banks usually want clean documentation, strong trading evidence, clear repayment capacity and a business profile that fits their rules.
If the program changes or opens up to more lenders, we'll update this page.
For now, if you have already been declined by a major lender, or you know your documentation will not pass a bank-style process, you may need to compare other business funding options instead.
How Comparison One helps
For some businesses, the Economic Resilience Program may be worth looking at. But it’s not a solution for most businesses, as the timing and criteria of the banks are not always suited for SMEs.
If your business doesn’t line up with that pathway, you could waste valuable time applying in the wrong place.
Comparison One was built to help owners avoid that.
The Funding Fit Check helps match you with a lender that actually makes sense for your business before you commit to a full application. Whether it’s a non-bank option, or another funding structure, the goal is the same: our technology asks the right questions, so you get matched to a lender that wants to help.
Don’t lose weeks guessing, while bills, invoices, super and taxes keep coming in.
It only takes a few minutes to get your funding fit. The initial check is obligation free and nothing goes on your credit report without permission.
Check your eligibility below.
Common questions
Is the Economic Resilience Program real?
Yes. The Economic Resilience Program opened on 20 April 2026 and includes a zero interest loan pathway for eligible Australian businesses in targeted sectors. The key question is whether your business fits the program purpose, rules and assessment pathway.
Does zero interest mean the loan is a giveaway?
No. The principal still has to be repaid and fees or other conditions may apply depending on the pathway.
Will the check affect my credit file?
No credit pull is made for the initial funding-fit check.
What if the program does not fit my business?
Other funding pathways may still be worth comparing, including working capital finance, invoice finance, equipment finance, line of credit or unsecured business loans.