Purchase order funding
Won a confirmed order or tender but cannot yet pay your supplier? Sourcefin pays the supply side directly so you can deliver.
- Best when you have the order, not the cash
- Supplier paid directly, your own cash stays free
Alternative funding · South Africa
Alternative funding for South Africa’s SMMEs
When a confirmed order, an unpaid invoice or an awarded tender outpaces your cash flow, Sourcefin funds the deal in front of your business – not your balance sheet – so you can deliver and grow with confidence.
Apply in minutes
No collateral needed
Term sheets in 24–48 hours
What is alternative funding?
Alternative funding is business finance from a specialist funding partner rather than a traditional bank loan or overdraft. It is structured around a specific deal, such as a confirmed order, an unpaid invoice or an awarded tender, so SMMEs access working capital based on the opportunity in front of them, not only their balance sheet.
Over the past five years, Sourcefin has deployed more than R3 billion in alternative funding to over 2 000 South African SMMEs, with a 100% delivery rate on funded deals. It is the NSBC National Funder Award winner, backed by a R150 million Futuregrowth investment, and named among Africa’s fastest-growing companies by the Financial Times and Statista.
Three ways we fund
Choose the funding that fits your deal.
Each product solves a different cash-flow gap. Pick the one that matches where your money is stuck, or let the Funding Fit diagnostic point you to it.
Invoice discounting
Already delivered and invoiced, but waiting 30 to 90 days to be paid? Advance the cash against those invoices now.
- Best when you have invoiced but not been paid
- Unlocks working capital without new debt
Tender funding
Been awarded a public-sector tender? Sourcefin funds the supply and delivery so you can fulfil it with confidence.
- Best when you have won the tender
- Funds delivery of the award, not bid bonds
How it works
How alternative funding works.
The shape is the same across every product: we fund the deal, you deliver, and we are repaid when your customer pays.
Apply with your deal
Tell us about the confirmed order, unpaid invoice or awarded tender. Applying is free, takes minutes, and needs no collateral.
We assess and fund
Our specialist deal team assesses the opportunity and issues a term sheet, often within 24 to 48 hours, then funds the deal directly.
You deliver, we are repaid
You fulfil the order or tender. Sourcefin is repaid when your customer pays, with the cost agreed upfront and no surprise fees.
Why Sourcefin
A funding partner built for SMME builders.
No collateral required
Funding is secured by the deal itself, the order, invoice or tender, not by your fixed assets or a personal surety.
We back the deal, not the history
We assess the opportunity in front of your business, so a startup with its first major contract can qualify.
Fast, direct funding
A term sheet often lands within 24 to 48 hours, and we fund the deal directly so you can get moving.
Honest routing
The Funding Fit diagnostic points you to the option that actually fits, even to alternatives beyond Sourcefin.
Delivery support
A network of more than 2 000 pre-vetted suppliers helps you source the right goods to deliver your deal.
A proven track record
Over R3 billion deployed to South African SMMEs with a 100% delivery rate on funded deals.
By the numbers
The track record behind the funding.
R3bn+
deployed to SMMEs
0
SMMEs enabled
0%
delivery on funded deals
R100m+
maximum deal
Client stories
What South African SMMEs say about Sourcefin.
Rated 4.9 out of 5 from 136 Google reviews, lightly edited for length and clarity.
“
Sourcefin is more than a funder. They negotiated on my behalf and helped me maximise the profit on my deal – the best funding partner I’ve worked with.
“
Sourcefin helped us unlock the cash tied up in our outstanding invoices. That’s what kept our construction company afloat when we needed it most.
“
As a farmer, I can now apply for tenders with confidence. Sourcefin is the first funding house that made that possible for me.
Funding Fit
What is your funding fit?
Six questions, about 90 seconds – find the funding that actually fits your deal.
Not every cash gap needs the same funding. The Funding Fit diagnostic reads your situation and routes you honestly, even to options beyond Sourcefin where those are the better fit.
- A personalised result in about 90 seconds
- Honest routing, even to options beyond Sourcefin
- No obligation and no documents needed to start
Questions, answered
Alternative funding FAQs.
What is alternative funding?
Alternative funding is business finance from a specialist funding partner rather than a traditional bank loan or overdraft. It is structured around a specific deal, such as a confirmed order, an unpaid invoice or an awarded tender, so you access working capital based on the opportunity in front of you, not only your trading history or fixed assets.
How is alternative funding different from a bank loan?
A bank loan is usually secured against assets and repaid in fixed monthly instalments, with the debt sitting on your balance sheet. Alternative funding from Sourcefin is tied to a single deal and repaid when your customer pays, so there are no instalments and no long-term debt. Approval rests on the strength of the order or invoice, not on collateral.
What types of alternative funding does Sourcefin offer?
Sourcefin offers three core products: purchase order funding to pay suppliers for a confirmed order, invoice discounting to advance cash against unpaid invoices, and tender funding to deliver an awarded public-sector tender. If you are unsure which fits, the Funding Fit diagnostic points you to the right option, even where that is beyond Sourcefin.
Do I need collateral to qualify?
No. Sourcefin’s funding is secured by the deal itself, the order, invoice or tender, rather than by your fixed assets or a personal surety. We assess the opportunity in front of your business, so a startup with its first major contract can qualify on the same basis as an established company.
How much can I get, and how fast?
Sourcefin funds deals from roughly R250 000 to R100 million and beyond, with the cost agreed upfront and no collateral required. Once you apply with the deal, the team assesses it and issues a term sheet, often within 24 to 48 hours, then funds the deal directly so you can get moving.
Which alternative funding option is right for my business?
It depends on where the cash gap sits. Choose purchase order funding when you have won an order but cannot yet pay suppliers, invoice discounting when you have delivered and invoiced but are waiting to be paid, and tender funding when you have been awarded a public-sector tender to deliver. The Funding Fit diagnostic routes you honestly in under two minutes.
TenderCentral
Find your next tender, free.
Discover, track and apply for government tenders across South Africa.
TenderCentral helps you find the opportunities worth chasing. Win one and Sourcefin can fund the work, so you can deliver it and get paid.
Go to TenderCentral →
Have a deal that needs funding?
It is free to apply, and there is no commitment until you draw down. Tell us about the order, invoice or tender, and we will fund the delivery.