US Composting Council releases draft bank loan kit

The U.S. Composting Council (USCC), headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, has released a draft bank loan kit to help composters engage capital providers and secure financing to open, expand or upgrade composting facilities. 

The USCC says its bank loan kit provides standardized tools that translate the composting business model into familiar language for investors and lenders. The kit was developed as part of the Corporate Compost Leadership Council (CCLC) workplan and responds to financing challenges identified by composters. 

The CCLC first highlighted the need for improved access to capital in its 2021 “Finding Funds” white paper, which identified banker unfamiliarity with composting operations, risk profiles and revenue models as a barrier to financing. The bank loan kit builds on that research by offering materials that composters can use in lending conversations. 

“We have long heard from our members that pursuing bank financing is made more difficult by the lack of familiarity lenders have with composting businesses—how facilities make money, what the risks are and how to evaluate projects,” says Linda Norris-Waldt, USCC executive director. “Our earlier research confirmed this as a significant obstacle, and we’re pleased to be bringing practical, field-tested resources to help composters overcome it.” 

The kit was compiled by Paula Luu, managing director of BioCycle, and the pro forma financial template included in the kit was developed by Jarrett Bond. 

“Composters know their businesses inside and out, but investors don’t always understand how these facilities work or how risk shows up operationally,” Luu says. “The kit helps bridge that gap by translating composting operations into terms capital providers recognize and trust.” 

The draft kit includes a banker handout, which is a primer to help lenders understand composting business models, revenue drivers and underwriting risks. It also includes a pro forma financial template and a business plan template. 

USCC is releasing the kit initially as a draft for member review and comment. USCC members are invited to review the materials, which can be downloaded from USCC's website, and provide feedback through March 15. The input will be used to refine the kit ahead of its final release in April 2026, ensuring the tools reflect real-world operating conditions across the composting industry. 

The draft kit will be introduced at Compost 2026, USCC’s conference and tradeshow, from Feb. 2–5 in Sacramento, California, and will be available afterward on USCC’s website.