{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/cash-flow-projection","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/cash-flow-projection","data_freshness":{"sba_records_through":"2026-05-31","fdic_records_through":"2026-03-31","dealroom_last_updated":"2026-06-15","timezone":"America/Chicago"},"source_summary":["Public SBA 7(a) loan records","FDIC institution data","DealRoom lender and franchise enrichment"],"term":{"slug":"cash-flow-projection","term":"Cash flow projection","group":"Reading the business","definition":"A cash flow projection estimates the future movement of cash in and out of the business. It's crucial for showing a lender the business can repay the loan.","what_it_means":"When applying for an SBA 7(a) loan, you'll submit detailed cash flow projections to demonstrate the business's ability to generate sufficient funds to cover debt service and operating expenses. Lenders scrutinize these to assess repayment capacity and the viability of your business plan.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/cash-flow-projection","official_sources":[{"slug":"sop-50-10","title":"SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","official_url":"https://www.sba.gov/document/sop-50-10-lender-development-company-loan-programs","official_label":"View on SBA.gov","authority_tier":2,"publisher":"U.S. Small Business Administration","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/sop-50-10"}],"related":[{"slug":"repayment-capacity","term":"Repayment capacity","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/repayment-capacity"},{"slug":"business-plan","term":"Business plan","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/business-plan"},{"slug":"financial-projections","term":"Financial projections","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/financial-projections"},{"slug":"debt-service","term":"Debt service","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/debt-service"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"Are there any restrictions on the use of cash flow projections for an SBA 7(a) acquisition loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/are-there-any-restrictions-on-the-use-of-cash-flow-projections-for-an-sba-7-a-acquisition-"},{"question":"How does a lender evaluate the reasonableness of a borrower's projections for future revenue and cash flow?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-a-lender-evaluate-the-reasonableness-of-a-borrower-s-projections-for-future-reven"},{"question":"How does the SBA evaluate the reasonableness of a borrower's projections for future revenue and cash flow?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-the-sba-evaluate-the-reasonableness-of-a-borrower-s-projections-for-future-revenu"},{"question":"How does a lender evaluate the reasonableness of a borrower's cash flow projections for a 7(a) loan approval?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-a-lender-evaluate-the-reasonableness-of-a-borrower-s-cash-flow-projections-for-a-"},{"question":"Can future cash flow or profits from the acquired business count as equity injection?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/can-future-cash-flow-or-profits-from-the-acquired-business-count-as-equity-injection"},{"question":"How can an SBA 7(a) loan help with ongoing cash flow for my business?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/how-can-an-sba-7-a-loan-help-with-ongoing-cash-flow-for-my-business"}]},"caveats":["Definitions represent DealRoom's plain-English interpretation for buyers; verify regulatory terms against the official SBA and eCFR sources listed.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an SBA eligibility determination."],"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so Glossary — Cash flow projection","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/cash-flow-projection","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}