Key Takeaways
- Event planning contract revenue drives Bankable approval — no green card
- Fund equipment, working capital, and vendor deposits for OPT event planning founders
- Corporate events, weddings, and experiential marketing companies all qualify
- 48-hour decisions for event businesses with $8K+ monthly revenue
Event management and hospitality graduates on F-1 OPT are launching event planning businesses that serve corporate clients, luxury weddings, and experiential marketing campaigns. These businesses generate significant per-event revenue from planning fees, vendor commissions, and production markups. F-1 OPT founders with multicultural event expertise serve cross-cultural wedding markets and international corporate client events that domestic planners often can't serve as effectively.
Event Planning Capital Uses
- Event equipment: linens, lighting, furniture, AV systems, and staging
- Working capital to pay vendor deposits before client final payment
- Marketing and portfolio development: photography, website, and social media
- Vehicle for equipment transport and venue setup
- Business development for corporate client acquisition
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Since March 2026, SBA loans require 100% US citizen or national ownership. Bankable is non-SBA — F-1 OPT founders qualify based entirely on business revenue.
No. Bankable funds US-registered business entities based on revenue. Immigration status is not evaluated.
Your business entity continues operating and servicing funding. The loan is with the business, not the individual.
Yes. Event planning businesses have no professional licensing requirements for ownership in most states.
$8,000+ in monthly event revenue with 4+ months of operating history. Project-based revenue is evaluated on a monthly average basis.
Bankable evaluates trailing 12-month average revenue and accounts for seasonal peaks. Summer and fall wedding seasons and Q4 corporate events create predictable annual patterns.
Yes. Working capital to bridge the gap between vendor deposits and client final payments is a primary use case for event planners.
Yes. Reusable event equipment — lighting, staging, tents, and furniture — qualifies for equipment financing with the assets as collateral.