Applicants generally must meet the following criteria. If your situation falls outside the criteria, please do not hesitate to contact us directly to discuss your situation.

• You are Jewish or work for a Jewish communal agency.
• Currently resides in the greater Austin area (Travis, Williamson and Hays Counties) with at least three months residency. 
• The request is deemed meaningful or necessary by the Loan Committee.
• At least eighteen (18) years of age
• A U.S. citizen or legal resident
• Can demonstrate the ability to repay the loan on time
• Paid in full any prior loan from HFLA
• Not currently a Guarantor on a current loan
• Loan applicants need at least one guarantor, and depending on loan size, may require more.

The loan amount depends on many factors. The average size loans are $5,000. 

As long as you have a need and can identify a repayment plan, HFLA is here to help. Examples are:

• Summer camp
• Tuition, school expenses, professional education, study abroad or other education based expenses
• A trip to Israel
• Healthcare, medical, dental and orthodontic expenses
• Fertility
• Car payments and repairs
• Rent, mortgage payments, security deposits and home repairs
• Childcare
• Pay off credit cards incurring interest
• Funeral expenses
• Catch-up on bills
• Living costs while job searching or starting a business
• Unexpected costs that are sometimes difficult for people to plan for or simply absorb
• Edit cards incurring interest, car loans and repairs and all sorts of unexpected costs that are sometimes difficult for people to plan for or simply absorb.
• . . . and many more, let’s discuss!

We will work with you to identify a mutually agreed upon repayment schedule, which is typically 24 months. Most general loans receive a 3 month grace period between loan disbursement and the start repayment. The timeline can vary depending on the loan amount and specific circumstances.

Yes. We respect your privacy and will maintain confidentiality. In fact, we do not even share information about each loan with every board member. 

Loans will be approved at the sole discretion of the HFLA Loan Review Team.

HFLA requires co-signers on our loans for a very simple reason: to ensure that we can continue to help people in the greater Austin area. Co-signers serve as our form of back up, in the event that a borrower defaults on a loan. When you borrow money from HFLA, you only pay back what you borrow. We do not charge interest, therefore we do not generate any money from the loans that we grant. We exist solely on donations, grants, and our loans being paid back.

A guarantor can be (almost**) anybody that is over 21 years of age who is willing and able to pay back the remainder of your loan if you default. **The three exceptions are:

1. Spouse
2. Clergy
3. Current Loan Recipient

A minimum of one guarantor is needed for loans up to $5,000. For loans greater than $5,000, two guarantors are usually required.

Of course! Asking for a guarantor on a loan is nothing to be embarrassed about. Everyone needs help at some point in their lives, and chances are that there is someone in your life who will understand your situation and be willing to help you. A co-signer is a person who will help you help yourself through an interest-free loan. When asking someone to guarantee you may want to consider the following:
Ask people who are permanent figures in your life—family, close friends, trusted religious figures, etc… It helps to ask someone who has known you for a long time and knows your character.

Explain your current situation to the potential guarantor(s). Be honest and open! If the person you are speaking with truly understands why you need the loan, they will be more willing to help.

Show your potential guarantor(s) that you have the ability to repay a loan through HFLA. It may be helpful to show them the budget sheet from our application and the surplus that remains in your budget after you subtract your expenses.

Let your potential guarantor(s) know that they do not have to disclose their financial information to you. If they decide to guarantor for you, they can email, fax, or mail their application and documents directly to HFLA.

Do not expect an answer right away! Ask your potential co-signer(s) to think about it and get back in touch with you after a day or so. Assure them that HFLA is happy to answer any questions that they may have, and that they may call us at 512-677-4352 or email info@hfla.org.

HFLA is based on a recycling model where loan repayments are put back to work funding new loans over and over again.

In Parashat Mishpatim, God tells Moses and the people of Israel that they may not derive personal benefit from loans made to members of their community – in other words, they may not charge interest. This is the foundation – the inspiration – for our work. HFLA makes it possible for you to fulfill the laws of Judaism.

“If you lend money to My people, even to the poor among you , do not act toward them as a creditor; you shall not charge them interest.” – Exodus 22:24

“You shall not lend him your money at interest, or give him your food for profit.” – Leviticus 25:37

HFLA will contact you within a few days of submitting a loan application. Let us know if your loan request is urgent so that we can review your application quickly. After reviewing your application, collecting supporting documentation, speaking with the guarantor, and reviewing and approving your loan with the HFLA Loan Committee, we will provide the loan agreement and check.

Thanks to the generosity of HFLA donors and volunteer board members, we are able to provide interest free loans with no fees. Also, because the repayment rate is so high, the money is put back to work funding new loans over and over again, multiplying the number of people helped by the same dollars many times over. When a borrower repays their HFLA loan, they make it possible for someone else to benefit from those same funds.