Partner Program Policy

This policy explains how Credit for Startups works with the companies and organizations whose programs we list, and how we keep the directory honest for founders. It also serves as our affiliate and material-connection disclosure under the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Endorsement Guides.

1. Affiliate and material-connection disclosure

The Site contains affiliate and referral links. When you click an outbound link to a partner and complete an action (such as signing up for a program), we may receive a referral fee, revenue share, or flat-rate compensation. We may also receive listing fees or sponsorship payments from some partners. We disclose these relationships:

• In this policy, which is linked from every page of the Site.
• In aggregate via the UTM parameters appended to outbound links (identifying Credit for Startups as the referral source).
• On specific listings or surfaces where a sponsorship or paid placement applies, with a visible label such as "Sponsored" or "Featured partner".

If you want to know whether a specific listing involves a referral fee, email brady@creditforstartups.com and we'll tell you.

2. How listings work

The directory is editorial. We add programs we believe are genuinely useful to founders — based on advertised value, eligibility breadth, application clarity, and the partner's reputation. A partner relationship is not required to be listed, and being a partner does not buy a listing on its own.

3. What a partnership looks like

Some partners work with us more closely. That can include:

• Confirmed program details, dedicated landing pages, or faster application review for founders coming from our site.
• A referral or affiliate arrangement where the partner shares revenue or pays a flat fee for qualified introductions.
• Sponsored placement on specific surfaces, always clearly labeled as such.

4. Our editorial rules

• Editorial independence is non-negotiable. Whether a program is listed, and how we describe it, is decided by our editorial team — never by the partner.
• Honest descriptions only. Endorsements, claims about value, and difficulty ratings reflect our genuine view based on our research. We do not write copy that we don't believe.
• Sponsored content is labeled. Paid placements, sponsored listings, and promotional content are always visually distinguished from editorial listings.
• No pay for removal. We won't accept money to remove a competing program, hide accurate information, or otherwise mislead founders.
• No deceptive testimonials. We do not invent founder testimonials, results, or quotes. Where we publish real user feedback, it represents the typical experience to the best of our knowledge.

5. Becoming a listed partner

If you run a startup credit, perk, program, accelerator, or grant and want to be considered, email brady@creditforstartups.com with:

• Program name and the URL where founders apply.
• What the program offers (credit amount, perk details, grant size, etc.).
• Eligibility requirements (stage, geography, industry, investor backing, incorporation type).
• A press or partnerships contact at your company.

We aim to respond within two weeks. We may decline programs that don't meet our editorial bar or that overlap heavily with existing listings.

6. Reporting issues

If a listing is inaccurate, out of date, deceptive, or in violation of this policy, email brady@creditforstartups.com and we'll review it promptly.