Evergreen Funding

1. A British term that describes a revolving credit arrangement in which the borrower periodically renews the debt financing rather than having the debt reach maturity.

2. The gradual infusion of capital into a new or recapitalized enterprise. This type of funding differs from the situation in which the aggregate capital required for a business venture is supplied up-front, in which case the company invests in short-term, low-risk securities until it is ready to use the money for business operations.

1. In a normal debt-financing arrangement, company-issued bonds or debentures have a maturity date and require principal repayment at some future point in time. An evergreen funding arrangement, however, allows a business to renew its debt periodically, pushing back the maturity date each time so that the time until maturity remains relatively constant while the arrangement is in place.

2. This use of the name comes from coniferous evergreen trees, which keep their leaves and stay green throughout the entire year, rather than losing them during winter. Similarly, evergreen funding means capital is provided throughout the course of a company's development phase.