Editorial Standards

How stories are researched

Every story begins with a verified primary source — a lender filing, a regulatory document, a funding announcement, or a direct conversation with a participant. We corroborate claims against at least one independent source before publishing. When a story relies on a single source, we say so explicitly and explain why further corroboration was not available.

We distinguish between reporting (what we can confirm) and analysis (our interpretation of what it means). Analysis is clearly labeled and never presented as established fact.

Fact-checking standards

Names of lenders, funding amounts, factor rates, term lengths, and dates are checked against the original source before publication. Numerical claims — rates, deal sizes, repayment terms — are verified against the document or statement that supplied them. When a figure is an estimate or a range, we label it as such rather than presenting it as a precise number.

We do not publish unverified rumors. If we cannot confirm a detail, we either confirm it or leave it out.

How sources are handled

Sources are identified by name whenever possible. We grant anonymity only when a source faces concrete professional or legal risk for speaking, and only when the information cannot be obtained on the record. Anonymous sources are never used for opinions or speculation — only for verifiable facts, and their claims are corroborated independently.

We disclose any material connection between a source and the story. If a source stands to gain or lose from the information they provide, readers are told.

How corrections are handled

Errors are corrected promptly and transparently. When we fix a factual error, we add a dated correction note to the article rather than silently rewriting the record. Substantive updates that change the meaning of a story are also noted. The full process is described on our Corrections Policy page.

Editorial content vs. sponsored content

Editorial content is produced independently by The Funding Times and is not influenced by advertisers, lenders, or sponsors. Sponsored or paid content is always labeled as such — clearly and conspicuously — at the top of the piece. Sponsorship never determines whether a story is covered, how it is covered, or the conclusions it reaches.

No advertiser or sponsor sees editorial copy before publication, and none has approval rights over news coverage.

Conflict-of-interest disclosure

Writers and editors disclose any financial, personal, or professional relationship that could reasonably be perceived as influencing coverage of a lender, deal, or company. If a byline author has a material relationship with a subject of their story, that relationship is disclosed within the piece.

The Funding Times does not accept payment for editorial coverage. Any compensation received from a lender or funder is limited to clearly labeled sponsored content or advertising, never to the placement or tone of news stories.