As important as financial literacy is to consumers in knowing how to manage personal finances and check their own credit scores, it's equally important for business owners to be aware of their business's own financial health and credit ratings. Before lending money, creditors often want information on company financials, using a variety of financial ratios. In order to qualify for many government loans and grants, and other types of financing, many institutions and government agencies require a D-U-N-S number, which is free to obtain from Dun & Bradstreet, a credit agency. Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax and Experian provide credit scores and reports, although the factors and scales vary by agency.