Business & financial assistance.

Business Finance Authority

2 Pillsbury St., Ste. 201

Concord, NH 03301

603-415-0190/603-415-0194

www.nhbfa.com

Has several loan programs designed to foster economic development and create employment opportunities, with an emphasis on small business assistance. One initiative is the Capital Access Program, which provides incentives to banks to make loans to small businesses considered to have more than conventional risk.

Business Resource Center Program

NH Division of Economic Development Business Resource Center

172 Pembroke Road, PO Box 1856

Concord, NH 03302

603-271-2591/603-271-6784

www.nheconomy.com

A locally--implemented business retention and expansion program. Its goal is to stimulate local economic growth by assisting businesses that are already in operation. Staff members can link businesses with a variety of financial, technological, business planning, marketing and job training resources. Best of all, this assistance is offered at no cost, and strict confidentiality is assured.

The Community College System of NH

26 College Drive

Concord, NH 03301

603-271-2722, 603-271-2725

www.ccsnh.edu

New Hampshire has six two-year technical colleges and one technical institute. Within each institution, a Technology Deployment Center provides general or customized training and education to meet the needs of business and industry. Programs in manufacturing and industrial technology, as well as Novell training, Internet, ISO 9000, Microsoft and many others are available.

Community Development Block Grant

Community Development Finance Authority

14 Dixon Ave., Ste. 102

Concord, NH 03301

603-226-2170/603-226-2816

www.nhcdfa.org

Funds are from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and are given to individual communities for various housing, public facility & economic development projects, including loan programs for small businesses. Contact local town offices to inquire about any programs that might be available within the community.

International Trade Resource Center

NH Division of Economic Development

17 New Hampshire Ave.

Portsmouth, NH 03801-2838

603-334-6074/603-334-6110

www.exportnh.org

A one-stop location where New Hampshire businesses, both current and potential exporters, can access the assistance and information necessary to effectively explore, develop and penetrate the foreign marketplace. Offers the business community a variety of programs and services, including: one-on-one counseling, automated trade leads, worldwide marketing promotion, international trade resource library, export finance assistance, education and training seminars and market research.

Knowledge Institute Business Utility Zone Gateway

11 Court St., Ste. 230

Exeter, NH 03833

603-658-0340/603-658-0343

www.BUZGate.org

BUZGate.org connects individuals to free help for starting and growing a business such as business planning, counseling, sources of funding, marketing, workforce development and several other targeted educational and entrepreneurial assistance resources.

MerchantBanc

66 Hanover Street, Suite 303

Manchester, NH 03101

603-623-5500/603-623-3972

www.merchantbanc.com

Formerly Nil Business Development Corp., MerchantBanc provides customized financial services to private equity investors (angels) and promising entrepreneurs. Its online service ([e-mail]) seeks to expedite such partnerships. Private equity investors may register at no charge.

MicroCredit-NH

7 Wall Street

Concord, NH 03301

800-769-3482 ext. 227

www.microcreditnh.org

MicroCredit-NH is a program of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund Inc, a statewide non-profit charitable organization. MicroCredit-NH's mission is to increase the income and economic stability of microbusinesses and the self-employed. It provides statewide business development programming, microloan capital up to $10,000 and expanded marketing and networking opportunities. MicroCredit-NH delivers its services through local business groups that are comprised of self-employed individuals and small-business owners. There are currently over 50 MicroCredit-NH business groups throughout the state with more than 350 members.

NH Export Finance Program

NH International Trade Resource Center

17 New Hampshire Ave.

Portsmouth, NH 03801

603-334-6074/603-334-6110

www.exportnh.com

Financing support is available to facilitate the export of goods and services by small- to mid-sized businesses. The program offers the EXIMBANK and SBA Working Capital Loan Guarantee Program and EXIMBANK Export Credit Insurance. In addition, financing for foreign customs is available to qualified sales of capital goods and services in most countries around the world through EXIM's foreign buyer credit program.

NH Innovation Research Center

University of New Hampshire

Gregg Hall, 35 Colovos Rd.

Durham, NH 03824-3591

603-862-4125/603-862-0329

www.nhirc.unh.edu/

Funded by the Department of Resources and Economic Development to assist Nil industry in becoming more competitive, thereby retaining and increasing industrial employment. Services include assistance in basic and applied research, development and marketing through a matching grants program; hands-on training in Design of Experiment methods through the DOX training program; and helping inventors develop, patent and commercialize their ideas through the New Hampshire Inventors Assistance Program.

NHMEP Manufacturing Extension Partnership

172 Pembroke Road

Concord, NH 03301

603-226-3200/603-226-4132

www.nhmep.org

The NHMEP, an affiliate of the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, is a non-profit corporation. It is one of 70 established across the nation to provide small-to-medium sized manufacturers access to modem technological resources, information and expertise.

NH Works

Workforce Opportunity Council Inc.

64 Old Suncook Road

Concord, NH 03301

603-228-9500/603-228-8557

www.nhworks.org

Brings direct access to employment, economic, labor market, education, training and social service information. It serves as a network to the workforce.

Office of Economic Initiatives

172 Pembroke Road

Concord, NH 03301

603-227-04171603-226-4132

www.nhsbdc.org/service/OEI.html

Focuses on assisting NH communities with their economic development needs. Activities include developing and delivering the Community Renaissance Program, which concentrates on basic consensus-building and how it relates to economic development, marketing the Business Visitation Program and coordinating economic development workshops.

Pease International Tradeport

360 Corporate Drive

Portsmouth, NH 03801

603-433-6088/603-427-0433

www.peasedev.org

Offers 3,000 acres of land ready for development. The site features an airport with an 11,320-foot runway, capable of handling the world's largest aircraft, as well as a 27-hole golf course. It is adjacent to a deep-water seaport, a major interstate highway system and railway service. The tradeport is already home to more than 100 businesses, organizations and state agencies.

Procurement Technical Assistance Program

NH Division of Economic Development

Business Resource Center

172 Pembroke Road

Concord, NH 03302

603-271-7581/603-271-7583

www.nheconomy.com

Many companies find the concept of selling to the government too daunting to ever get involved. Or, if they have tried it, the red tape factor quickly squelched the interest. The Procurement Technical Assistance Program provides the necessary tools to be competitive in the federal marketplace through one-on-one procurement counseling and technical assistance and electronic scanning of the Commerce Business Daily, federal contract awards, Defense Logistics Agency under $25,000 procurements and foreign trade opportunities. The program's databases allow clients to access past procurement histories, target appropriate buying agencies and find prime contractor/sub-contractor opportunities.

Small Business Administration

JC Cleveland Federal Building

55 Pleasant Street, Suite 3101

Concord, NH 03301

603-225-1400, 603-225-1409

www.sba.gov/nh

SBA Guaranty Loans are made by private lenders, usually banks, and are guaranteed up to a specified percentage by the SBA. The 7(a) Guaranty Program helps lenders provide longer term financing for small business customers. The program limits the bank's exposure and allows lenders to consider larger loan requests.

Small Business Development Center

University of New Hampshire

Whittemore School of Business

110 McConnell Hall

Durham, NH 03824

603-862-2200, 603-862-4876

www.nhsbdc.org

Can provide assistance to a variety of businesses. The SBDC serves both the potential and the established business owner facing a wide range of problems and issues. Although the SBDC is not a lending agency, its counselors and staff can provide information on financial resources available in New Hampshire. Six local subcenters exist in convenient locations throughout the state.

USDA Rural Development

Concord Center, 10 Ferry Street, Ste. 218

Box 317, Concord, NH 03301-5004

603-223-6042, 603-223-6061

www.rurdev.usda.gov/vt

USDA Rural Development Business Services works in partnership with the private sector and community-based organizations to provide financial assistance and business planning and helps fund projects that create or preserve quality jobs, either through guaranteed or direct loans. The financial resources are often leveraged with those of other public and private credit source lenders to meet business and credit needs in under-served areas. Recipients of these programs may include individuals, corporations, partnerships, cooperatives, public bodies, nonprofit corporations, Indian tribes and private companies.

Vested for Growth

7 Wall Street

Concord, NH 03301

603-224-6669, 603-225-7452

www.vestedforgrowth.com

Vested for Growth (VfG) provides acquisition and growth capital to existing Nil businesses when their need for capital goes beyond "bankable debt" but are not interested, or appropriate, for equity. Several deal structures are used to fill in this "in between" mezzanine space including subordinate debt, royalty financing, etc. in order to support the growth of good quality jobs that stay in N.H. VfG is a program of the Nil Community Loan Fund.

Workforce Opportunity Council

64 Old Suncook Road

Concord, NH 03301

603-228-9500/603-228-8557

TDD: 800-622-9180

www.nhworks.org/woc/workforce_opportunity_council.cfm

Mission is to engender a highly responsive workforce development system that makes NH's businesses the most productive, and creates a high standard of living for those they employ, by promoting lifelong learning and providing the means for all to gain sufficient skills, education and employment.

SOURCE: State of NH--NH Division of Economic Development Business Resource Center