Reel in the resources: government agencies provide training, funding to push business owners to the next level."SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS NEED TO DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE Research; analysis; your homework. This term has caught on in all industries, because it sounds so "wired." Who would want to do analysis or research when they can do due diligence. See wired. ," says Lauren R. Beard, president of Valens Marketing & Consulting Group L.L.C., a Silver Spring, Maryland-based consulting and marketing firm with services that include helping small businesses secure financing. Beard adds that resources abound to help small businesses grow, if business owners take the time to look for them. Here are some government-sponsored entities that can help you take your firm to the next level. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Small Business Administration One of the first stops business owners should make is the SBA SBA abbr. Small Business Administration Noun 1. SBA - an independent agency of the United States government that protects the interests of small businesses and ensures that they receive a fair share of government . The Website is full of information and online courses on topics ranging from financing to business plan writing. Entrepreneurs can also receive counseling and training at any of the SBA district offices, which are in every state and Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (pwār`tō rē`kō), island (2005 est. pop. 3,917,000), 3,508 sq mi (9,086 sq km), West Indies, c.1,000 mi (1,610 km) SE of Miami, Fla. . Although the SBA does not offer small business grants, its various loan programs such as the 7(a), 504, and Microloan mi·cro·loan n. A very small, often short-term loan made to an impoverished entrepreneur, as in an underdeveloped country. make low-cost loans of all sizes. Another source of aid for African American-owned businesses is the SBA's certification programs, which helps companies win contracts from the federal government. The 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business program, for example, helps minority- and women-owned businesses secure procurement opportunities. While the 8(a) program does not guarantee federal contracts, it does provide counseling, management, and technical assistance as it helps entrepreneurs identify business opportunities. For more information on SBA programs, go to www.sba.gov. Small Business Development Centers The Office of Small Business Development Centers and Entrepreneurial Development is a collaboration between government and educational institutions and the private sector. With funding from the SBA, Small Business Development Centers across the country provide business counseling, training, and can direct owners in selling products and services to local and federal government agencies. To locate a Small Business Development Center in your area, visit www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/ sbdc/sbddocator/index.html. Office of Women's Business Ownership Entrepreneurial Development Under the auspices of the SBA, the OWBO OWBO Office of Women's Business Ownership provides educational resources to women by funding Women's Business Centers across the country. Women entrepreneurs often face challenges such as childcare issues and establishing credit in their own name, says Hedy M. Ratner, co-president of the Women's Business Development Center in Chicago. "Traditional assistance organizations didn't understand their unique needs," she adds. Local centers provide low-cost loans, training, and free counseling. For a list of Women's Business Centers, go to www.sba.gov/ aboutsba/sbaprograms/onlinewbc. Minority Business Development Agency Part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the MBDA MBDA Minority Business Development Agency (US Department of Commerce) MBDA Michigan Broadband Development Authority MBDA Minnesota Band Directors Association MBDA Matra BAE Dynamics Alenia MBDA Magnolia Ballroom Dancers' Association was specifically created to help minority businesses grow. Through the MBDA, a network of Minority Business Development Centers receive funding to help entrepreneurs with writing business plans, marketing, financial planning Financial planning Evaluating the investing and financing options available to a firm. Planning includes attempting to make optimal decisions, projecting the consequences of these decisions for the firm in the form of a financial plan, and then comparing future performance against , and technical assistance. The centers and resources are available to businesses with a 51% minority (by ethnicity or gender) ownership. While some services are free, centers charge for others on a sliding scale slid·ing scale n. A scale in which indicated prices, taxes, or wages vary in accordance with another factor, as wages with the cost-of-living index or medical charges with a patient's income. based on the size of the business. To find a center near you, go to www.mbda.gov. Procurement Technical Assistance Centers Business owners wanting to sell products or services to the federal government and some municipal agencies can take advantage of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, located in each state, the District of Columbia District of Columbia, federal district (2000 pop. 572,059, a 5.7% decrease in population since the 1990 census), 69 sq mi (179 sq km), on the east bank of the Potomac River, coextensive with the city of Washington, D.C. (the capital of the United States). , and Puerto Rico. For little or no cost, the centers--which fall under the umbrella of the Department of Defense--provide training and technical assistance. Find the center in your state at www.dla.mil/db/procurem.htm. Business.gov Keeping track of all of the resources the government has for small businesses can be a challenge. With information ranging from business financing to small business taxes, Business.gov acts as a one-stop Web portal See portal. to help you get started. Bookmark A stored location for quick retrieval at a later date. Web browsers provide bookmarks that contain the addresses (URLs) of favorite sites. Most electronic references, large text databases and help systems provide bookmarks that mark a location users want to revisit in the future. this site to make sure you take advantage of all that the federal government has to offer. |
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