The U.S. Small Business Administration is committed to helping Americans start and grow their small business. Since its founding in 1953, the SBA has grown significantly in terms of total assistance provided and an array of programs and services have been tailored to encourage small business enterprises in all areas. In addition to access to capital, government contracting, and disaster assistance, the SBA Resource Partner Network helps entrepreneurs access the right tools at the right time with over 1,400 partner offices nationwide.
SBA Resource Partners include:
- SCORE – a valuable network of tens of thousands of volunteers who, through 300+ chapters nationwide, offer small business entrepreneurs practical business advice at no charge. SCORE is optimal for aspiring entrepreneurs or business owners who are looking for mentorship and advice from volunteer real-world business executives—in-person or virtually, and access to free low or no-cost workshops and webinars.
- Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) – Small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs can go to their local SBDC office for free face-to-face business consulting and low or no-cost training, on topics including business planning, accessing capital, marketing, regulatory compliance, technology development, international trade and much more. SBDCs are hosted by leading universities, colleges, state economic development agencies, and private sector partners. There are nearly 1,000 local centers available to provide no-cost business consulting and low-cost training to new and existing business owners.
- Women’s Business Center (WBC) – WBCs operate with the mission to “level the playing field” for women entrepreneurs, who still face unique obstacles in the world of business. WBC’s offer comprehensive training and counseling on a variety of topics, including loan package preparation, operations, and Human Resources assistance, marketing, and assistance with the Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance (WBE) certification process.
- Veteran’s Business Outreach Centers – Veterans Business Outreach Centers are designed to help create, retain and develop businesses and to contribute to the success of entrepreneurs who are members of the U.S. military community including Veterans, Service-Disabled Veterans, Reservists, National Guard members, and Activeduty service members preparing to transition from military service to business ownership. VBOCs provide entrepreneurial development services such as business training, counseling and mentoring, and referrals for eligible veterans owning or considering starting a small business.
Find local resource partners at SBA.gov/local-assistance or visit the SBA District Office nearest you for more information.
