Starting and Running a Business

Business Plans

• Bplans.com and Center for Business Planning have sample plans and writing tips.
  www.bplans.com and www.businessplans.org


• Business Plans & Profiles Index lists plans by business type and directs you to the source.
  www.clpgh.org/subject/business/bplansindex.html


• BusinessPlanGuide has resources to help in writing a business plan.
  www.smallbusinessplanguide.com

Entrepreneurship and How-To Sources

• SBA Online has a wealth of information for entrepreneurs.
  www.sbaonline.sba.gov


• SBA Office of Advocacy has information and ACE-Net, Angel Capital, Electronic Network.
  www.sba.gov/ADVO


• SBA's Online Women's Business Center has resources for women entrepreneurs.
  www.onlinewbc.gov


• Minority Business Development Agency has the self-registering Phoenix database of minority entrepreneurs.
  www.mbda.gov


• Knowthis.com is a meta-site with links to marketing-related topics.
  www.knowthis.com


• StartupJournal.com has start-up information and databases of businesses for sale and venture capital from the Wall Street Journal.
  www.startupjournal.com


• Business Week Center has articles, tips and information on small business.
  www.businessweek.com/smallbiz


• Small Business Knowledge Base has guides and worksheets on starting and managing a small business.
  www.bizmove.com


• PeerSpectives has information, tips, success stories and links.
  www.peerspectives.org


• Inc.com is the Web site of Inc. Magazine.
  www.inc.com


• Entrepreneur.com has start-up ideas, resources and articles.
  www.entrepreneurmag.com


• eVenturing includes “the best of the best” on the Web about running a small business.
  www.eVenturing.org


• FindLaw has legal information, guides, sample forms and other legal resources.
  www.smallbiz.findlaw.com


• Quicken.com has accounting and tax information, forms and other business planning tools.
  www.quicken.com/small_business


• IRS' Digital Daily has resources for employers and tax and wage information for new and existing businesses.
  http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/index.html


• PreFlight PowerTips has audio resources to help coach entrepreneurs.
  www.preflightpowertips.com

Financing Resources

• Grants.gov is a good site to use when searching for Federal grants funding.
  www.grants.gov


• Capital Connection describes various capital sources and services.
  www.capital-connection.com


• Choose Leasing has leasing information, leasing vs. buying, plus a directory of leasing companies.
  www.chooseleasing.org


• Funding & Program Finder describes Pennsylvania's financing programs. A single application is also available.
  www.newpa.com/programFinder.aspx


• The Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority makes loans available through local Industrial Development Corporations. PIDA Loan information and a link to a list of the local IDC offices is available.
  www.newpa.com/programFinder.aspx?id=49


• The Small Business Administration has a number of loan programs. The SBA sets the guidelines for loans while SBA's partners – lenders, community development organizations, and microlending institutions – make the loans to small businesses.
  www.sba.gov/financing


• Economic development organizations or corporations have various financing programs. BusinessFinance.com offers a list of economic development organization in PA.
  www.businessfinance.com/economic-development-centers-list.htm?state=Pennsylvania


• Directory of Local Governments' Web Sites – unique or specialized financing sources may be available in your locality. Check appropriate county, municipal, city or township web sites for information. Look in Government in PA then click on PA Local Governments.
  www.state.pa.us


• PA Economic Development Directory – non-governmental economic development organizations may be a source of financing.
  www.ecodevdirectory.com/pennsylvania.htm


• Small Business Investment Companies (SBIC) provide long-term debt and equity growth capital licensed under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958. PA SBICs that are members of the National Association of Small Business Investment Companies are listed on the NASBIC web site.
  www.nasbic.org/membership/member_contact.cfm


• Venture Capital firms may be a source of financing. There are a number of venture capital directories on the web. The Infon Venture Capital Directory is free to search and provides some contact information for free.
  www.infon.com


• National Venture Capital Association Member Directory is a comprehensive, print directory of NVCA members. $
  www.nvca.org


• Greater Philadelphia Venture Group has a list of members on its web site.
  www.gpvg.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Members.Main


• vFinance.com allows searching by state, industry and dollar amount for venture capital. Contact information is about $2 per contact.
  www.vfinance.com


• BusinessFinance.com allows users to enter details about the financing needed and then returns a list of potential sources.
  www.businessfinance.com/default.asp


• Trends in Venture Capital Funding reports on venture capital nationally.
  www.sba.gov/advo/stats/trends_vc.pdf


• Small Business Lending in the U.S. provides state-specific data including top lenders to small businesses.
  http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/banking.html

Small Disadvantaged Business Certification

• Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) Certification Fact Sheet – learn more about the SDB program and requirements for certification.


• U.S. Small Business Administration Small Disadvantaged Business Program administers the 8(a) Business Development Program and the Small Disadvantaged Business Certification Program.
  www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/sdb/index.html