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What’s Next For Your Micro-Business
Federal Assistance Programs Underused by Small-Business Owners
A recent online poll by the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) found that most federal assistance programs and services are a mystery to small-business owners.
In fact, 76 percent of the poll’s respondents said that they have never used any federal small-business programs. Nearly half admitted that they were not even aware of such assistance programs.
But despite those numbers, 58 percent of respondents said that they think small-business programs are valuable.
So which federally-supported assistance programs are on the radar for small-business owners?
Not surprisingly, loan programs from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) were at the top of the list. Twenty-two percent of poll respondents said they were familiar with SBA loan programs such as the basic 7(a) loan, micro-loan, and 504 loan.
Eighteen percent of respondents were familiar with Small Business Development Centers that provide management assistance. And 15 percent knew about SCORE, a nonprofit organization that offers free and confidential advice to small-business owners.
Still, it’s clear that many small-business owners are missing out on valuable government resources and assistance.
What You Can Do
Federal assistance programs can help you in every phase of building a successful small business. But finding the right program for your needs can be half the battle.
The NASE offers a number of free online Success Skills Seminars to help you find, understand and tap into federal small-business assistance programs.
Business Resources to the Rescue
This seminar gives you an introduction to the SBA Office of Women’s Business Ownership, Small Business Development Centers and SCORE. Find out what each one offers and get direct links.
Small-Business Owners Guide to Government Resources
Here’s a roadmap to some of the most valuable small-business resources, such as:
- Small Business Startup Guide
- Small Business Training Network
- Business.gov
- Small Business Development Centers
- Veteran’s Business Development
Government Programs For Minority-Owned Businesses
If you’re the owner of a minority or woman-owned business, you’re not the only one pulling for your business to succeed. This seminar looks at some of the most useful federal government assistance programs available to minority-, woman-owned and small disadvantaged businesses.
- SBA programs for minority businesses
- Small Disadvantaged Business Certification program
- Marketing to the federal government
How To Expand Your Small Business
Get information about government assistance for funding and managing your expansion. For exporting help, you’ll find links to resources such as export.gov and online courses offered through the SBA.
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(Posted September 2007) |
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