SECSmallBiz Update: Exploring Small Businesses Resources

Our SEC Small Business Advocacy Team often hears from small businesses about the importance of having accessible tools and educational resources to navigate capital raising and other aspects of growing and operating a small business. Many public and private resources and support organizations exist for small business and entrepreneurs, but knowing what’s available or where to begin can be tricky. Here are a few options to explore.

Small Business Administration

The Small Business Administration (SBA) helps Americans start, grow, and build small businesses by providing access to capital, counseling and training, advocacy, and various small business initiatives.

Resource Partners

SBA partners with communities across the country to provide local resources to entrepreneurs and small business owners. Find a local Small Business Development Center, Women’s Business Center, Veteran’s Business Outreach Center, or SCORE Business Mentor near you.

SBA Funding and Investment Capital

SBA has programs with various funding options, including SBA-guaranteed loans, disaster assistance, grants, investment capital, and R&D funding.

Our Small Business Advocate, Stacey Bowers, recently sat down with Bailey DeVries who leads the SBA’s Office of Investment and Innovation and SBA’s portfolio of private investment partnerships and innovation funding programs. Watch their discussion about SBA’s mission and specific funding opportunities for small businesses.

Entrepreneurial Support Organizations

Entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs) support, mentor, train, and sometimes fund entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses. ESOs help spur innovation and economic growth by providing business development services and resources to help founders develop, scale, and sustain viable businesses. Explore our ESO educational resource to learn more.

Incubate, Accelerate, Ignite.

Earlier this year our Office hosted a virtual panel discussion featuring experienced leaders from ESOs, including Gordon Daugherty, Co-Founder & Chairman at Capital Factory, Nikki Johnson, Program Director at gener8tor, and Melissa Vincent, Executive Director at Pipeline Entrepreneurs, to explore the role of incubators and accelerators within the small business ecosystem. Check out the event recording to learn from this insightful conversation.

Engaging with InBIA

Our Office engaged with the ESO community at the recent International Business Innovation Association (InBIA) eBuilders Forum in Kansas City, MO. InBIA is a global non-profit providing education, mentorship, and collaboration opportunities for leaders of ESOs. Our Office had the opportunity to share our mission and educational resources with representatives from 50+ entrepreneurial centers, research institutes, and accelerators across the country. We hosted small group discussions and participated on a panel alongside other ecosystem builders. We also had the opportunity to tour and meet with a regional venture capital fund, a university-based entrepreneurial center, and local incubators and accelerators, several of which focus on providing funding and resources to diverse founders.

Additional Resources

Many government agencies offer helpful resources for entrepreneurs and small businesses, including free training, funding or grant opportunities, and industry-specific support programs. Visit our additional resources page for links to these offerings. Please let us know of any government programs for small businesses you think are missing from this list!

And of course, the SEC offers resources for small businesses and we continue to expand these resources regularly so be sure to visit us often to find what’s new!