Make it your business to know what is available, where to get
it and, most importantly, how to use it.
Sources of information include:
- U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
- SBA District Offices
- Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs)
- Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
- SBA OnLine (electronic bulletin board)
- Business Information Centers (BICs)
The SBA has offices located throughout the United States. For
the one nearest you, look under "U.S. Government" in your
telephone directory, or call the SBA Answer Desk at (800) 8-ASK-SBA.
To send a fax to the SBA, dial (202) 205-7064. For the hearing impaired,
the TDD number is (704) 344-6640.
To access the agency's electronic public information services, you
may call the following:
SBA OnLine: electronic bulletin board - modem and computer required
- (800) 697-4636 (limited access)
- (900) 463-4636 (full access)
- (202) 401-9600 (D.C. metro area)
- Internet: using uniform resource locators (URLs)
- SBA Home Page: http://www.sba.gov
- U.S. Business Advisor: http://www.business.gov
You also may request a free copy of The Resource Directory for
Small Business Management, a listing of for-sale publications and
videotapes, from your local SBA office or the SBA Answer Desk.
Other Sources
- State economic development agencies
- Chambers of commerce
- Local colleges and universities
- Libraries
- Manufacturers and suppliers of small business products and
services
- Small business or industry trade associations
Did you know the SBA ...
- As a portfolio guaranteeing over $27 billion in loans to 185,000
small businesses that otherwise would not have had such access
to capital?
- Guaranteed over 60,000 loans totaling $9.9 billion to America's
small businesses in fiscal year 1995?
- Last year extended management and technical assistance to nearly
1 million small businesses through its 950 Small Business Development
Centers and 13,000 Service Corps of Retired Executives volunteers?
- Provided more than 45,000 loans totaling $1.2 billion to disaster
victims for residential, personal property, as well as business
losses in fiscal year 1995?
- Has 7,000 private sector lenders as partners providing their
capital to small business?
- Has increased its venture capital program with more private
capital in the past two years than in the previous 15 years combined?
- Provides loan guarantees and technical assistance to small
business exporters through U.S. Export Assistance Centers in 15
cities?
- Can respond to written small business questions through the
U.S. Business Advisor on the Internet (http://www.business.gov)?
|
