Resources

Click on the links below to go to resource information:
Florida SBDC  |  US Small Business Administration
Local (SW Florida)   |   State   |   Federal
Financing  |  IRS  |   Resources for Women
International Trade  |  Online Publications

Florida SBDC

Map of SBDC Offices
This map shows the location and contact information for each of the more than 30 SBDC offices in Florida.

US Small Business Administration

SBA Miami District Office
This link includes information on staff and services of the Miami office, which serves all of South Florida.

SBA Offers New Online Resources for Small Businesses to Help with Economic Recovery

WASHINGTON - Entrepreneurs can take advantage of new, free online training and other resources offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration to assist them during this period of economic recovery. The SBA offers a variety of online courses to assist small businesses in more effectively managing their firms in the current economy. The new course topics, available directly at www.sba.gov/services/training/onlinecourses, include revising business plans to reposition with current conditions, winning customers in a slowing economy, restructuring existing debt, and diversifying your customer base with federal contracts. Read More.

SW FL Resources

Southwest Florida Works is a resource for both employers and job seekers.
Go to the SWFL Works website

State Resources

October 2011: Business Newsletters from the State of Florida
Info at Online Publications on this page

Other State Resources:

• Florida Department of State
• MyFlorida.com Business Links
• SW Florida Library Network Legislative Links

Federal Resources

• Startup America: A Resource by and for Entrepreneurs
• Social Security Administration
• U.S. Department of Labor
• Department of Agriculture - Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization
• Business.gov
  The official business link to the U.S. Government
• FirstGov.gov
  The U.S. government's official web portal, Also available in Spanish below
• FirstGov En Español

Financing Resources

June 2012: Access Florida Finance Corporation (AFFC) / Access to Capital for Small Business
Go to the AFFC website<

October 2010: Regional Partnership, Banks Form Lending Venture

The Fort Myers Regional Partnership, Lee County's Economic Development Office and 14 local banks in Lee County have developed a small-business joint venture initiative called Lee Is Lending, to help promote lending to local businesses and increase economic activity in the county. For information and a list of participating banks, call Sue Noe, business assistance director at the Regional Partnership at (239) 338-3161. Information is also available on the Lee Is Lending website.

Florida Department of Financial Services Website

Telephone Hotlines

• Small Business Administration loans: 800-659-2955
• Florida Small Business Development Centers: (Statewide Toll Free) 866-737-7232

Business Loans

• U.S. Small Business Administration
• Loans For Small Business
• Bankrate.com

IRS Resources

The IRS has a very extensive website devoted to small business.
Small Business Home page of the IRS website

• A to Z Index for Businesses
• Starting a Business
• Forms and Publications

Resources for Women

• SBA Office of Women's Business Ownership
• Women's Network of Collier County

International Trade Resources

• U.S. Commercial Service (under the Department of Commerce)

Online Publications

April 2012: Entrepreneur Magazine Online

• Home page
• Marketing with Social Media

October 2011: Business Newsletters from the State of Florida

The Florida Department of Financial Services offers two free publications of interest to small business:

• Weekly Newsletter: Dollars and Sense
        view Newsletter and Archives
• Quarterly Newsletter: Florida's Bottom Line
        view the current issue

Subscribe to either or both of these free newsletters

Florida Trend Magazine

Florida Trend, a respected source for Florida business news, has a website devoted to Small Business. On this website, you can also subscribe to a weekly newsletter, the Small Business Edge, with news and tips specifically for Small Business. Go to the Florida Trend site