Links and Resources
The following links are to non-profit organizations that offer assistance to companies for free or a discounted price. The assistance includes financing, business planning, demographics, statistics, technical assistance, job training, professional development, among much more. If you know of organizations or web pages that should be added to this page or have come across a dead link, please send an e-mail using the button to the left.
Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania - provides seed capital to start-up technology companies, a microloan program for disadvantaged businesses, services to help companies find solutions to their technical problems, and job training programs.
Cleantech Alliance Mid-Atlantic - Our Goal is to provide a forum for professionals active in the clean and alternative energy technology business to meet, to share information, and to collaborate in identifying and executing on those opportunities.
Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center - improves the competitiveness of small and medium sized manufacturers in the region through the implementation of World Class Manufacturing practices.
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission - provides access to regional census data, population and employment statistics and forecasts, land use and travel data, mapping, aerial photography, data bulletins regarding development, planning and policy reports and technical memoranda.
Entrepreneur Works - mission is to cultivate and promote successful microenterprises in distressed communities throughout Delaware Valley, thus creating economic prosperity and employment. In pursuit of this mission, Entrepreneur Works assists entrepreneurs with customized business support services, loans and networking opportunities—tools that are often difficult to access for those who are low-income, minority and otherwise disadvantaged.
Greater Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies - Greater Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies (PACT)'s mission is to create a strategic Hub for the region's emerging growth companies in the information technology, clean technology, and life sciences industries, manifesting in a competitive edge for the Greater Philadelphia region.
The Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce - promotes a legislative and regulatory climate that stimulates business development, provides a forum for business, finance and the professions to work together to develop the region, and represents members by speaking on their behalf.
Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation - promotes Greater Philadelphia as a tourist destination by focusing on the interests of leisure travelers. In addition to offering hotel packages and shopping discounts, the organization provides useful information and links to the area's five regional convention and visitor bureaus on its web site.
Kauffman Center For Entrepreneurial Leadership - The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is an operating and grantmaking foundation that works toward the vision of self-sufficient people in healthy communities. Our mission is to research and identify unfulfilled needs of society and to develop, implement and/or fund breakthrough solutions that have a lasting impact and offer people a choice and hope for the future. The Kauffman Foundation's work is focused on two areas: youth development and entrepreneurship.
MobileMonday Mid-Atlantic - Mobile Monday is a global community of wireless industry professionals. It fosters cooperation and networking among interest groups, industry people and their companies by providing the logistics and opportunities for personal and virtual contacts.
New Jersey Economic Development Authority - is a self-supporting, independent state financing and development agency serving New Jersey's business community. Since it was founded in 1974, the EDA has provided more than $12.7 billion to help eligible businesses and not-for-profit groups undertake worthwhile projects. The EDA works with businesses of all sizes and types--from sole entrepreneurs to world-wide corporations. More than 6,000 manufacturers, distributors, service providers and retailers have been assisted by the EDA.
Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers - Provides lots of content and links to content to help entrepreneurs.
Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation - PIDC enjoys a national reputation as one of the most innovative and responsive development corporations in the country. PIDC promotes economic growth in a variety of ways. It has money to lend, land to sell, and development expertise to help clients of all sizes reach their development goals.
Regional Entrepreneurship Catalyst - Entrepreneurship is increasingly recognized as a catalyst for regional economic growth and development. There is still, however, a need for deeper understanding about the policies, strategies and practices that foster entrepreneurial activity. The Regional Entrepreneurship Catalyst is designed to help meet this need. The Catalyst's purpose is to help close this entrepreneurship policy gap in an effort to stimulate greater individual opportunity, healthier communities and more vital regions.
Small Business Administration - The U.S. Small Business Administration, established in 1953, provides financial, technical and management assistance to help Americans start, run, and grow their businesses. With a portfolio of business loans, loan guarantees and disaster loans worth more than $45 billion, SBA is the nation's largest single financial backer of small businesses. Last year, the SBA offered management and technical assistance to more than one million small business owners. The SBA also plays a major role in the government's disaster relief efforts by making low-interest recovery loans to both homeowners and businesses.
