SBA Local Assistance: 6 Resource Partners and What Each Handles

Six Ways

You can find local help from the SBA in one of six ways. There are Small Business Development Centers, SCORE mentors, Women’s Business Centers, Veterans Business Outreach Centers, SBA district offices and APEX Accelerators. Each of these provides free or low-cost counseling and training. Find the nearest one to you by ZIP code on the SBA local assistance page. These groups are here to help you launch, manage and grow your small business.

Some of you can get your needs met at any of the locations. But most should start at a Small Business Development Center (SBDC). They offer free or low-cost business counseling to people who want to start, grow and expand their small businesses. There are 63 lead SBDCs serving every state and territory. They assist in two broad ways. One is training and the other is counseling. A SBDC should be your first stop when figuring out how to finance your small business, need help with a business plan or cash flow.

If you have a problem, and need help, these centers can help. They specialize in topics as far-reaching as accessing capital, new technologies and developing a business plan and strategy. When it comes to operations, a SBDC can help you manage a business. You also can get help with financial management and the hiring and managing of employees. If you’re interested in sales and export help, a SBDC has professionals ready to provide it. But if you think your ideas aren’t working, a SBDC adviser will help you examine your assumptions and discuss what may have changed in your market, industry or business.

If you need mentoring and want advice from entrepreneurs who have been there and done that, SCORE mentors are ready to help. SCORE is the nation’s largest volunteer business mentoring service. The SBA reports that the mentors are made up of more than 9,000 volunteer counselors. If you’re planning on finding financing for your business, you can find a SCORE counselor. If you want help with a business plan, SCORE can help you there as well. SCORE also has specialists ready to give counsel on human resources. Counseling from a SCORE mentor is free. SCORE’s mentors meet with clients by email, phone or video. They help over time to provide ongoing advice. It’s not a one-and-done program. It also has webinars, online workshops and courses and an online library.

Help is also available from the SBA for military service members, veterans, their spouses and others who are starting or growing a small business. That includes reserves and National Guard members. The Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC) provide advice, training, mentoring, and help with a business plan. The SBA has 31 organizations participating in the VBOC program. Veterans Business Outreach Centers run Boots to Business classes. They can make site visits to your small business, review monthly financial statements and refer you to lenders, partners and SBA programs.

Another offering is a course called B2B Reboot. It’s run off base for veterans of all eras. With your business plan, the VBOC staff can help you with the legal form. They can discuss equipment costs. They can help you with a market analysis and a financial plan. You can get training in franchising, accounting and marketing.

Don’t let the name fool you: Women’s Business Centers can also help men. There are more than 100 centers which help women start and grow small businesses. These are found in nearly every state and territory. According to the SBA, they’re designed to level the playing field for women entrepreneurs and help overcome the obstacles that still exist for women. There are several SBA programs to aid women entrepreneurs. They include training, federal contract opportunities, and a boost in access to credit and capital.

SBA district offices provide counseling, training, tools and services to help you start or grow your small business. They’re designed to give your small business advice and support you in your community.

Finally, APEX Accelerators help small businesses interested in selling their goods and services to the federal, state and local government. They were formerly called Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC). They’re run by the U.S. Department of Defense, not the SBA. They can help you check if you’re ready for government contracting. They can assist you in registering in the necessary procurement systems and finding contracting opportunities for your business. Some help is free. In some cases, they may charge a small fee.

If You Aren’t Sure Which One to Start With

If you want help launching, managing or growing your small business, go to your Small Business Development Center. If you want a mentor to talk to over time, contact your SCORE office and ask for a volunteer mentor. If you are active military, or a vet, and would like to start a small business, meet with someone at your local VBOC. If you are a woman interested in learning to manage and grow your small business, call your nearest Women’s Business Center. If you want government contracts, your choice is easier: call your local APEX office. If you aren’t sure which one to start with, try the SBA local assistance locator.