Start-Up Toolkit

Starting a business is a complex and time-consuming endeavor. Thankfully there are plenty of state and federal resources for to help budding entrepreneurs get up and running. The following resources from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and other entities will help you network with potential business partners, apply for grants, write a business plan and more. This section also contains start-up packages for purchase.

General Resources:

State Guide: Licenses & Permits - Links to state resources for obtaining licenses and permits.
Starting Your Business - Extensive resources to help you launch your business (SBA).
Local SBA Offices - State-by-state directory of SBA offices.
State Guide: Chambers of Commerce - Links to the chambers of commerce in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C.
National Federation of Independent Business - NFIB is a small business advocacy organization.
Service Corps of Retired Executives - SCORE is a small business consultancy made up of retired entrepreneurs.

Tax Resources:

Small Businesses and Self-Employed Tax Center - Resources for small business owners and the self-employed (IRS).
State Tax Agencies - Links to taxation agencies in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C.

Sample Business Plans:

500+ Free Business Plan Samples - Sample business plans in a broad variety of industries.
Writing a Business Plan - SBA resources to help you write a business plan.
Template for Writing a Business Plan - Sample business plan template (SBA)

Resources for Minority Entrepreneurs:

Minority Business Development Agency - Commerce Dept. agency that helps with minority grants.
Minority Owned Businesses - SBA resources for minority entrepreneurs.
Native American Owned Businesses - SBA resources for Native Americans.
Resources for Minority Entrepreneurs - SCORE resources for minority business owners.

Resources for Women Entrepreneurs:

Women Entrepreneurs - SCORE resources for women-owned businesses.
Women's Business Resources - General SBA resources for women entrepreneurs.
Office of Women's Business Ownership - SBA network of nationwide Women's Business Centers.
Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program - Information about SBA's women-owned contract program.

Resources for Veterans:

Center for Veterans Enterprise - Information about federal programs for veteran entrepreneurs.
Office of Veteran Business Development - SBA program to help veterans gain access to business assistance programs.

Business Start-Up Packages for Purchase:

Incorporation Packages and Forms - Complete do-it-yourself packages for incorporating your business (LegalZoom).
LLC Packages and Forms - Do-it-yourself packages to register your business as an LLC (LegalZoom).
DBA/Business Names - Kits to help you register your DBA/business name (LegalZoom).
Non-Profit Packages - Do-it-yourself packages to help you register your non-profit organization (LegalZoom)