Business Organizations, Non-profits Providing Free Resources Online.
On this page, you will find numerous organizations dedicated to helping small business owners start and run their ventures successfully. They all provide an assortment of useful free resources, information, and services. These sites are a must for the bootstrapping frugal entrepreneur- especially for anyone who has little prior experience starting and/or running a business.
Accion USA Accion USA is a non-profit organization that provides small, short-term loans to small business owners who may have difficulty accessing commercial loans.
Edward Lowe Foundation The Edward Lowe Foundation is dedicated to providing support, education, and research to emerging growth and second-stage businesses.
Entrepreneurship.org This organization is sponsored by the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership. It is a free resource for entrepreneurs world wide.
Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) MEP is composed of a nationwide network of centers offering assistance to small and medium-sized manufacturers.
Micro Mentor MicroMentor connects entrepreneurs with business volunteers who offer free counseling and advice.
My Own Business My Own Business offers an extensive 16-part free online course on starting and growing a small business.
National Association for the Self Employed (NASE) NASE is one of the nation's leading resources for the self-employed and micro-businesses. The boasts an impressive collection of tips, tools, and resources to help entrepreneurs succeed.
National Business Incubation Association This organization provides information, education, advocacy and networking resources to entrepreneurs in the initial stages of business start up.
National Federation for Independent Business The NFIB is an advocacy organization dedicated to assisting small and independent businesses. If you decide to become a paid member (Currently membership is $180/yr), then you can additionally receive discounts on many business products and services, attend a series of free webinars, and receive other services and assistance.
PBS Small Business School This site provides transcripts, resources, information, and videos from the PBS TV show on small businesses.
Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) This organization provides free business training and courses, mentoring programs, and other useful resources.
SME Toolkit This organization offers free software, business forms, interactive tools, training and other resources helpful to small business owners.