United States Trade and Development Agency
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency promotes national exports by financing feasibility studies for companies searching for new export markets.

The SBA Export Working Capital Program
The Small Business Administration's Export Working Capital Program (EWCP) is designed to help small businesses obtain working capital to carry out their export sales. The EWCP encourages lenders to "bank" small business exporter deals by reducing the associated risk.

International Trade Loan Program
The Small Business Administration's International Trade Program provides long-term financing to small businesses to compete in the global marketplace. Small businesses may use funds to buy land or buildings, renovate existing facilities, or recondition existing machinery.

Department of Commerce Export Assistance Programs

Trade Information Center
The Trade Information Center provides a comprehensive resource for information on all federal government export assistance programs. The center is staffed by international trade specialists who advise exporters on how to best use government programs. These counselors also provide general market information and export counseling.

Foreign Trade Zones The foreign trade zone program reduces or eliminates the tariffs in defined geographic areas. These zones are valuable to companies that import parts or supplies from abroad for the manufacturing of their products and then export the finished product.

Overseas Private Investment Corporation
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) is an independent federal agency that provides financing insurance to U.S. companies that invest in emerging market economies. OPIC's efforts make U.S. businesses more competitive, increase sales abroad and further the national export strategy.

Economic Development Administration
EDA assistance is available to rural and urban areas of the nation experiencing high unemployment, low-income levels, or sudden and severe economic distress. In fulfilling its mission, the Economic Development Administration is guided by the basic principle that distressed communities must be empowered to develop and implement their own economic development and revitalization strategies. Based on these locally and regionally developed priorities, the Economic Development Administration works in partnership with state and local governments, regional economic development districts, public and private nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes.

Export Assistance Center
Expanding markets in Asia and Latin America, coupled with European demand for American products, make it essential that the United States remain continually active in the world trade arena. Export Assistance Centers, established by the Department of Commerce, meet this growing challenge by coordinating the efforts of state programs, federal initiatives and local banks.

Export-Import Bank
The Export-Import Bank provides export financing for companies across the country through a variety of loan guarantees and insurance programs. To support U.S. trade, the Ex-Im Bank provided over $15 billion in loans, guarantees and insurance in 1994.

Working Capital Guarantee Program
The Export-Import Bank and the Small Business Administration have blended their working capital programs in an effort to encourage commercial lenders to make loans to U.S. businesses for export-related activities.

Export Credit Insurance Programs
The Export Credit Insurance program helps U.S. exporters develop and expand their overseas sales by protecting them against loss should a foreign buyer or other foreign debtor default for political or commercial reasons.

Project Finance Program
All U.S. exporters are eligible to apply for the Export-Import Bank's project finance program. The program is designed to provide assistance in the form of direct loans and loan guarantees for projects whose repayment depends on project cash flows.

Finance Guarantee Program
Banks, other lenders, and large exporting companies financing their own transactions can utilize the Ex-Im Bank's financial guarantee program to assure themselves of repayment on fixed- or floating-interest rate export loans. The program helps large exporters finance their export of U.S. goods and services by providing 100 percent coverage, of both principal and interest owed.

Firms with innovative research and development projects or firms that are pursuing new technologies will find a number of resources available to assist their efforts.

Small Business Innovation Research Program
Small businesses with innovative R&D projects can receive grants through the SBIR program to fund exploratory research that otherwise could not be undertaken. Entrepreneurs can use the seed capital provided by SBIR to develop new technologies that will eventually be commercialized and brought to the marketplace.

National Institute of Standards and Technology
The National Institute of Standards and Technology has become a leader in promoting new growth through the research, development, and commercialization of new technologies. NIST offers a broad base of initiatives and technical expertise to maximize its impact on R&D and technology commercialization.

The Advanced Technology Program
One of the major elements of NIST's strategy is the Advanced Technology Program (ATP). Through ATP, NIST seeks out high-risk technologies whose commercialization potential and competitiveness could be increased by accelerated and subsidized development. ATP is market-oriented, requiring selected companies to match ATP commitments to ensure that each selected company is fully committed to timely commercialization.

Manufacturing Extension Partnership
The MEP provides a nationwide framework of manufacturing technology centers that conduct company assessments, do work force training and organization, and perform business analyses. These centers help firms upgrade their equipment, strengthen their performance, improve their production processes, their business systems, and their marketing procedures-in addition to obtaining necessary financing.

Cooperative Research and Development Agreements
The Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAS) are joint ventures between NIST and private entities including both for-profit companies and also non-profit educational institutions. Any and all companies can participate in a CRADA. Each party provides staff, equipment, and facilities to undertake joint research with potential for commercialization.

DOE Laboratory Technology Transfer Efforts
Since the end of the Cold War, the Department of Energy has placed a significant emphasis on helping manufacturing companies by getting more involved in partnerships with commercial firms. The DOE has established a network of nearly 20 national laboratories and technology transfer centers in order to simplify industry's access to new technologies developed through DOE initiatives. The DOE has a facility in Carlsbad .

National and Regional Technology Transfer Centers
In order to facilitate the transfer of information from the federal laboratory system, the NTTC offers the Gateway Service, Business Gold, and other helpful services such as needs assessment, customized training, and information seminars.

Attracting entrepreneurs and private investment opportunities is the primary goal of economic development. The federal government offers several programs to assist with this effort.

Business and Industrial Loan Guarantees
Administered by the Rural Economic and Community Development (RECD) service within the Department of Agriculture, the B&I Loan Guarantee program's main objective is to improve the economic conditions of rural areas by aiding public, private, or cooperative organizations who seek loans for economic development purposes.

Intermediary Relending Program
The purpose of the IRP program is to finance economic growth and business development in rural areas by making loans available of up to $150,000 to business facilities and community development projects.

Rural Business Enterprise Grants
The Rural Development mission area of the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides federal grants to local governments and private non-profit corporations for the purpose of facilitating development of small, private business firms in rural areas.

EDA Public Works Programs
The Economic Development Administration awards public works grants to promote job creation and investment in local communities. Funds from this program could be used to build the infrastructure for industrial parks, for example.

FedBizOpps - Federal Business Opportunities
FedBizOpps.gov is the single government point-of-entry (GPE) for Federal government procurement opportunities over $25,000. Commercial vendors seeking Federal markets for their products and services can search, monitor and retrieve opportunities solicited by the entire Federal contracting community.

The federal government offers many programs that help to support minority, female and Native American entrepreneurs.

SBA Minority Enterprise Development and 8(a) Programs
The Minority Enterprise Development Program (MED) and the awards of 8(a) contracts remain the Federal Government's primary tools for providing opportunities for small disadvantaged businesses (businesses owned by individuals who are socially and economically disadvantaged) to enter the nation's economic mainstream.

SBA Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Directory
Each federal agency has an office in charge of administering all programs that benefit minority-owned businesses. The SBA offers a list of addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, and web pages for these agencies, along with similar information for other procurement agencies, bureaus, organizations, and other liaison offices.

Department of Defense Indian Subcontracting Incentive Program
The Department of Defense offers a five percent bonus to both prime and also general contractors who contract with eligible Indian owned businesses. The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development is committed to Business Development for Indian People. They are a non-profit organization, founded and directed by American Indians. The National Center is the first national organization solely dedicated to developing American Indian economic self-sufficiency through business ownership.

Minority Enterprise Small Business Investment Companies (MESBIC)
MESBICs are privately owned and managed investment firms, chartered by the Small Business Administration, that provide debt and equity capital to new, small independent businesses. Criteria for investment and size and type of investment vary from one firm to another.

SBA Online Women's Business Center
The SBA Women's Business Center promotes the growth of women-owned businesses through programs that address business training and technical assistance, and provide access to credit and capital, federal contracts, and international trade opportunities.

NativeEdge
NativeEdge is a White House Interagency initiative developed to achieve sustainable economic development within the American Indian and Alaska Native communities. It links over twelve federal agencies through a single toll-free number and web site so that entrepreneurs, Native Americans, lending institutions, non-profits, foundations and private businesses can collaborate to promote economic growth in Indian Country.

Native Americans Resources - United States Small Business Administration

Minorities Resources - United States Small Business Administration

Women Business Owners Resources - United States Small Business Administration

United States Small Business Administration

America owes a great debt to its veterans. The SBA supports economic empowerment for veteran entrepreneurs and provides technical assistance to veterans and service disabled veterans who are interested in business ownership.

The SBA is a very strong advocate for veteran affairs and offers many programs and services to help veteran entrepreneurs succeed. The following resources offer opportunities and guidance.

Business Resource Links - United States Small Business Administration

Business Magazines - United States Small Business Administration

Professional Organizations - United States Small Business Administration