Small Businesses Resources

Alternative Financing Technical Assistance Project

Find options for financing assistive technology through grants and loans sponsored by the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA).

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Primer for Small Business

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) overview of the basic employment provisions of the ADA as they relate to employees and job applicants.

Association for Enterprise Opportunity

Provides its members with a forum, information and a voice to promote enterprise opportunity for people and communities with limited access to economic resources.

At Your Service: Welcoming Customers with Disabilities

Free online web course offered by the Southeast Disability and Business Technical Assistance trains One-Stop Career Center staff and other workforce professionals on how to serve people with disabilities.

Beyond 50.04: A Report to the Nation on Consumers in the Marketplace

The fourth report in AARP's Beyond 50 series examines expenditures by the older consumer, factors that are increasing the difficulty of consumer decision making, older consumers as money managers and recommendations for the future.

Business Incubators Fact Sheet

Answers to commonly asked questions about business incubators, which provide business support services and resources to entrepreneurial companies as they grow.

Business Leadership Network (BLN)

Information on local chapters, conferences and other information from business owners on best practices in hiring, retaining and marketing to people with disabilities.

Business Plan Resources

Information on how to develop a business plan to work through all the factors that will have an impact on the successful startup, operation and management of a business.

Business Tax Credits & Deductions for Employment of People with Disabilities

Fact sheet describes three tax incentives available to help employers cover accommodation costs for employees and/or customers with disabilities, making their businesses accessible for everyone.

Chamber of Commerce for Individuals with DisAbilities

The Chamber is a national cross-disability consumer volunteer organization that uses business principles to improve the economic status of people with disabilities.

Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization

Responsible for ensuring that small businesses are treated fairly and have an opportunity to compete and be selected for a fair amount of HUD's prime and subcontracting opportunities.

Disability & Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs)

Links to regional centers that work closely with local business, disability, governmental, rehabilitation and other professional networks to provide Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) information and technical assistance relating to employment, public services, public accommodations and communications.

Disability & Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs)

Links to regional centers that work closely with local business, disability, governmental, rehabilitation and other professional networks to provide Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) information and technical assistance relating to employment, public services, public accommodations and communications.

Disability Employment 101 for Your Business

Brochure for small- and medium-sized businesses interested in increasing their hiring pool by recruiting well-qualified employees with disabilities. Document is in .pdf format. This brochure is also available in text form.

Disabled Businesspersons Association

Nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting enterprising individuals with disabilities maximize their potential in the business world, and work with vocational rehabilitation, government and business to encourage the participation and enhance the performance of the disabled in the workforce.

Employer Assistance & Recruiting Network (EARN)

Provides free services to help employers recruit and hire qualified workers, as well as employment service providers and jobseekers with disabilities.

General Services Administration (GSA) Assistance for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

Information regarding opportunities for service-disabled veteran-owned businesses to sell to the federal government.

GovLoans.gov

Centralized source for federal loan information.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Accessible Tax Products

The IRS' most popular tax forms and publications in accessible formats.

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

Free service that facilitates the employment and retention of workers with disabilities by providing guidance on job accommodations, self-employment and small business opportunities and related subjects.

New Freedom Initiative Small Business Workshops

Information about a series of workshops on Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is offering throughout the country to businesses with 15 to 100 employees.

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Resources for Small Business

Provides access to information, guidelines and training programs OSHA provides specifically to help small businesses find and fix hazards and prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.

Office of Small Business Programs

Information from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP).

Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA)

Association working to improve the potential of people with disabilities to achieve their goals through the use of technology.

START-UP/ USA - Self-Employment Technical Assistance, Resources & Training

Provides technical assistance, resources and training to individuals throughout the country who are interested in pursuing self-employment. Site offers a Web cast series in which successful entrepreneurs share their secrets for success and online seminars on topics including self-employment for individuals with disabilities.

Self-Employment, Telecommuting & Establishing a Small Business as Employment Outcomes

Technical assistance information from the U.S. Department of Education regarding small business development and entrepreneurship for people with disabilities.

Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)

Provides information, counseling and mentoring free of charge to entrepreneurs starting a small business.

Small Business & Self-Employed One-Stop Resource

Information for small employers and entrepreneurs from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Small Business & Self-Employment Service

A service of the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy, the Small Business & Self-Employment Service provides information, counseling and referrals about self-employment and small business ownership opportunities for people with disabilities.

Small Business Administration (SBA) Local Offices

Find your local SBA office and resources relevant to small businesses.

Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan Program

The Microloan Program provides very small loans to start-up, newly established or growing small businesses. Under this program, SBA makes funds available to nonprofit community based lenders which, in turn, make loans to eligible borrowers.

Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Veterans Business Development

Develops and runs programs for all veterans, including service-disabled veterans, reserve component members and their dependents or survivors.

Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Women's Business Ownership

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.

Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs)

Click on your state from the map on the page to find contact information for your local SBDC. SBDCs offer one-stop assistance and resources to help people start and grow small businesses.

Small Businesses & the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Overview from the U.S. Department of Justice regarding ADA requirements for small businesses that provide goods and services to the public.

Small Employers & Reasonable Accommodation

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) fact sheet provides a brief, easy-to-read discussion of the obligation to provide reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities, with an emphasis on issues relevant to small businesses.

Starting a Business Fact Sheet

Fact sheet from the Small Business Administration answers common questions asked by people receiving public assistance who have started or want to start a business.

State Economic Development Resources

State by state listing of a variety of resources related to economic development, funding assistance and growing a small or home-based business.

Tax Forms for Small Businesses

U.S. Small Business Administration links to federal and state tax forms.

Tax Incentives Packet

Contains information about the disabled access credit for small businesses and the tax deduction for businesses of any size that help offset some of the costs of improving accessibility for customers or employees with disabilities.

U.S. House Small Business Committee

The Committee has oversight authority over the Small Business Administration and addresses issues related to small business such as health care and technology.

Working Partners for an Alcohol- & Drug-Free Workplace

Tools and information from the Department of Labor for businesses and communities to effectively address drug and alcohol problems among their workforces.
  • The White House: President George W. Bush
  • USA.gov: The U.S. government's official web portal.

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