Small Business Focus

Small Business and Workforce Resources

The Sixth Federal Reserve District—consisting of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia and parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee—is largely founded on small businesses and diverse local markets, which together account for roughly 13 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product.

This online small business and workforce development resource page provides links to a number of web pages that support economic stability through small business growth and job development within the Sixth District.

News

To promote greater investment in non-real estate businesses located in low-income communities, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service published on June 7 a notice of proposed changes to the new markets tax credit program. They will hold a public hearing on the proposed regulations on September 29, 2011. Comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking must be received by September 8, 2011.

General Information

Addressing the Financing Needs of Small Businesses: A Capstone Forum Highlighting Findings from the Federal Reserve System Series, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

FAQs about small businesses, U.S. Small Business Administration

Fast Facts: Entrepreneurship and the Economy, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Research Resources, Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy

Small Business Resources

Financing

Small Business Administration (SBA)
The SBA provides financial assistance and counseling to help Americans start, build, and grow businesses.
Grants
Loan programs
Online training
Find an SBA lender
SBA office locator

Community Development Financial Institutions
The Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund provides financing to CDFIs.

USDA Rural Development
Rural Development, Business and Cooperative Programs, Business Programs (BP) partners with the private sector and community-based organizations to provide financial assistance and business planning for those in underserved areas.

Counseling

Office of Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)
The SBDC provides management assistance to current and prospective small business owners.

SCORE
SCORE's volunteer mentors—working or retired business owners, executives and corporate leaders—share their wisdom and lessons learned in business.

Women's Business Ownership
The SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership provides business training, counseling, and other resources to help women start and grow successful businesses.

Small Business Administration Counseling and Services

Data and Resources

Bureau of Economic Analysis – Regional Economic Accounts

Glossary of Small Business Terms

The Credit Process: A Guide for Small Business Owners

Certified CDFIs by state

CDFI Fund state reports

CDFIs in the Southeast

Small Business Resources by State

Alabama

Alabama Development Office (ADO)
The ADO holds small business exchange forums around the state, inviting small business owners to attend to introduce them to federal, state, and local agencies that can help them.

Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA)

Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs

Seedco Financial, Alabama
Seedco Financial provides microloans and small business loans in the state of Alabama.

The Alabama Small Business Development Center network

Florida

Enterprise Florida

Enterprise Zones
Enterprise Zones fosters offers tax advantages and incentives to businesses locating in designated distressed areas.

Florida Small Business Development Center Network

Florida Business Development Corporation (SBA 504 Loans)

Women's Business Centers

Florida Women's Business Center for Technology Enterprise & Development, Inc.

Jacksonville Women's Business Center Jacksonville Chamber Foundation, Inc.

Women's Business Center Florida Institute of Technology

Georgia

Georgia Department of Economic Development

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute
The Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute helps enterprises of all types and sizes use science, technology, and innovation to improve their competitiveness.

Georgia Microenterprise Network (GMEN)
GMEN provides training, technical assistance, regranting, and advocacy for the development of microenterprises in Georgia.

Georgia Small Business Development Centers Network

Louisiana

Louisiana Economic Development

Louisiana Minority Supplier Development Council (LAMSDC)
The LAMSDC helps major corporations develop, enhance, and expand minority vendor programs by integrating minority business enterprises into the corporate purchasing mainstream.

Seedco Financial, Louisiana
Seedco Financial helps small business owners and entrepreneurs—particularly minority- and women-owned businesses—obtain capital.

Women's Business Enterprise Council South

Lousiana Minority Procurement Technical Assistance Center

ACCION Lousiana

Lousiana Technology Council

Manufacturers Extension Partnership of Louisiana

Southern University at New Orleans Small Business Development and Management Institute

Louisiana Small Business Development Center

Mississippi

Mississippi Development Authority (MDA)
MDA is an economic and community development agency that provides services to businesses, communities, and workers in the state.

Mississippi Small Business Development Centers

Tennessee

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Business Enterprise Resource Office
The Business Enterprise Resource Office works with other state agencies and small business support programs to provide information about grants and loans, direct entrepreneurs to partnerships with government and private entities, and offer one-on-one technical assistance. It also hosts financial and procurement workshops and conferences.

Pathway Lending
Pathway Lending provides business financing products, including small business loans and energy efficiency loans.

Tennessee Minority Supplier Development Council
The Tennessee Minority Supplier Development Council is a privately funded, not-for-profit organization dedicated to building partnerships between minority-owned businesses that supply quality goods and services and major corporations that need those quality products.

Tennessee Small Business Development Centers