Business Resources

Minnesota is a great state in which to conduct business. Large corporations and small businesses alike, will find useful information at the following please take advantage of the links below to find useful links, which offer suggestions for successfully advancing business initiatives in Minnesota.

General Business Resources

The Minnesota Department of Commerce ensures equitable commercial and financial transactions and reliable utility services by: regulating and licensing business activity in more than 20 industries; investigating and resolving consumer complaints; advocating the public's interest before the Public Utilities Commission; and administering various state programs.

The U.S. Department of Commerce provides federal information on economic growth, free trade, international outreach, and innovation updates.

The Economic Development Administration operates capacity-building, planning, infrastructure, research grants, and strategic initiatives.

Small and Disadvantaged Businesses

The Minnesota Small Business Administration provides service to small businesses such as free counseling and technical assistance, pre-business and business planning workshops, and information on starting and managing a small business, as well as financial assistance in the form of loan programs.

SCORE Minnesota is a nationwide organization of active and retired business men and women who volunteer their services to assist small businesses and entrepreneurs. SCORE® provides free business counseling and offers low-cost workshops on a variety of business topics. Perhaps most importantly, experienced SCORE counselors offer free, one-on-one, personal confidential counseling on all aspects of small business management from financing to manufacturing to marketing. This website enables entrepreneurs to conveniently access a wealth of relevant Minnesota small business information.

The Minority Business Development Agency provides resources for minority-owned businesses.

Women Venture provides counseling and training services to women thinking about starting a business and women already operating a business.

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

Central Contractor Registration provides information on federal business opportunities or allows you to apply for SBA certification as a Small Business, HUBZone, 8(a) Business Development, or Small Disadvantaged Business.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development offers financial programs that support public facilities and services such as water and sewer systems, housing, health clinics, emergency service facilities, and electric and telephone service. USDA promotes economic development by supporting loans to businesses through banks and community-managed lending pools. They also offer technical assistance and information to help agricultural and other cooperatives get started and improve the effectiveness of their member services.

Federal Trade Information for Businesses including advertising guidelines and frequently requested documents.

Trade

The Export Assistance Center is the United States government portal to exporting and trade services.

The International Trade Administration helps U.S. businesses participate fully in the growing global marketplace.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency funds various forms of technical assistance, feasibility studies, training, orientation visits, and business workshops in developing and middle-income countries.

The SBA Export Working Capital Program supports export financing to small businesses when that financing is not otherwise available on reasonable terms.

The SBA International Trade Loan Program is designed for businesses preparing to engage in, or already engaged in, international trade, or businesses adversely affected by competition from imports.

The Trade Information Center provides answers to export questions, gives tariff and tax information, lists trade offices nationwide, and provides industry information.

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