Small Business Resources

Here you will find a list of resources that could help your business. These include free courses, how-to's, programs and other tools you can use to help your business grow.

AgPlan - AgPlan is a valuable resource that can greatly assist Native-owned small businesses. Through its user-friendly platform, AgPlan offers step-by-step guidance in creating business plans. By fostering well-structured business plans, AgPlan empowers Native-owned small businesses to articulate their vision, access funding opportunities, and navigate the complex landscape of entrepreneurship while staying true to their cultural heritage and economic aspirations.

SBIR 101: Presented by ARC WA - This presentation will introduce innovators to the basics of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Plenty of time for Q&A! ARC WA, SBIR/STTR/Other Innovation Programs

Inc. Newsletters - Do you need a boost of motivation delivered right to your inbox daily? Sign up for Inc.com's free newsletter to read about the latest and greatest tips on running a small business.

EQ Applied - Do you ever feel like your emotions get in the way of running your small business? Here is a free course designed to provide you with new rules to help you make emotions work for you, instead of against you.

Intro to Hosting in partnership with IDRS and EBCI - Discover a lucrative opportunity to supplement your income by attending the Airbnb Academy hosted by IDRS Acorn Project on August 17. Are you intrigued by the idea of welcoming travelers to your community? Tailored for aspiring Hosts like you, this free introductory workshop offers insights and practical guidance to kickstart your Airbnb journey. In collaboration with Indian Dispute Resolution Services (IDRS) and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), Airbnb presents the Entrepreneurship Academy—an empowering initiative that equips entrepreneurs with essential skills, tools, and support to excel as Hosts on the platform. Learn about Airbnb fundamentals, hosting best practices, and embark on your hosting venture with the confidence and expertise of a Superhost Ambassador. Unveil the potential of turning your space into a thriving Airbnb with the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy.

Tips for Starting a Business in Washington State - Washington State University (WSU) created a list of tips that aspiring entrepreneurs should follow when starting a business. The article also includes links to additional resources and articles for business owners.

Free Online QuickBooks Courses - Tracking and managing your business finances can be difficult and confusing. That's why we compiled this list of free curses for the bookkeeping software QuickBooks. Some courses cover the basics while others cover more advanced functions of the software.

ORIA Regulatory Handbook - The Governor's Office for Regulatory Innovation and Assistance (ORIA) has a FREE online handbook that contains information about local, state and federal permits, approvals and licenses for Washington State. Although not a complete list, it does provide in-depth information on most environmental permits.

Restart Academy - Created by the Washington State Dept. of Commerce to rebuild communities through a vibrant growing community of entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses. Each course will take you through a specific topic, from how to make a fresh start and building stakeholder trust to developing a successful exit strategy down the road for you and your business. Courses include an online workbook, assignments and additional links and resources. The courses are FREE and you can do them at your own pace.

82 Best Business Ideas for New Entrepreneurs - For new entrepreneurs out there looking for ideas to start their business in 2023, Digital.com has created a list of ideas for a variety of industries including arts and media, education, hospitality, food services, personal services, and more. Also, they describe which ones are good fits for stay-at-home parents, college students and teenagers.

Free Recorded Website Development Webinars - Developing a website can help your business grow and reach more potential clients. That's why there's this list of free recorded webinars from WSBDC about website development. The list also includes webinars on using social media and YouTube for your business as well. The webinars are presented by Liz Jamieson.

Seattle Good Business Network - Do you have a business in Seattle and looking for ways to make it more environmentally sustainable? Seattle Good Business Network can help you find free tools, technical assistance and resources through partnerships and programs. It has been awarded a Seattle Public Utilities’ Waste-Free Matching Communities Grant to offer free resources.  The organization has other programs as well that can help you with your business needs.

The Seattle Public Library: Business Calendar - Offers dozens of free virtual classes, workshops and events every year for people who want to launch or grow a business. Improve your business skills, learn how to use free Library resources, and connect with local organizations that support businesses of every size.

Capital Resources - StartUp Washington has a list of Angel investors, Venture Capitalists, Loans and other sources of funding to help your company grow.

Financial Literacy for Small Businesses Guide - Having a solid working knowledge of bookkeeping, projections, financial statements, reporting, and financing is important for making sound business decisions. This is why StartUp Washington has a guide on financial literacy with eight modules to help with mastering financials.

SizeUp Tool - StartUp Washington has an online tool that can assist with refining your business model, identifying competitors and suppliers, developing advertising strategies, and more. It can also run various scenarios on costs, revenue, location, customers and marketing strategies.

Business Loan Application Checklist - When it comes to applying for business loans, you need to make sure you have all of the proper documentation. Thankfully, the Minority Business Development Agency has a checklist of what you need to get loan ready.

MyFreeTaxes Self-Employed Tax Guides - Taxes are always confusing and difficult to navigate for people, that includes small business owners. However, MyFreeTaxes has free tax guides for small businesses, home-based child care businesses, and gig economy entrepreneurs to more easily and accurately file their taxes.

Income Tax Guide for Native American Individuals and Sole Proprietors - Federally recognized Indian tribal governments aren’t subject to federal income tax but they must pay employment tax on wages paid to employees. Members of a federally recognized Indian tribe are subject to federal income and employment tax and the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), like other United States citizens.

Information for Employers offering Health Benefits to Employees - Health benefits is something that all employees ask about and this article from Washington Health Benefits Exchange has information about Washington Healthplanfinder and what you need to know about healthcare coverage.

SharedWork program - The Washington State Employment Security Department has a program called SharedWork, which is an opt-in program that helps stabilize operations of most businesses during temporary economic setbacks. Employers keep their workforce intact by temporarily reducing hours to save payroll costs and keep the business operating. The program pays employees a prorated percentage of unemployment insurance benefits. Eligibility is open to most business and industries.

How to Start a Small Business - Do you have several entrepreneurs that would like to start up their business in the next months? Consider using the Small Business Guide when walking entrepreneurs through the steps of starting their business. This in depth guide has various resources and is available in multiple languages.

How to Create a Facebook Business Page: Want more people to find your business on Facebook? Wondering how to make a Facebook business page? This article shows you how to create a Facebook business page, including a complete tutorial with optimization tips and suggested features to integrate.

30 Content Prompts to Boost Engagement on Social Media - Are you looking for ways to get more people to engage with your content on social media? Well, MAQA Collective (Hopi) has a list of prompts you can use to help give your business a boost.

How to Find Your NAICS Code - When you apply for grants you're likely going to be asked for your NAICS code. It describes what industry your business is in. This search tool can help you find it. Just type in keywords like "fishing," "construction," "restaurant," etc. and it'll pull up all of the codes related to it.

How to Apply for a Unique Entity ID (UEI) - In this 26-minute webinar from OneEastside SPARK, you will learn how to apply for a UEI on SAM.gov, which you'll likely need when applying for some grants. The UEI has replaced the DUNS number.

How to Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) - In this 5-minute video, Tina Begay (Navajo) shows you how to get your EIN online.

IMGonline - IMGonline is a free online photo and image processer that can compress and add a variety of effects to pictures.

FREE SBIR and SBTT Program Tutorials - The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBTT) programs are highly competitive programs that encourage small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development. To assist with better understanding the programs, SBIR has free tutorials that cover all of the bases within the application process for federal funding.

Reopening Resources for WA Small Businesses - RESTART Partners’ Resources page puts a wealth of small business COVID-19 information at your fingertips.

Export Voucher Program - WA State Export Voucher Program provides direct cash assistance to qualifying small businesses to help them expand their international sales. These vouchers reimburse eligible export expenses up to $10,000, depending on the expense.

Sister Sky Inc. - Sister Sky Inc. is a SBA-certified 8(a), Native American, economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business (EDWOSB) dedicated to delivering empowerment and enrichment services to Native American and disadvantaged communities through culturally-conscious training, technical assistance, event management and communications.

Native American Financial Services Association (NAFSA) - NAFSA offers presentations on how to operate a business, understand financial basics of managing a small business, manage your money and avoid financial dangers, and navigate banking and credit through its financial tool kit.

SmallBizHelpWA - This website provides current and accurate information on the available relief programs for Washington’s small businesses and eligible non-profits, as well as those organizations that assist them. The information shared on this site is meant to simplify and supplement the details provided by the US Small Business Administration. It can help find funding, lenders and organizations that support small businesses.

Food Business Resource Center (FBRC) - FBRC is a one-stop shop for Washington State food entrepreneurs. Access skills, resources, networks, and marketplace opportunities to start, run and grow your successful food-related business. It is a program of Business Impact NW that specializes in connecting all business owners with opportunities and answers. It offers trainings, one-on-one coaching, referrals to resource partners, and networking events in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Alaska.

Rural Community Development Resources (RCDR) - Assisting low-income entrepreneurs, this organization offers business services, access to financing, and financing opportunities to its clients. This organization serves those within Yakima, Benton, Grant, Adams, Franklin, Walla Walla, Chelan, Okanogan and Kittitas counties.

SmartWA Business Decision Support Tool - The Washington State Department of Commerce has launched a new SmartWA business decision support system and COVID-19 dashboard to help small business owners identify the safety protocols most likely to be important to customers.

Resources for Native American Women Business Owners - Becoming Self Made has compiled a list of funding, training and networking resources for Native American women business owners. This list is meant to help business owners search for funding resources, training programs for aspiring and current entrepreneurs, and opportunities to network and pool resources.

Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) - NAAF is a private, charitable trust that offers grants, webinars, and financial tools to Native farmers and ranchers.

IDRS Acorn Project - The Acorn Project is a Native-governed nonprofit that provides free, online and offline small business training and free counseling to Native entrepreneurs throughout the U.S. Their program currently serves more than 25 tribes and Native nonprofit organizations in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Washington.

StartUp Washington Resources - StartUp Washington Resources page has some great links to resources that can help your business grow and thrive.

Strengthening Financial Avenues in Native American Communities - This article delves into the wealth history in Native communities, lists ways to address money challenges in these communities, describes systematic barriers to wealth, and provides additional resources to support Native communities.

SBA Table of Size Standards - The size standards for businesses eligible for SBA programs have been updated. The size standards for manufacturers and wholesalers is typically based on the employee number. The size standards for retailers, contractors, and service based businesses is based on the revenue size. The size standards are for the most part expressed in either millions of dollars (those preceded by “$”) or number of employees (those without the “$”)