LOCAL RESOURCES
Business Education/Planning/ Resources
FREE BUSINESS RESOURCES FOR YOU
with Small Business Counseling
-You can receive free
business counseling with professionals from the RCCC Small
Business Center. They will provide information for you on how to
develop or enhance your business plan and step-by-step guidance
in the Chamber’s Business Resource Center. Call the Chamber for
more information- 704-633-4221
- Planning and research are
essential to developing a successful business. Rowan
County has many resources available to assist the aspiring
business owner.
Mini-Incubator- Downtown Salisbury Inc.,
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College's Small Business Center and the
City of Salisbury are combining to make space and services available
for a retail incubator. Space will be made available at the
city-owned Plaza building on the Square. The incubator will offer a
selected applicant some of the tools needed to grow a business,
including reduced overhead costs and some technical assistance.
Applicants must attach the following to their completed application
forms: business plan (including multi-year pro forma analysis)
and a personal financial statement. All information submitted will
be considered confidential and proprietary and will be seen only by
the retail incubator's consulting board, under the auspices of
Downtown Salisbury Inc. Part of Downtown Salisbury Inc's mission is
to develop, promote and support downtown Salisbury by recruiting and
nurturing new, viable retail business.
Please contact Downtown Salisbury, Inc., 704-637-7814, to be
placed on a waiting list for available space.
Rowan Public Library
(RPL)
Rowan Public Library is a three branch library system with
branches in Salisbury, Rockwell and Landis. One of the area's
largest collections of business related reference and circulating
materials are located at library headquarters in Salisbury.
|
Headquarters
201
W. Fisher Street
Salisbury, NC
704-638-3000 |
South Branch
102
N. Central Avenue
Landis, NC
704-857-3579 |
East Branch
110
Broad Street
Rockwell, NC
704-279-5014 |
Business related materials at RPL
include
reference materials and books for check-out, electronic
databases, business journals, audio books, and videos. These
materials cover a broad range of business related subject areas
including business directories, management, corporation records,
financial reports, stock information, accounting, business
correspondence, statistics, buyer’s guides, marketing, tax and legal
information, planning and proposal writing, small business startup,
and much, much more. The
library is a part of a 10 state lending network, so if we don’t have
that essential book you’re looking for, we can attempt to borrow it
from another library in the southeast. The library also
provides access to valuable electronic resources, including
searchable databases of full-text business journal articles;
nationwide directories searchable by name, business type, location,
and other variables; financial reports and company profiles, and
other Internet resources including Pro-Net (SBA’s Procurement
Marketing and Access Network), just to name a few.
The library also provides remote
access to NCLIVE, a comprehensive array of electronic databases
covering a broad range of subjects, including business journal
articles, directories, financial information, and more. To
access NCLIVE remotely, you must be a registered library user.
To obtain the password for NCLIVE
remote access,
click
here.The
library offers Internet and E-mail classes on a regular basis.
We also offer workstations on a reservation or first come-first
serve basis with productivity applications including Microsoft
Office 2000, which includes word processing, spreadsheet, database,
presentation, and desktop publishing software.
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Catawba College-
www.catawba.edu
2300 W. Innes Street
Salisbury, NC (map)
704-637-4111
-
-
The
Corriher-Linn-Black Library opened for use in November 1953 and
it is the campus center for library and information resources
and services. The library is named in memory of Mr. Lotan A.
Corriher, Mr. J.P. Linn, Dr. O.R. Black, and Mr. G.O. Lipe.
Library resources include over 300,000 volume-equivalents in a
wide array of print and nonprint formats from books, documents,
maps, and periodicals to microforms, audiovisuals, CD-ROMs, and
computer software. The library has been a selective depository
for U.S. Government documents since the 1890's and a selective
depository for N.C. State documents since 1995. In July 2000,
the library became a full depository for N.C. State documents.
PLEIADES, the online library system, provides computerized
access to library holdings. The library provides access to many
online services through the Internet and the World Wide Web,
participation in the North Carolina Libraries and Virtual
Education (NCLIVE) network for statewide library and information
resources and the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) via the
Southeastern Library Network (SOLINET) for international online
access to cataloging, interlibrary loan/document delivery and
reference services.
Rowan Cabarrus Community
College -www.rowancabarrus.edu
1333 Jake
Alexander Blvd
Salisbury, NC (Map)
Phone: (704) 637-0760
Fax: (704) 639-0735
The
Small Business Center at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is part of
the Community College System's Statewide Small Business Center
Network. The Center provides assistance to potential and existing
small business owners in both Rowan and Cabarrus counties as
follows:
-
Access to one of the area's
most comprehensive library collections of technical and
business-related references.
-
Business
counseling is available by appointment to assist with
business plan preparation and for advice on accounting and
record-keeping, sales and marketing, business start-up,
business regulations, and more
-
Workshops
and seminars on how to plan and operate a small business
effectively
-
Access
to expert faculty and credit courses in entrepreneurship and
business administration
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Referrals
to other agencies
-
Internet
access and courses in computer applications
-
Small
Business Administration documents
-
Ties
to the Small Business Network
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Livingstone College-
www.livingstone.edu
701 W. Monroe Street
Salisbury,
NC (map)
-
704-216-6000
Library website-
www.livingstone.edu/lib/webresources.html
The library at Livingstone
College has the following business related periodicals:
-
Business Week
-
Forbes
-
Harvard Business Review
-
Journal of Business
-
Journal of Education for Business
The following
business reference materials are available:
-
Hoover's Handbook--American Business
-
Hoover's Handbook--World Business
-
National Minority Business Directory
-
Ward's Private Company Profile
North Carolina Cooperative
Extension Service Rowan Center - www.
ces.nscu.edu/rowan
2727 Old Concord Road
Salisbury, NC
704-216-8970
Counselors- Jim Cowden (Agriculture), Toi Degree- ( Home based
businesses, Daycare), Darrell Blackwelder (Agriculture,
Horticulture) Cooperative Extension provides
research-based educational information in small business start
up and operation. Many publications on starting a small
business will tell you the basics that an individual should know and
consider. The "So You Want To Start A Business" pamphlet can start
you reading. Then read "Decision-Making-Personal, Family and
Business Considerations"; then you can progress to "Economic
Trends Affecting Small and Home-Based Businesses" and
"Starting A Business: Know the Law'' .Then move to "Market Research"
which is critical to any new business; follow this with "Advertising
and Merchandising." Educational materials to address Child Day Care
in Your Home, Simple Home Repairs, Writing a Business Plan or
related topics. And you will need to study "Business Insurance
Basics for Owners of Small Businesses Qualified and
Nonqualified Retirement Plans for Owners and their Employees;
Estate Planning; and Simplified Employee Pensions are covered. In
addition, we have economic resource specialists at NC State
University that assist with advising and education the to-be
entrepreneurs of the county. Gene Beneduce (Manufacturing), (704)
369-9019,
gene_beneduce@ncsu.edu,
Dr. Annette Dunlap (Agriculture and any Small Business Development)
704-250-5403,
annette_dunlap@ncsu.edu, Dr.
Michael Walden (Statistics) 919-515-4671,
michael_walden@ncsu.edu
Demographic
Information/Licensing and Permitting-Rowan County
Salisbury-Rowan Economic Development Commission-
www.rowanedc.com
204 East Innes St., Suite 240
Salisbury, NC
28144
704-637-5526
704-637-0173 fax
The Salisbury-Rowan Economic Development
Commission, a non-profit organization, was formed in August of
1984. The primary goals of the EDC are to attract new
industries, distribution and warehouse operations; and assist
existing industries seeking to expand their operations in Rowan
County, and strive to improve and enhance the lives of all the
citizens of Rowan County. The following services are
available through the EDC office:
- In-depth profiles or
communities and county.
- Information on population,
labor force analysis, labor costs, taxes (state and local),
utilities, support services, transportation, education
institutions and major manufacturers and additional
information that would help customers secure a successful
location.
- Inventory of available
industrial, warehouse and distribution sites and buildings
for evaluation.
- Maintains contact with
local government and state agencies that may assist the
community.
- Maintains strict
confidentiality between the EDC and all prospective
companies.
D
emographic and Economic Data
Links:
The Employment Security Commission of North Carolina web site
www.ncesc.com
contains all kinds of up-to-date data on employment and wages
for specific industries and for each county. There is also a time
series going back to 1990.
The LINC (log into North Carolina) data set
www.linc.state.nc.us
is a fabulous data site that pulls together all kinds of data
available in the state into one place. Data on businesses,
governments, population, migration - too much to list. And it's all
by county and for several years. This truly is a "one stop" site for
getting information on any county in North Carolina.
Rowan County Planning
Office
402 N. Main Street
Salisbury,
NC (map)
704-638-3101
- The Rowan County Planning Department provides 2
types of services to businesses; regulatory oversight
and information dissemination. The primary
regulatory service provided involves administration of
the zoning and subdivision ordinances in the County's
planning jurisdiction. This 400 square mile area
includes all land outside municipal limits and municipal
ETJ's (extraterritorial planning jurisdiction).
Services provided include issuance of zoning permits,
processing rezoning and conditional use permits and
subdivision approvals. Other services include
jurisdiction determination for zoning, address
assignment and verification and flood plain regulation.
An important information service provided is that of
various maps. These include street maps,
orthophotography, flood plain maps, zoning maps, etc.
The department also provides basic demographic data for
the county.
Rowan County
Government Property Tax Information
The
Rowan County Tax Collector issues business
licenses.
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City of Salisbury
-
Businesses operating in the
City of Salisbury
may be subject to separate
requirements. You may wish to check the
departments listed below as well as the City's website.
The City of Salisbury offers many business services
online.
-
-
Salisbury City
Planning Office
217 South Main
Street
- Salisbury, NC 28144
- 704-638-5242
The Planning offices provides information on zoning,
business locations, signage etc.
City of Salisbury Zoning Information.
A
privilege license
may be required for your business by the
City of Salisbury's
Finance Department. The schedule
is listed on that department's page.
Online City of Salisbury
Business License
Application Form.
To check on occupations
Requiring a License in NC
-
go to
www.score.org/bp_12.html
Community and Business Center (Small Business
Incubator)
1400 W. Fisher Street
Salisbury NC
704-638-4474
The Business and Community Center is a 5,400 square
foot building that houses the City of Salisbury's
Community Development Division, the Salisbury Community
Development Corporation and the Rowan-Iredell Credit
Union. The Center is part of the Salisbury West
Complex which also includes the Miller Recreation Center
and the Hall Gymnasium. The Business and Community
Center aims at providing space to businesses trying to
get off the ground. The business incubator program
will offer space at below-market-rents- approximately
half of the amount a business owner might pay for space
"uptown". These owners will have to pay for their
own telephone service, but will be able to share the
costs of copy and fax machines with other tenants.
The city will provide workshops through the Small
Business Administration to help prospective
entrepreneurs. The community room in the Center offers a
sizable meeting room area for business & civic groups,
with a well-furnished kitchen, and a gated courtyard for
outdoor activities (weekends available).
- Regional Resources
- Funding your Business' Needs
Financing your business
is critical to it's success. Most businesses start
with the personal financial resources of its owner/s and
the owners' family and friends. Any funding
institution will want to see that the owner has a
majority of his/her resources committed to the business
prior to investing.
CENTRALINA
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, INC. (CDC)
is a SBA Certified Development
Company. The CDC finances small business
enterprises with the SBA 504-Loan, which provides
business owners in Rowan County capital resources to
finance real estate and fixed assets for growth and
expansion, and job creation. Historically, the CDC
has funded 21 projects in Rowan County, totaling $14.4
million. We pool traditional lending with SBA
funding to create many opportunities for our business
customer. The CDC, with its local Rowan representation
and professional team can connect your business to
affordable capital.
- 504-Advantages
to Small Businesses are:
504-Loan program provides long
term, fixed rate, subordinate mortgage financing and
acquisition and/or renovation of capital assets
including land, buildings and equipment.
Virtually all types of for-profit small businesses
are eligible for this program.
Lower down payment; allows a business to conserve
valuable operating capital by injecting just 10% of
total project cost.
Fixed interest rate is
competitive and usually below market. The
borrower knows cost of occupancy for the next
20 years.
All
project costs can be financed, including acquisition
(land and building, land and construction of
building, renovations, machinery and equipment) and
soft costs such as title insurance, legal appraisal,
environmental and bridge loan fees. Closing
costs may be financed.
504-program benefits the borrower’s community
through job creation and retention.
CDC Capital
1300 Baxter Street,
Suite 265
Charlotte, NC 28204
www.centralinacapital.com
State Level Resources
The
North Carolina Department of
Commerce
is the state’s main agency for economic development.
Recruitment is supported by the
Small Business and Technology Development Center
(SBTDC), a program of the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill which
provides counseling and technical assistance to
businesses. The
Corporation Division
maintains a corporations names database and forms for
filing company information.
The
North Carolina Department of Revenue
provides information for both the general public and tax
practitioners on individual, corporate, property and
sale/use taxes.
Tax
Forms and Publications
can be browsed and downloaded. The
North
Carolina
Department of Insurance
provides information on employer and patient obligations
and rights.
NC Investment Tax Credit Program
NC Dept. Secretary of State
Securities Division
300 N.
Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
919-733-3924
(Provides a credit against state taxes for
investments in qualified business ventures, grantee
businesses and NC Enterprise Corporations.)
NC State Demographics/State Data Center-
www.demog.state.nc.us
State Planning, State
Demographer/State Data Center/Center for Geographic
Information Analysis
116 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC
27603-8003
919-733-4131
919-715-3562 (fax)
Federal
Level Resources
Need facts about your industry or community? Want data on
your target market? Go to the
Census Bureau
for all kinds of factual data. Census data can be used as
a basis for analyzing business risks, identifying areas where your
products and services are needed and making sure your reaching the
right communities in the right way.
The
U.S. Department
of Commerce
promotes the
economic health of the nation by gathering information, facilitating
the use of technology, and supporting U.S. competitiveness in the
world marketplace. It is the parent agency for the Bureau of the
Census, the Patent and Trademark Office, the Bureau of Export
Administration, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the National
Institute of Standards and Technology.
The department’s
Minority Business Development Agency provides
business and management support to minority and disadvantaged
Americans. Links enable you to choose the geographical area where
you wish to do business and then locate local MBDA Centers and other
minority business resources. The
Bureau of the Census offers several guides to its site:
search by A to Z subject headings, use a word search, select a state
and county for quick facts, or use the "America Fact Finder" to
create data tables and maps from the bureau's largest data sets.
Please click on these links for business opportunities:
The
U.S. Department of
Labor has a "Laws & Regs" link to "Small
Business Regulatory Compliance Assistance" and to a "Summary of
Laws, Regulations and Technical Assistance" designed for use by
small businesses but containing information useful to all employers
and employees. The department's "Statistics & Data" link provides
easy access to the "Bureau of Labor Statistics Data" site: click on
"News Releases" to view the latest Consumer Price Index summary.
The
Internal Revenue Service
provides tax information to businesses of all sizes on
what taxes to pay and how to pay them: Click on the "Small Business
Corner" and then the link "Operating Your Business."
The
U.S. Small Business
Administration offers help to Americans in
starting, financing, and expanding businesses. Click on "Starting"
and then on "Business Plans" to find help on writing business plans:
The Business Plan: Road Map to Success
is an online tutorial . Samples of business plans can be
found by clicking on "Outside Resources (Hotlist)" at the end of the
tutorial. From the SBA homepage, click on "Offices and Services" to
find SBA offices, SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives)
volunteer counselors, certified development companies, or small
business investment companies . The
North
Carolina
SBA district office is located
in Charlotte.
SCORE has its
own homepage;
www.score.org.
Click on "Find SCORE'' and use the online mapping feature to locate
a chapter near you.
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Free Online Courses-
SBA Program Office-
www.sba.gov
-
SBA Business Opportunities page
-
The
U.S. Business Advisor
is a one-stop electronic link to all the information and
services which government provides to the business
community in the areas of business development,
financial assistance, taxes, laws and regulations, and
workplace issues.
US Small Business Administration 8A Program
(Government contracts set aside for the
economically and socially disadvantaged)
200 N.
College Street, A-2105
Charlotte, NC 28202
704-344-6563
The Business ServiCenter
The Business ServiCenter is a statewide centralized
clearinghouse for NC entrepreneurs and business owners
to information on services, programs, resources,
technical assistance, state business license and
regulatory information and potential sources of capital.
The Consultants respond to an average of 3,000
telephone calls per month from business owners and
entrepreneurs starting or operating their businesses in
North Carolina. The ServiCenter staff provides
individualized one-on-one consultations to answer
questions, resolve issues, identify and make referrals
to appropriate local, regional and statewide service
providers. They assist potential business owners
navigate through the start-up process and provide all
forms, applications and guidelines for state
requirements to do business in NC. They work with
existing businesses to provide information and referrals
to relevant programs and service providers to help them
through challenging problems & issues as well as growth
and expansion. “
CONTACT for
a FREE telephone consultation or for more information:
Business ServiCenter -www.nccommerce.com/servicenter/blio/
NC Dept. of Commerce
919-715-2850