NEED SOME BUSINESS ASSISTANCE?

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Small Business Center (RCCC)

Have an idea for starting a small business and just don’t know how to get started?  Are you in the process of writing a business plan and need someone to review your progress?  Confused as to the proper entity you should be or just want to kick some ideas around and get feedback?

On the second Tuesday of each month a representative of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College offers a free one hour business counseling session at the Chamber.  The times available run from 9:30-12:30 p.m.  Appointments can be made through the Chamber of Commerce (704-633-4221) or through the Small Business Center at RCCC by calling 704-216-7213 (for appointments in Concord).

University of North Carolina Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC)

SBTDC provides in-depth management counseling and education services designed to help business owners make better decisions in achieving their business goals.   Counselors are experienced and knowledgeable advisors that work with businesses, providing information, guidance and feedback to entrepreneurs.  Counseling includes assistance in financial planning, human resources, operations, business and strategic planning, feasibility assessment, advertising and marketing. 

Basic counseling services are provided without charge, as the SBTDC is funded in part with federal and state tax dollars.  Additional services, including management education and in-depth marketing research, are provided at cost recovery fees.

The SBTDC Procurement Technical Assistance Center can help you with a free counseling session on How to do business with state & local government  Counselors are available to meet with clients at the Charlotte Regional Center or at your business.  Meetings are scheduled by appointment by calling 704-548-1090 or 919-807-4533, 704-548-1090 x 3346.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

We provide counseling primarily focusing on gaining an understanding of a client’s particular needs and directing the client to resources that can assist in addressing those needs.  This may include where to take a workshop on starting a small business, where to get assistance in business plan preparation, where to go for help solving problems that a business is facing and how to go about requesting an SBA guaranteed loan from a lender.

On the fourth Wednesday of each month a representative from the U.S. Small Business Administration offers a free 30-minute counseling session at the Chamber.  The times available run from 9:30 a.m.-12:00 noon.  Appointments can be made through the Chamber of Commerce (704-633-4221) or by calling the SBA at 704-344-6577.

The Rowan County Health Dept. encourages local businesses & organizations to voluntarily adopt an indoor smoke-free policy with their Rowan County "Smoke Free Rowan" 

               Program- www.smokefreerowan.com

Regional Resources

Funding your Business' Needs

NCRC Venture Fund- The venture capital arm of the North Carolina Research Campus, the NCRC Venture Fund, will invest in emerging biotech and life sciences companies, and will bring additional capital to the Kannapolis region. The purpose of the Fund is to be strategic in supporting four corporate goals: Increase occupancy of the NCRC lab and office space holding by locating portfolio companies to NCRC. Invest in companies that will be strategic (food preservation and handling, nutriceuticals and functional foods) to the growth of Dole Foods. Facilitate technology transfer from NCRC-affiliated universities. Maximize a significant financial return on investment. The Fund focuses on these technology areas within life sciences: Health and wellness, Agricultural biotechnology, Medical devices (e.g., ortho, cardio)

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 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

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)

North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development

www.ncimed.com

114 West Parrish Street, 4th Floor; P.O. Box 1331

Durham, NC 27701

Telephone: 9199568889

Fax: 9196884358

Business Link North Carolina! BLNC, or "blink," is your starting point to access an extensive network of experts who can help your business succeed, whether your company is on the Fortune 500 list - or in its start-up phase. Most services, provided by statewide, state-supported agencies, are available free of charge; others such as workshops and courses may require a small fee. To access services in North Carolina, you can: Call BLNC toll-free, 1-800-228-8443, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, to talk with one of our business consultants or go to www.blnc.gov

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 you are 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.