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Local Small Business Resources

Local Small Business Resources

Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic

Apply for Pro Bono legal services with the Wharton, Penn Carey Law's Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic

Learn More --- From pre-venture counseling to non-profit advice, the ELC provides an array of services to entrepreneurs. Apply to become a Fall Semester 2023 client.

Pollution Prevention Assistance Account (PPAA) Loan Program

Information below under Economic Recovery, Resources & Grants

Events, Webinars, Workshops
Economic Recovery, Resources & Grants
Chambers of Commerce
Helpful Links

Events, Webinars, Workshops

Events, Webinars and Workshops presented by SCORE Bucks County

ChatGPT, AI, and How They Can Help Your Small Business

Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 11:30 am

Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT, specifically have rapidly become valuable tools to make small businesses more creative and efficient. In this free webinar, SCORE mentor and technology expert Charlie Morris will review the current state of the art in AI tools focusing on ChatGPT’s capabilities. He will highlight specific use cases for ChatGPT in the small business environment.

Learn more and register for this FREE ChatGPT and AI webinar

Why Should Anyone Work for You?

Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at 11:30 am

Employees are your greatest cost and your most important asset. In today’s labor market, it can be very difficult to find good candidates using traditional methods of recruiting. Finding people who fit your business needs requires creative approaches and skillful interviewing techniques. This session will discuss these challenges and provide recommendations for finding the best people for your unique business needs.

Learn more and register for this FREE webinar on hiring employees

Make the Internet Work for YOU!

Thursday, November 30, 2023 at 11:30 am

This presentation will discuss the business aspect of internet marketing, including goal setting and how to structure an internet marketing campaign for success. Also included are 6 core internet marketing strategies you can use to drive traffic to your website. The presentation concludes with insights into how artificial intelligence (AI) will be applied to internet marketing.

Learn more and register for this FREE internet marketing webinar

Workshops and Events in Surrounding Counties

To be announced...

For the latest information, please visit the Bucks County SCORE Workshop page.

Economic Recovery, Resources & Grants

Bucks Business Recovery/Economic Resources/Grants

Pollution Prevention Assistance Account (PPAA) Loan Program

The Small Business Pollution Prevention Assistance Account (PPAA) provides low-interest, fixed-rate loans to small businesses undertaking projects which reduce waste, pollution or energy use. This funding can help small businesses comply with environmental regulations while benefiting from the economic benefits of preventing pollution or waste, or becoming energy efficient. The program is a collaboration between the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).

PPAA Loan Program Guidelines

PPAA Loan Program Technical Application

PPAA Loan Program Financial Application

Pollution Prevention Assistance Account Loan Program website

Small Business Advantage Grant

Approximately $500,000 available for projects that help small businesses increase energy efficiency, reduce pollution or protect our waterways. From manufacturing to retail to agriculture small businesses of many kinds are eligible, Application deadline was March 24, 2022. Stay tuned for information on any upcoming Small Business Advantage Grant Program application windows.

Small Business Advantage Grant Program Guidelines

Small Business Advantage Grant Website

Small Business Grant Opportunities

Developed and administered by Startup Bucks, a local non-profit organization, Bucks Built provides $250,000 annually into 10 promising early-stage startups per round with funding from the Bucks County Industrial Development Authority and provides $40,000 in grants funded by Penn Community Bank.

Through up to 12 months of iterative advising, resources, and connections, Bucks Built helps recipients master growth and access follow-on investment.

More information on this grant opportunity can be found at https://startupbucks.org/bucks-built.

12 Best Small Business Grants for Women for 2022

12 Best Small Business Grants for Women for 2022 courtesy of Fit Small Business

Business grants for women are essentially free money offered by organizations or special-interest groups to help women entrepreneurs grow their businesses. They aren’t loans—you aren’t required to repay them once they’ve been awarded.

Listed below are 12 websites that either provide direct grant money to women-owned businesses or assistance to help them secure grant money from other sources.

Amber Grant- $2,000 grant with potential for additional $25,000

Cartier Women’s Initiative - Up to $100,000 for early-stage business

Tory Burch Foundation Fellows Program- $5,000 for businesses with revenues over $75,000

GrantsforWomen.org - A vast listing of grants and scholarships available to women

SoGal Black Founder Startup Grant- A foundation that helps sponsor $5,000 to $10,000 grants to black women or nonbinary entrepreneurs.

IFundWomen- A marketplace looking to close the gender gap in startup funding.

SBA Women’s Business Centers- Resource centers for business training and access to credit and capital

American Association of University Women- $10,000 for businesses supporting women in the community

Halstead Grant - Up to $7,500 for silver jewelry businesses

Minority Business Development Agency- Business resources including assistance completing grant applications

Grants.gov- Database of federally-sponsored grants, including small business grants for women-owned companies

37 Angels - Angel investment funding for startups

Read the full article: https://fitsmallbusiness.com/best-women-owned-business-grants/

Bucks Business Recovery

Bucks County has worked with a number of agencies to aid in the recovery of small businesses that were impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The county partnered to award three rounds of the Bucks Back to Work Small Business Grant and recently finished awarding Bucks Business Recovery Grants. In addition, 196 recipients were awarded the COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program (CHIRP) Grants.

Additional information on these grants, including application breakdowns and the award plans, can be found on the Bucks Back to Work/Economic Resources page.

Any additional questions you may have should be sent to bucksrecoverygrant@buckscounty.org.

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Do you own a business in Bucks County. If so, the Bucks County Commissioners and the Planning Commission desire your input to help plan the future of the county. Please take a moment to complete this very important Bucks 2040 Survey so that we may continue to assist our businesses as best as possible moving forward.

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For questions regarding the re-opening of businesses, please call 800-383-0371 or email COVID19@buckscounty.org. Upon request, the Bucks County Chambers of Commerce, Bucks SCORE, Startup Bucks, and the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers will provide additional guidance to businesses planning to reopen.