EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA EDITION 2020 Small Business resource guide

GROW YOUR BUSINESS in eastern pennsylvania

1 2 CONTENTS Eastern Pennsylvania Edition 2020

Local Business Funding Assistance Programs

8 National Success Story 26 National Success Story Jerado and Joyce Reynolds Jennifer and Jeff Herbert’s know their local landscape for meadery has expanded into a entrepreneurship support. multimillion dollar enterprise thanks to SBA assistance. 11 Local SBA Resource Partners 29 SBA Lenders

13 Your Advocates 33 Need Financing?

14 How to Start a Business 34 Go Global with International Trade 20 Entrepreneurial Opportunities 36 R&D Opportunities for High Growth Startups 21 Opportunities for Veterans 38 National Success Story 22 Write Your Business Plan Cheeseburger Baby owner Stephanie Vitori persevered 24 Local Success Story through a financial storm and a When Strategic Consulting natural disaster. Partners, a management consulting firm, wanted to 42 Surety Bonds expand into the government sector, Monica Ann Gould turned to the SBA. Contracting

44 National Success Story Jennifer Rahn steers the course for Admiral Engineering, succeeding as a small business subcontractor.

48 SBA Certification Programs

49 Woman-Owned Small Business certification

ON THE COVER Philadelphia skyline, photo by David Mark from Pixabay; Amor sign infront of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, photo by Nikki Bowman; Monica Ann Gould, president of Strategic Consulting Partners, and Alex MacDonald, section chief of Trails, Greenways and Statewide Planning at the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources office in Harrisburg, PA, photo courtesy the SBA 3 4 5 PUBLISHED BY New South Media, Inc. 304.413.0104 | newsouthmedia.com

PUBLISHER Nikki Bowman, [email protected]

DESIGNER Hayley Richard, [email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Pam Kasey, [email protected] Jess Walker, [email protected]

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ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Heather Mills, [email protected]

ADVERTISING SALES Meggan Hoyman, Kelley McGinnis, Bryson Taylor [email protected]

Copyright: New South Media, Inc. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly prohib- ited without the express written permission of the publisher.

© 2019 NEW SOUTH MEDIA, INC., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Marketing & Customer Service directs the publication of the Small Business Resource Guide under SBA Contract #SBAHQ- 17-C-0018. SBA publication summer 2019 national edition #mcs-0089.

WRITER/EDITOR Becky Bosshart (202) 205-6677 [email protected]

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Paula Panissidi Tavares [email protected]

The SBA’s participation in this publication is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of the contractor or any advertiser or other participant appearing here. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondis- criminatory basis. Directory listings do not constitute or imply an endorsement by the SBA of any opinions, products, or services of any private individual or entity.

Printed in the United States of America.

While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the information con- tained here is accurate as of the date of publication, the information is subject to change without notice. The contractor that publishes this guide, the federal govern- ment, or agents thereof shall not be held liable for any damages arising from the use of or reliance on the information contained in this publication.

6 SBA Eastern Pennsylvania District Office 660 American Ave., suite 301 Harrisburg Office Wilkes-Barre Office King of Prussia, PA 19406 1 Penn Center 7 N. Wilkes-Barre Blvd., suite 401-4M (610) 382-3062 2601 N. Third St., suite 503 (570) 826-6204 Fax (610) 382-1928 (717) 782-3840 sba.gov/pa @SBA_EasternPA

District Director Lender Relations & District Director Letter Steven Dixel Economic Development elcome to the 2020 edition of the U.S. Small Business (610) 382-3073 Specialists Administration’s Eastern Pennsylvania Small Business [email protected] Wilma Bonilla Oliver Resource Guide. This guide introduces you to the business (610) 382-3067 Wresources available throughout the 40 eastern counties of Pennsylvania, Deputy District Director [email protected] an area full of opportunity for those with an entrepreneurial spirit and a Michael Kane James Verbeck willingness to build a brighter economic future for themselves and their (610) 382-3071 (610) 382-3081 community. Pennsylvania’s one million small businesses employ 2.5 [email protected] [email protected] million people–nearly 47% of the state’s private workforce. Harrisburg Branch Manager The SBA helps make the American dream of small business ownership Shannon Degiglio Solomon Wheeler a reality. The SBA is the only federal agency dedicated to helping small (610) 382-3082 (717) 782-3840 businesses start, grow, expand, or recover after a disaster. The SBA Eastern [email protected] [email protected] Pennsylvania District Office works with an extensive network of resource Sonia Smith and lending partners to help small business owners and entrepreneurs Lead Lender (610) 382-3085 at every stage of development. We help entrepreneurs take their small Relations Specialist [email protected] business from concept to expansion by attracting more customers in Donald Jefferson Kimberly Stout new markets, such as exporting and government contracting. We want to (610) 382-3079 (610) 382-3080 help you grow by hiring more employees, purchasing new equipment and [email protected] [email protected] building or renovating facilities. If you are nearing retirement or changing ownership, we can help you prepare a successful exit strategy. Across Lead Business Business Opportunity eastern Pennsylvania in the last year, we empowered entrepreneurs to: Opportunity Specialist Specialist • Access $655 million in SBA-guaranteed loans through our network Jennifer Tilden George Tapia of lenders, certified development companies, and microlenders. (610) 382-3083 (610) 382-3086 Over 1,900 eastern Pennsylvania small businesses used SBA-backed [email protected] [email protected] financing to hire thousands of new employees, buy needed equipment, and build or renovate facilities. Lead Economic • Find an ally with our local SBA Resource Partners, including our 10 Development Specialist & SCORE chapters, 12 Small Business Development Centers, and two Public Information Officer Women’s Business Centers. Powered by the SBA, our resource partners Robert Goza provide expert technical assistance and training for small businesses at (610) 382-3084 every stage of a business’s life cycle. [email protected] • Secure nearly $17 billion in federal contracts. These Pennsylvania District Support Assistant small businesses learned how to better compete in the public sector Jane Aquila by attending our government contracting workshops and seminars. (610) 382-3063 Stay up-to-date on SBA events near you and [email protected] get valuable eastern Pennsylvania business information by following us on Twitter Administrative Officer @SBA_EasternPA. Register for email updates at Amy Logan sba.gov/updates and visit us at sba.gov/pa. (610) 382-3075 [email protected] Sincerely, Steven R. Dixel District Director 7 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

How We Did It Made

toJoyce and Jerado Last Reynolds used SBA support to succeed. Written by Micaela Morrissette COURTESY OF SHANA SURECK PHOTOGRAPHY SURECK SHANA OF COURTESY 8 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

eynolds Welding & Fabrication has grown steadily, building a loyal customer base, since Tips for Jerado Reynolds founded the company in 2005. Success R“At first the company was just Jerado,” recalls his wife and co-owner, Joyce 5 Find a great business mentor. Reynolds. “Then it was him and me part To find your local SBA office and time.” During the day she worked as a resource partners in your area, visit nurse and spent her evenings doing all sba.gov/localresources. the company’s paperwork. The Reynolds sank everything they earned into the business—money, time, and energy. She Have a healthy view remembers with pride helping Jerado of competition. weld a stair railing at a local school. Her COURTESY OF SHANA SURECK PHOTOGRAPHY SURECK SHANA OF COURTESY We’re not always competing. son later attended that same school, We’re a competitor, but if a similar and she watched her child and others SBA Resource Partner, where “from day business has extra work, they’ll send using the rail, benefiting from the one it was, Eureka! Everyone wanted it to us and vice versa. That’s the hard work the couple did together. It to see us win.” Women entrepreneurs relationship to have. was then Joyce decided as much as she receive essential business counseling and loved her day job, she wanted to devote training from this national network of herself full time to the family business community-based centers. Most helpful Record everything you do. in Windsor, Connecticut. She wanted was the detailed personal attention Navigating business relationships to work side-by-side with her husband, available through free one-on-one in this age means keeping an email fully focused on administration and record of everything you do. Leave a business counseling. Joyce also learned business growth. As they both hoped, clear paper trail. about workshops offered by providers like word of mouth spread; clients made the Metropolitan District, a Connecticut referrals. Joyce was soon overwhelmed nonprofit municipal corporation offering with paperwork. They brought on two water and sewer services. At a meet- Sacrifice to ensure quality. employees—doubling up in the busy We don’t cut corners. Sometimes you and-greet, Joyce understood how much seasons. They were able to maintain four have to lose money to do quality work— the SBA could help her business. An full-time employees by 2009. After this, it’s rough, but nothing is more important. SBA professional walked Joyce through Joyce says, they saw that “things were the extensive paperwork and, crucially, not moving.” She wanted to scale up. helped her register the company in Seek SBA assistance to Challenge the System for Award Management The company wasn’t growing in part (sam.gov), positioning the company for see if you qualify for because it wasn’t certified with the new federal contracts. business certifications. state department of transportation or “Resources like the Entrepreneurial We used to look for jobs. Now that prequalified with the Connecticut State Center and the SBA will train you from we’re on the SBA Subcontracting Department of Administrative Services, bottom to top,” Joyce says. “They have Network database, SubNet, and sam.gov, we have a continuous flow Joyce says. She decided to tackle the finance classes that open your eyes of contractors reaching out to us. certification problem full time, leaving regarding taxes. You'll learn how to her nursing career. This was the change register your business. They’ll help she'd been wanting to make, but since with a contract or your website or on two bridges—a lifelong dream. Joyce her background was in health care, accountability statements. Everything!” continues to move forward, getting Joyce didn’t feel fluent in the languages Before the SBA, Reynolds Welding Reynolds qualified for the SBA 8(a) of construction or business. Joyce attempted the DOT certification on five Business Development Program, which wanted to learn, and she had incentive: separate occasions, always falling short provides free business development they needed the certifications to bid because the process was so complicated. education to small businesses so they on bigger jobs. “Never be afraid to ask Joyce secured the certification with SBA can better compete in the public sector. questions,” she says. Joyce needed to guidance on the first attempt. “When I came on full time, I set a goal find people with answers. for what I would like for the company, Benefit and I’ve achieved 80% of that,” Joyce Solution Reynolds Welding now employs more says. When she secures 8(a) certification She and Jerado connected with the than 15 workers, constructing stairs, for Reynolds, she’ll have hit all her University of Hartford Entrepreneurial rails, structural beams, and columns objectives. Then, she admits, she’ll Center & Women’s Business Center, an throughout the region. Jerado is working probably come up with some new ones.

9 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

SBA Resource Partners No matter your industry, location, or experience, if you have a dream, the SBA is here to help you achieve it. Our SBA Resource Partners offer mentoring, counseling, and training to help you startup and thrive at all stages of the business life cycle. These independent organizations operating across the United States and U.S. territories are funded through SBA cooperative agreements or grants.

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS

Achieve your dream of business ownership and remain competitive in an ever-changing global economy with assistance from your local SBDC. Access free counseling and free or low- + cost training on topics like regulatory compliance, technology 950 development, and international trade. Find an SBDC adviser at Small Business sba.gov/sbdc. Development Centers

SCORE

Join the ranks of other business owners who have experienced higher revenues and increased growth thanks to SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer business mentors. Experienced + executives share real-world knowledge to fit your busy schedule. 300 SCORE mentors are available for free as often as you need, in person, SCORE chapters via email or over video chat. Find a mentor at sba.gov/score.

WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTERS

Women entrepreneurs receive essential business counseling and training from this national network of community-based centers. Each center tailors its services to help you navigate the challenges + women often face when starting or growing a business. To learn 100 about SBA resources for women visit sba.gov/women. Women’s Business Centers

VETERANS BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS

Veteran and military entrepreneurs receive business training, counseling, and referrals to other SBA Resource Partners at a Veterans Business Outreach Center, sba.gov/vboc. Receive + procurement guidance to better compete for government 20 contracts. VBOCs also serve active duty service members, Veterans Business National Guard or Reserve members, veterans of any era, and Outreach Centers military spouses.

10 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

MONTGOMERY COUNTY (215) 885-3027 [email protected] Our Local SBA montgomerycountypa.score.org Jenkintown Resource Partners Baederwood Office Plaza 1653 The Fairway, suite 204 SBA’s Resource Partners are independent organizations Blue Bell funded through SBA cooperative agreements or grants. Montgomery County Community College Phoenixville Center for Entrepreneurial Studies SCORE Bayard Taylor Library Parkhouse Hall, room 55 Visit sba.gov/score to start working on 216 E. State St. 340 DeKalb Pike your business goals. Contact your local office to schedule an appointment. Regional Chamber of Commerce King of Prussia 171 E. Bridge St. SBA Philadelphia District Office District Director 660 American Ave., suite 301 Jerry Stevick Springfield (610) 326-3731 Beneficial Bank Collegeville 537 Baltimore Pike Ursinus College Kaleidoscope Hall, Room 207 BERKS & SCHUYLKILL COUNTY Villanova 601 E. Main St. Reading Idea Accelerator Center 606 Court St. 800 E. Lancaster Ave. (610) 376-3497 NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA Wayne berksschuylkill.score.org Wilkes-Barre 230 Sugartown Road, suite 20 Pottsville Stegmaier Building, suite 400M (570) 205-3985 West Grove (570) 826-6502 [email protected] Greater West Chester Chamber [email protected] of Commerce nepa.score.org 137 N. High St. BUCKS COUNTY Doylestown Southern Chester Chamber of Commerce PHILADELPHIA 11 Welden Drive 8 Federal Road, suite 1 105 N. 22nd St., first floor (215) 943-8850 West Chester (215) 231-9880 buckscounty.score.org 601 Westtown Road, suite 281 philadelphia.score.org Fairless Hills (610) 344-6910 Community College of Philadelphia- Lower Bucks Chamber of Commerce Northeast 409 Hood Blvd. 12901 Townsend Drive LANCASTER-LEBANON Quakertown 313 W. Liberty St., suite 231, Lancaster Community College of Philadelphia-West Upper Bucks Chamber of Commerce (717) 397-3092 4725 Chestnut St. 21 N. Main St. lancaster.score.org City of Philadelphia 1515 Arch St., 12th floor CHESTER & DELAWARE COUNTY LEHIGH VALLEY Mount Airy Coatesville Schnecksville 6700 Germantown Ave. Lincoln University ARC-100 Lehigh Carbon Community College Philadelphia Free Library-Lovett Branch 545 E. Lincoln Highway, Benner Building, 4525 Education Park Drive 6945 Germantown Ave. room 414 (610) 266-3000 (610) 344-6910 lehighvalley.score.org Philadelphia Free Library-Parkway chesterdelco.score.org Bethlehem 1901 Vine St. Exton Northampton Community College C.I.E. Saint Joseph University Regional Chamber of Commerce 511 E. Third St. Maguire Wolfington Welcome Center 185 Exton Square Parkway Easton 2502 Cardinal Ave. Glen Mills Northampton Community College Chester County Economic 25 S. Third St. SUSQUEHANNA Development Council York 737 Constitution Drive City Hall 123 S. Third St. HACC York/Goodling Center Kennett Square 2101 Pennsylvania Ave. WSFS Bank (717) 845-8830 395 Wilmington-West Chester Pike susquehanna.score.org 11 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC Lock Haven University SBDC– Widener University SBDC 3211 N. Front St. East Campus Serving Delaware and Philadelphia counties Serving Clinton and Lycoming counties Director Lenin Agudo Camp Hill West Shore Chamber of Commerce Director Tim Keohane School of Business Administration Quick 4211 Trindle Road 301 W. Church St. Center Lock Haven 1304 Walnut St., suite 117 Carlisle Chamber of Commerce (570) 484-2589 Chester 212 North Hanover St. lhup.edu/sbdc (610) 499-4109 widenersbdc.org Hanover Penn State University SBDC Guthrie Memorial Library Serving Centre and Mifflin counties Wilkes University SBDC Serving Carbon, Columbia, Luzerne, 2 Library Place Acting Director John Peterson Schuylkill, and Sullivan counties 200 Innovations Blvd. 155 Technology Center Director Dorothy P. Lane TRICOUNTY SCORE 85 S. Main St. Pottstown (814) 863-4293 sbdc.psu.edu Wilkes-Barre 244 High St., suite 102 (570) 408-4340 (610) 327-2673 Shippensburg University SBDC wilkes.edu/sbdc tricounty.score.org Serving Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, Boyertown and York counties Women’s Business 3 E. Philadelphia Ave. Director Michael Unruh Centers 405 Grove Hall Women’s Business Enterprise Center East Small Business 1871 Old Main Drive Program Manager Isabel Krome Development Shippensburg 1315 Walnut St., suite 1116 (717) 477-1935 Philadelphia Centers ship.edu/sbdc (877) 790-9232 Pennsylvania SBDC State Office St. Francis University SBDC [email protected] Lead Center wbeceast.com Serving Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, State Director Dr. Ernie Post Huntingdon, and Somerset counties Women’s Business Center at ASSETS Old Main E-Wing, suite 24 Director Jeff Boldizar Program Manager Yessenia Blanco 15155 Kutztown Road, Kutztown 169 Lakeview Drive 100 S. Queen St. (877) 472-7232 Loretto Lancaster pasbdc.org (814) 472-3200 (717) 393-6089 Bucknell University SBDC, Lewisburg francis.edu/sbdc [email protected] Serving Juniata, Montour, Northumberland, assetspa.org/programs/womens- Perry, Snyder, and Union counties Temple University SBDC business-center Director Steven Stumbris Serving Lower Bucks, Lower Montgomery, 112 Dana Engineering Building and Philadelphia counties (570) 577-1249 Director Maura Shenker bucknell.edu/sbdc Beech Building, suite 200 1510 Cecil B. Moore Ave. Kutztown University SBDC Philadelphia Serving Berks, Chester, Dauphin, Lancaster, (215) 204-7282 and Lebanon counties [email protected] Acting Director Sonya Smith temple.edu/sbdc O'Connor Belting, a Delaware family- Old Main E-Wing, suite 24 owned business, expanded with the 15155 Kutztown Road University of Scranton SBDC help of an SBA-guaranteed 7(a) loan. (877) 472-7232 Serving Bradford, Lackawanna, Monroe, kutztownsbdc.org Pike, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne, and Veterans Lehigh University SBDC Wyoming counties Serving Upper Bucks, Lehigh, northern Director Lisa Hall-Zielinski Business Montgomery, and Northampton counties Louis Stanley Brown Hall Outreach Center 600 Linden St. Director Brett Smith Director Mark Scarano Scranton Lehigh University 6564 Loisdale Court, suite 600 (570) 941-7588 416 E. Fifth St. Springfield, VA scrantonsbdc.com Bethlehem (703) 768-1440 x108 (610) 758-3979 [email protected] lehigh.edu/sbdc cbponline.org

12 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

To report how a proposed federal regulation could unfairly affect you, Your find your regional SBA advocate at sba.gov/advocacy.

To submit a comment about how your business has been hurt by an Advocates existing regulation, visit The SBA’s offices of advocacy and ombudsman are sba.gov/ombudsman/comments independent voices for small business within the federal government.

Advocacy When you need a voice within the federal »» when you need economic and small »» seek remedies when rules are government for your interests as a small business statistics inconsistently applied business owner, the SBA’s regional advocates The SBA’s Office of Advocacy also »» recover payment for services done by are here to assist. The advocates analyze the independently represents small business and government contractors effects of proposed regulations and consider advances its concerns before Congress, the alternatives that minimize the economic White House, federal agencies, federal courts, Make your voice heard by participating in a burden on small businesses, governmental and state policy makers. Regional Regulatory Enforcement Fairness jurisdictions, and nonprofits. Find your Roundtable or a public hearing hosted by the regional advocate at sba.gov/advocacy. Ombudsman SBA’s national ombudsman. These events Entrepreneurs who have an issue with an are posted periodically on the ombudsman Your advocate helps with these small existing federal regulation or policy can website, . business issues: sba.gov/ombudsman receive assistance from the SBA’s national To submit a comment or complaint through »» if your business could be negatively ombudsman. the online form, visit sba.gov/ombudsman/ affected by regulations proposed by the . Your concerns will be directed to The ombudsman’s office helps you: comments government the appropriate federal agency for review. The » resolve regulatory disputes with federal »» if you have contracting issues with a » SBA will collaborate with you and the agency federal agency agencies to help resolve the issue. »» reduce unfair penalties and fines 13 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Adriana Medina, owner of Fuerte Fitness, in Seattle, WA, received counseling from a SCORE mentor and a Women's

Business Center adviser. COURTESY OF THE SBA How to Start a Business in Pennsylvania Thinking of starting a business? Here are the nuts & bolts.

The Startup Logistics Business License & Zoning Even if you’re running a home-based business, you will have to Licenses are typically administered by a variety of state and local comply with many local, state, and federal regulations. Do not departments. It is important to consider zoning regulations when ignore regulatory details. You may avoid some red tape in the choosing a site for your business. Contact the local business beginning, but your lack of compliance could become an obstacle license office where you plan to locate your business. You may not as your business grows. Taking the time to research regulations be permitted to conduct business out of your home or engage in is as important as knowing your market. Carefully investigate industrial activity in a retail district. the laws affecting your industry. Being out of compliance could »» Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs leave you unprotected legally, lead to expensive penalties, and Penn Center jeopardize your business. 2601 N. Third St., Harrisburg »» Pennsylvania Business One-Stop Shop (717) 787-8503 Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., excluding state holidays. Fax (717) 783-0510 (833) 722-6778 [email protected] http://business.pa.gov/index.html dos.pa.gov/professionallicensing mylicense.state.pa.us Market Research »» Department of Licenses and Inspections Need to do research on your clients and location? View consumer Municipal Services Building and business data for your area using the Census Business 1401 JFK Blvd., Philadelphia Builder: Small Business Edition, https://cbb.census.gov/sbe. (215) 686-2400 Filter your search by business type and location to view data on Fax (215) 686-2591 your potential customers, including consumer spending, and a summary of existing businesses, available as a map and a report. 14 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

An O’Fallon Casting Inc. employee at work in O’Fallon, MO. General Manager Vince Gimeno grew his business thanks to the Small Business Innovation

COURTESY OF THE SBA Research Program.

Name Registration Cranberry Register your business name with the county clerk where your business 230 Executive Drive is located. If you’re a corporation, also register with the state. (724) 772-5111 »» North Office Building Erie 401 North St., room 206, Harrisburg 1314 Griswold Plaza (717) 787-1057 (814) 456-8967 Fax (717) 783-2244 Horsham [email protected] 200 Lakeside Drive dos.pa.gov/businesscharities/business (215) 887-6134 doreservices.state.pa.us/businesstax Johnstown Taxes 319 Washington St. (814) 691-6115 As a business owner, you should know your federal tax responsibilities and make some business decisions to comply King of Prussia with certain tax requirements. The IRS Small Business and Self- 601 S. Henderson Road Employed Tax Center, go.usa.gov/xPxYR, offers information on a (610) 992-5130 variety of topics including: obtaining an Employer Identification Lancaster Number, paying and filing income tax, virtual workshops, forms, 1720 Hempstead Road and publications. (717) 291-1994 As the IRS continues to implement some of the Tax Cuts and Media Jobs Act provisions, your tax obligations may change. Visit the Tax 1400 N. Providence Road Reform Provisions that Affect Businesses page on irs.gov for the (610) 891-6002 latest tax reform updates that affect your bottom line. »» IRS Tax Assistance Centers Monroeville (844) 545-5640 4314 Old William Penn Highway (412) 856-1913 Altoona Philadelphia 1601 11th Ave. 600 Arch St. (814) 944-3532 (267) 941-6800 Bethlehem Pittsburgh 3 W. Broad St. 1000 Liberty Ave. (610) 865-8208 (412) 395-5667 15 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Reeves Clippard used the business knowledge he acquired in the SBA Emerging Leaders program to grow

A/R Solar in Seattle, WA. COURTESY OF THE SBA

Reading central. For forms call (800) 870-3676. For the employer hotline 201 Penn St. call (888) 464-4218 or email [email protected]. (610) 320-5154 E-Verify, operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration, electronically Scranton 409 Lackawanna Ave. verifies the Social Security number and employment eligibility (570) 961-2493 information reported on Form I-9. It’s the quickest way for employers to determine the employment eligibility of new hires. Washington Visit e-verify.gov, call (888) 464-4218 or email [email protected]. 162 W. Chestnut St. (724) 229-5985 Health & Safety All businesses with employees are required to comply with state Wilkes-Barre 7 N. Wilkes-Barre Blvd. and federal regulations regarding the protection of employees, (570) 821-4076 visit dol.gov for information. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration provides information on the specific health and York safety standards used by the U.S. Department of Labor. Call (800) 2670 Industrial Highway 321-6742 or visit osha.gov. (717) 757-4977 Information from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and »» State Taxes Industry is available at dli.pa.gov/pages/default.aspx. revenue.pa.gov Need help in recognizing and correcting safety and health hazards at your business? Or perhaps you want to improve Social Security your work safety and health programs. Receive a free If you have any employees, including officers of a corporation consultation through the PA/OSHA Consultation Program at but not the sole proprietor or partners, you must make periodic Indiana University of Pennsylvania by visiting iup.edu/pa- payments, and/or file quarterly reports about payroll taxes and oshaconsultation/osha-program. other mandatory deductions. You can contact the IRS or the Social Security Administration for information, assistance, and Employee Insurance forms, at (800) 772-1213 or visit socialsecurity.gov/employer. Check with your state laws to see if you are required to You can file W-2s online or verify job seekers through the Social provide unemployment or workers’ compensation insurance Security Number Verification Service. for your employees. For health insurance options, call the Small Business Health Options Program at (800) 706-7893 or Employment Eligibility Verification visit healthcare.gov/small-businesses/employers. The Federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 requires Department of Labor Association Health Plans allow small employers to verify employment eligibility of new employees. businesses, including self-employed workers, to band together The law obligates an employer to process Employment Eligibility by geography or industry to obtain healthcare coverage as if Verification Form I-9. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration they were a single large employer. For information, visit dol.gov/ Service offers information and assistance through uscis.gov/i-9- general/topic/association-health-plans. 16 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Michael Gutman & Yael Gutman grew New England Urgent CAre in West Hartford, CT thanks to

COURTESY OF THE SBA an SBA-backed 7(a) loan.

Environmental Regulations Intellectual Property State assistance is available for small businesses that must Patents, trademarks, and copyrights are types of intellectual comply with environmental regulations under the Clean Air Act. property that serve to protect creations and innovations. State Small Business Environmental Assistance programs provide The United States Patent and Trademark Office is the federal free and confidential assistance to help small business owners agency that grants U.S. patents and registers trademarks. For understand and comply with complex environmental regulations information and resources about U.S. patents and federally and permitting requirements. These state programs can help registered trademarks consult uspto.gov. Call the patent and businesses reduce emissions at the source, often reducing trademark office help center at (800) 786-9199 or visit the U.S. regulatory burden and saving you money. To learn more about Patent and Trademark headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. these free services visit nationalsbeap.org/states/list. A trademark or service mark includes any word, name, symbol, device, or any combination, used or intended to be used to identify Accessibility and ADA Compliance and distinguish the goods/services of one seller or provider from For assistance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, call the those of others and to indicate the source of the goods/services. ADA Center at (800) 949-4232 or the Department of Justice at Trademarks and service marks may be registered at both the (800) 514-0301. Direct questions about accessible design and the state and federal level. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ADA standards to the U.S. Access Board at (800) 872-2253, TTY only registers federal trademarks and service marks. Federally (800) 993-2822, [email protected] or visit access-board.gov. registered trademarks may conflict with and supersede those registered only at the state level. Visit uspto.gov/trademarks. Child Support Trademarks and service marks may be registered in a state, Employers are essential to the success of the child support contact the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of State program and are responsible for collecting 75% of support at (717) 787-1057, or visit dos.pa.gov. nationwide through payroll deductions. The Office of Child Copyrights protect original works of authorship including Support Enforcement at Health and Human Services offers literary, dramatic, musical and artistic, and certain other employers step-by-step instructions for processing income intellectual works. Copyrights do not protect facts, ideas, and withholding orders for child support. Download the fact sheet systems, although they may protect the way they are expressed. about the Employer’s Role in the Child Support Program at the For general information contact: Office of Child Support Enforcement’s website atacf.hhs.gov/ »» U.S. Copyright Office programs/css > employer responsibilities. You can also find U.S. Library of Congress information about other employer responsibilities and tools James Madison Memorial Building that can make meeting those responsibilities easier, such as 101 Independence Ave. SE electronic income withholding orders and the Child Support Washington, DC Portal. Send questions to [email protected]. (202) 707-3000 or toll free (877) 476-0778 copyright.gov

17 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE Chambers of Commerce African American Chamber of Greater Carbondale area Hanover area Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware carbondalechamber.org hanoverchamber.com aachamber.org Greater Carlisle area Harrisburg region Asian American Chamber of Greater carlislechamber.org harrisburgregionalchamber.org Philadelphia Greater Chambersburg Hatfield asianchamberphila.org chambersburg.org hatfieldchamber.com Berks County Latino Chamber Greater Hazleton Indian Valley latinochamber.net hazletonchamber.org indianvalleychamber.com Carbon County Greater Honesdale Juniata River Valley area carboncountychamber.org visithonesdalepa.com juniatarivervalley.org Central Bradford County Greater Huntingdon Lancaster towandawysox.com huntingdonchamber.com lancasterchamber.com Central Bucks Greater Lehigh Valley Lebanon Valley centralbuckschamber.com lehighvalleychamber.org lvchamber.org Central Pennsylvania Greater Mansfield area Lititz centralpachamber.com mansfield.org lititzpa.com Central Pennsylvania LGBT Chamber Greater Montgomery County Lower Bucks County cpglcc.org chambergmc.org lbccc.org Chester County Greater New Hope Main Line cccbi.org visitnewhope.com mlcc.org Clinton County Greater Northeast Philadelphia Mannheim area clintoncountyinfo.com nephilachamber.com manheimchamber.com Columbia Montour Greater Philadelphia Mechanicsburg columbiamontourchamber.com chamberphl.com mechanicsburgchamber.org Danville Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber Montgomery County visitdanvillepa.org philahispanicchamber.org montgomerycountychamber.org Delaware County Greater Philadelphia LGBT Chamber Mount Joy area delcochamber.org thinkiba.com mountjoychamber.com Delaware River Towns Greater Pittston Mount Union area delawarerivertowns.com pittstonchamber.info (814) 542-9413 Downingtown-Thorndale region Greater Pocono Nanticoke area dtrcc.com greaterpoconochamber.com (570) 735-6990 Eastern Montgomery County Greater Reading Nazareth-Bath region emccc.org greaterreading.org nazarethchamber.com Elizabethtown area Greater Scranton Northern Lancaster County elizabethtowncoc.com scrantonchamber.com northernlancasterchamber.org Exton region Greater Susquehanna Valley Northeast Berks ercc.net gsvcc.org northeastberkschamber.com Freeland Greater Valley region Oxford area thefreelandchamber.com greatvalleyonline.com oxfordpa.org Fulton County Greater Waynesboro area Pennridge www.fultoncountypa.com waynesboro.org pennridge.com Gettysburg-Adams County Greater West Chester Perkiomen Valley gettysburg-chamber.org greaterwestchester.com perkiomenvalleychamber.org Great Valley region Greater Wilkes-Barre Phoenixville area greatvalleyonline.com gwbchamber.org phoenixvillechamber.org Greater BucksMont Greencastle-Antrim Pike County bucksmontchamber.com greencastlepachamber.org pikechamber.com

18 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Schuylkill schuylkillchamber.com Shippensburg area Economic Development shippensburg.org Businesses that support Williamsport Lancaster County, Slate Belt good stewardship and (800) 326-9467 PA Economic slatebeltchamber.org sustainable development imcpa.com Development Co. can find assistance from the edclancaster.com SMC Business Councils York Pennsylvania Department of (412) 371-1500 (717) 843-5054 Lansdowne Economic Community and Economic mantec.org Development Corp. Southern Chester County Development, visit scccc.com lansdownesfuture.org dced.pa.gov. Allentown Southern Lancaster County (610) 628-4640 Lebanon Valley Economic Entrepreneurs who need southernlancasterchamber. mrcpa.org Development Corp. assistance with starting a new com lvedc.org venture can find assistance Hanover Township Spring-Ford from expert advisers and (570) 819-8966 Lehigh Valley Economic springfordchamber.com advocates through the nepirc.com Development Corp. lehighvalley.org Sullivan County Partnerships for Regional Bucks County Economic sullivanpachamber.com Economic Performance Development Corp. Montgomery County Susquehanna Valley program. PREP also helps bcedc.com Development Corp. parivertowns.com existing companies develop montcodc.org with financial resources and Bucks County Industrial Northern Poconos vital business assistance Development Authority Northeastern northernpoconoschamber. buckscountyida.com Pennsylvania Alliance services. Visit dced.pa.gov/ com nepa-alliance.org programs/prep. Bucks County International Tamaqua area Tech-driven enterprises Trade Council Northampton County tamaqua.net bcedc.com/partners/bcitc can find assistance at Ben Department of Community & Economic Development Tri-County area Franklin Technology Centers, Bucks County tricountyareachamber.com www.northamptoncounty. benfranklin.org. Redevelopment Authority org/cmtyecdv Upper Bucks bcrda.com Statewide Office Harrisburg ubcc.org Pocono Mountains Economic (717) 948-4317 Bucks County Workforce Development Corp. Upper Perkiomen Valley Development Board Central & Northern PA, pmedc.com upvchamber.org bucksworks.org State College Pottstown Area Industrial Wellsboro area cnp.benfranklin.org Carbon County Economic wellsboropa.com Development Inc. (814) 863-4558 Development paidinc.org West Shore carboncountychamber. Northeastern PA, Bethlehem wschamber.org org/pages/ Schuylkill Economic (610) 758-5200 economicdevelopment Development Corp. Western Chester County nep.benfranklin.org sed-co.com westernchestercounty.com Chester County Economic Southeastern PA, Whitehall Development Council Strategic Early Philadelphia lehighvalleychamber.org/ ccedcpa.com Warning Network (215) 972-6700 whitehall steelvalley.org sep.benfranklin.org Cumberland County Area Williamsport/Lycoming Economic Development Susquehanna Economic Small manufacturers williamsport.org Corp. (CAEDC) Development Association- can receive assistance in cumberlandbusiness.com Council of Governments Wyoming County responding to changing seda-cog.org wyccc.com markets, new technology, Greater Reading York County and global competition at an Economic Partnership World Trade Center of ycea-pa.org Industrial Resource Center. greaterreading.com Greater Philadelphia wtcphila.org Greater Horsham Harrisburg Regional horshamchamber IRC Network Chamber & Capital Region ofcommerce.com (570) 329-3200 Economic Development pamade.org Montgomery County LGBT Corp. (CREDC) montcolgbtbc.org Philadelphia harrisburgregionalchamber.org (215) 464-8550 Hawley dvirc.org visithawleypa.co

19 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE Entrepreneurial Opportunities

Regional Innovation Clusters Create jobs and grow the economy through an SBA Regional Innovation Cluster. Online Resources Find free short courses and learning Who should join Small businesses driving innovation in one of these tech industries: tools to start and grow your small • advanced composites business at sba.gov/learning. The free SBA Online Learning Center is a • agTech great resource for every entrepreneur, • bioscience especially rural business owners looking • food processing for easy access to vital business training. • data sciences • medical sciences Courses include: • power and energy • writing your business plan • unmanned aerial systems • buying a business • water tech • financing options • wood products • digital and traditional marketing to win customers • disaster recovery How it works • understanding your customer Each industry cluster is based in a geographic region. Your small business must be located in or near that region in order to join the cluster. For example, the AgLaunch Initiative cluster, which focuses on agricultural technology, is located in the Tennessee area. A small agTech business in or near Tennessee will connect with other agTech suppliers, service providers, and related institutions through that innovation cluster. Native American How it benefits you Network with other industry innovators and connect with Workshops resources that will help your small business find funding. You’ll Tribal enterprises and business organizations also receive guidance on how to better compete for government contracts and other opportunities so you can grow and expand. can receive training at an SBA Entrepreneurial Receive free technical and legal assistance to develop your tech Empowerment Workshop. These workshops and get it to market for government and industry buyers. cover business concepts important for starting, Get involved growing, or expanding a small business. RedWind Find an SBA Regional Innovation Cluster near you by visiting instructors identify and help participants avoid sba.gov/localassistance. Select the regional innovation clusters common pitfalls. Learn how to prepare a business on the drop-down menu. plan, gain access to capital, and basic book keeping. Request a workshop in your area by visiting nativesmallbusiness.org.

20 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Need financing? Loan Fee Relief To encourage lending to members of the military community who want to start or grow their business, the SBA reduces upfront guarantee fees on select loans. That means the cost savings will be passed down to you, the eligible veteran or qualifying military member. Ask your local SBA district office or SBA Lender about the Veterans Advantage program. Have an employee who was called to active duty?

COURTESY OF LIFEHEALTH OF COURTESY You may receive funds that enable your business to meet ordinary and necessary HOW THE SBA HELPED US SUCCEED operating expenses when an essential Margot Adam Langstaff, left, and Elisa Hamill, right, sought assistance from their employee is called up to active duty in the local Veterans Business Outreach Center, which helped them better compete for military reserve. Ask your local SBA district government contracts. LifeHealth of Littleton, CO has expanded to more than 30 office or SBA Lender about the Military states with offices in Washington, DC and San Antonio, TX. Their clients include the Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan. Department of Defense, the National Guard, and the Indian Health Service. They also expanded their business using an SBA-backed line of credit for $350,000. Margot Interested in contracting? started her career as an Army medic, eventually running one of the largest outpatient Veteran-owned and service-disabled clinics in the Northeast at Ft. Devens, MA. veteran-owned small businesses interested in federal contracting receive training from the Veteran Institute for Procurement, which offers a platform with three Opportunities training programs to assist veterans. Visit nationalvip.org. for Veterans VIP Start Members of the military community can start and grow their small Enter the federal market and become ready businesses with the help of SBA programs. for procurement. Nearly 200 veteran-owned businesses from 29 states plus Washington, Need entrepreneurship training? For women veterans DC have graduated from the program. In Boots to Business, you explore Receive entrepreneurial training geared VIP Grow business ownership and other self- toward women veterans, service members, Strategize to expand and operate within employment opportunities while learning and spouses of service members through the federal marketplace. More than 700 key business concepts. You will walk away these SBA-funded programs: veteran-owned businesses from 42 states with an overview of entrepreneurship »» Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of plus DC and Guam have graduated from and applicable business ownership Entrepreneurship in Syracuse, New York this program. fundamentals, including how to access VIP International startup capital using SBA resources. »» LiftFund in San Antonio, Texas Enter or expand your federal and commercial Boots to Business is conducted on all For service-disabled veterans contracting opportunities overseas. military installations as part of the Learn how to start and grow a small business Department of Defense’s Transition Get certified using these SBA-funded programs: Assistance Program. Learn about the service-disabled veteran- »» Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans owned small business certification program Who’s eligible? with Disabilities in Syracuse, New York on page 49. Service members transitioning out of »» Veterans Entrepreneurship Program at active duty and military spouses. For more assistance the Riata Center for Entrepreneurship, Are you a veteran or member of Veteran and military entrepreneurs Spears School of Business, Oklahoma the National Guard or Reserve or a receive business training, counseling, and State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma military spouse? Boots to Business: referrals to other SBA Resource Partners Reboot teaches this entrepreneurship »» Veteran Entrepreneurship Jumpstart at at a Veterans Business Outreach Center, curriculum off base and in local St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, sba.gov/vboc. For veterans business communities. Register for either B2B Pennsylvania information visit sba.gov/veterans. program at https://sbavets.force.com. »» Dog Tag Inc., affiliated with Georgetown University in Washington, DC 21 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE Write your Business Plan Your business plan is the foundation of your business. Learn how to write a business plan with the help of an SBA Resource Partner. TRADITIONAL BUSINESS PLAN FORMAT When you write your business plan, you don’t have to stick to the exact business plan template. Instead, use the sections that make the most sense for your business and your needs. Executive Summary Briefly summarize your company and why it will be successful. Include your mission statement, your product or service, and basic information about your company’s leadership team, employees, and location. You should also include financial information and high-level growth plans if you plan to ask for financing. Company Description Go into detail about the problems your business solves. Be specific as to audience and location. List out the consumers, organizations, or businesses your company plans to serve. Explain the competitive advantages you have that will make your business successful. Are there experts on your team? Have you found the perfect location? Your company description is the place to boast about your strengths. Market Analysis Demonstrate a solid understanding of your industry outlook and tar- get market. This is where it pays to partner with an experienced busi- ness counselor from your local Small Business Development Center, SCORE, Women's Business Center, or Veterans Business Outreach Center—all these SBA Resource Partners provide free or low-cost business assistance. Competitive research will show what other busi- nesses are doing and their strengths. In your market research, look for trends and themes. What do successful competitors do? Why does it work? Can you do it better? Now's the time to answer these questions. Business plans help you run your business. A good business plan guides you through managing your business. Organization and Management You’ll use your business plan as a roadmap for how to structure, run, Explain how your com- and grow your new business. pany will be structured Business plans can help you get funding or bring on new and who will run it. business partners. Investors want to see a return on their Describe the legal Want to see an investment. Your business plan is the tool you’ll use to convince structure of your busi- example of a people that working with you—or investing in your company—is ness. State whether you a smart investment. Brain storm with a business counselor (visit have or intend to incor- business plan? one of our SBA Resource Partners detailed on page 8) and write porate your business as View examples of business plans a C or an S corporation, a traditional business plan, which uses a standard structure at sba.gov/business-guide/plan/ form a general or limited and detailed sections. Once you've got it all down, you can then write-your-business- condense it to a lean startup business plan, which typically partnership, or if you're a plan-template contains key points on only one page. sole proprietor or limited liability company.

22 LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

LEAN STARTUP PLAN FORMAT TRADITIONAL BUSINESS PLAN CHECKLIST Write a lean startup plan if requested from an investor, or if your ❒ Executive summary business is relatively simple or you plan to regularly change and refine as you go. ❒ Company description Lean startup plans use more visual organization tools and only a ❒ Market analysis handful of elements to describe your company’s value proposition, ❒ Organization and management infrastructure, customers, and finances. They’re useful for visualiz- ing your company's fundamental facts. Your business counselor can ❒ Service or product line help you edit down into the Business Model Canvas, used here—the ❒ Marketing and sales most well known style, or another lean startup template. ❒ Funding request Key Partnerships ❒ Financial projections Note the other businesses you’ll work with--suppliers, manufactur- ers, subcontractors, and similar strategic partners. ❒ Appendix Key Activities List the ways your business will gain a competitive advantage. Use an organizational chart to show the hierarchy. Explain how Will you sell direct to consumers or use technology to tap into the each person’s experience will contribute to the success of your sharing economy? venture. Consider including CVs of key members. Key Resources Service or Product Line List resources you’ll leverage to create value for your customer. Describe what you sell or what service you offer. Explain how it ben- Your most important assets include staff, capital, or intellectual efits your customers and the product lifecycle. Share your plans for property. Leverage business resources that might be available intellectual property, like copyright or patent filings. If you're doing to women, veterans, Native Americans, and HUBZone–certified research and development for your service or product, explain it. businesses. Marketing and Sales Value Proposition Your marketing strategy should evolve and change to fit your needs Make a clear and compelling statement about the unique value in each context. your company brings to the market. Describe how you'll attract and retain customers. Show how a sale will actually happen. You'll refer to this section later when you Customer Relationships make financial projections, so be thorough. Describe how customers will interact with your business. Think through the customer experience from start to finish. Is it auto- Funding Request mated or personal? In person or online? If you're asking for funding, outline your funding requirements. Specify whether you want debt or equity and the terms you'd like. Customer Segments Your goal is to clearly explain how much funding you’ll need over Name your target market. Your business won’t be for everybody; the next five years and how the investment will be used. it’s important to have a clear sense of who you serve. Specify if you need funds to buy equipment or materials, pay Channels salaries, or cover specific bills until revenue increases. Explain how List the most important ways you’ll talk to your customers. you'll pay off the debt. Cost Structure Financial Projections Will your company focus on reducing cost or maximizing value? Supplement your funding request with a prospective financial Define your strategy, then list the most significant costs you’ll face. outlook for the next five years. Show how your business will be a Revenue Streams financial success. Explain how your company makes money: direct sales, member- If your business is already established, include income state- ships fees, selling advertising space? If your company has multiple ments, balance sheets, and cash flow statements for the last three to revenue streams, list them all. five years. List collateral you could put against a loan. Include forecasted income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and capital expenditure budgets. For the first year, be even more specific and use quarterly—or even monthly —projections. Make sure to clearly explain your projections and LEAN STARTUP PLAN CHECKLIST match them to your funding requests. ❒ Key partnerships ❒ Customer segments Use visual organization tools--graphs and charts—to tell your ❒ Key activities ❒ Channels business's financial story. ❒ Key resources ❒ Cost structure Appendix Here you'll attach supporting documents or other requested ❒ Value proposition ❒ Revenue streams materials. Common items to include are credit histories, CVs, ❒ Customer relationships product pictures, letters of reference, licenses, permits, patents, legal documents, and other contracts.

23 local success story

Monica Ann Gould PRESIDENT, JAMA ENTERPRISES, DBA STRATEGIC CONSULTING PARTNERS

Mechanicsburg, PA

When Strategic Consulting Partners, a management consulting firm, wanted to expand into the government sector, Monica Ann Gould turned to the SBA. With the help of the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program, Monica learned how to better compete in the public marketplace. A former executive at MCI Telecommunications and Whirlpool Corp., Monica uses her experience to help her public, nonprofit, and private sector clients improve their organizational capacity through strategic planning, operations assessments, and leadership development. Monica also wanted to handle her business’s growth with care, so she turned to the SBA to help finance her expansion. With the help of SBA-backed lines of credit, Strategic Consulting secured lucrative contracts and expanded into the DC Metropolitan Area.

• What challenge did you have? One of our biggest • What was the SBA solution? I received expert business obstacles was figuring out the government contracting counseling from our SBA Eastern Pennsylvania District process. Bidding on and winning government contracts is Office. Thanks to the guidance of SBA specialists George a daunting process. The jargon and legal language can be Murray, Jennifer Tilden, and George Tapia I excelled in the a major hurdle. SBA 8(a) business Development Program. It provides free Access to capital has also been a challenge to grow- business development education to better compete in the ing the business. We had to establish strong financial public sector. I had the opportunity to meet with govern- backing to fund the start of contracts. Contract starts are ment contracting specialists so that I could understand a sensitive time for a small business. We have to satisfy what agencies are looking for and how to best bid for all our obligations while also moving forward with costly these contracts. My SBA specialists took an active interest services, all before the customer makes the first payment. in my business. George provided training and assistance When we were starting up, I needed to have accounting, so we could gain a five-year contract with the Nuclear human resources, and marketing systems in place. We Regulatory Commission soon before we graduated from invested in many costly systems in 2018, while supporting the program. In the SBA Emerging Leaders program, I long term growth. Those decisions drained our cash flow received business training and networking opportunities and our line of credit was not expanded as we had hoped. that accelerated the growth of my small businesses. In the Traditional lenders declined us because we couldn’t show class, you create a three-year growth plan which requires the immediate profit. you to review the fundamentals of business ownership. The program created the perfect opportunity for me as

24 Because of the SBA and our local Women’s Business Center, I’ve been inspired to mentor and encourage my employees as they develop their skills and advance in the company.” Monica Ann Gould Monica Ann Gould, president of Strategic Consulting President, JAMA Partners, and Alex MacDonald, section chief of Enterprises, dba Strategic Trails, Greenways and Statewide Planning at the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Consulting Partners COURTESY OF THE SBA Natural Resources office in Harrisburg, PA.

• the leader to step away from the frenetic daily activity and have over 35 employees doing amazing work with our focus on driving growth and profitability. My business was clients, which include the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Army, the growing rapidly but not profitably. The program helped Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the U.S. Department of me to reframe my thinking and make better decisions as a Transportation, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and business owner to turn around that trajectory. Comcast Corp. Now that our financials are in order and My small business qualified for a low-interest SBA- we’re showing strong profit, I’m confident we will qualify backed 7(a) line of credit that bolstered our operations for traditional financing. during our initial growth. The SBA guarantees loans made by lending institutions to small business that would not • What advice do you have for other small businesses? otherwise be able to obtain financing. Use SBA resources. There are so many resources available to small businesses for free or low cost. Connect with • What benefit did this have for you? Over 20 years ago, your local Procurement Technical Assistance Center if Strategic Consulting Partners started as a home office in you are interested in government contracting. Get vital my spare bedroom. We now occupy a 1,400-square-foot business guidance from your local SBA office and Small office in a bustling area of Mechanicsburg, which we’ve Business Development Center. The key is to commit to recently expanded. But we didn’t stop there. I opened the resources that are available. I committed to the nine- another small home-based office in Arlington, Virginia month SBA Emerging Leaders program despite having to and a third location in Crystal City, Virginia. Because of a drive 90 miles each way to attend the evening class. I stuck new contract with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with it, and we have seen immense benefit in terms of how we will be opening an 8,000-square-foot office in we evaluate business opportunities, price future work, Mechanicsburg in January 2020. I’m proud to say Strategic and hire people to support our work. Consulting Partners is no longer a “Monica show.” We 25 FUNDING PROGRAMS Financing Your Small Business

How We Did It Crafting a

BusinessSBA-backed financing helped Superstition Meadery expand into a multimillion dollar enterprise. written by Becky Bosshart COURTESY OF SUPERSTITION MEADERY SUPERSTITION OF COURTESY 26 FUNDING PROGRAMS

ennifer and Jeff Herbert’s Solution home-based brewing has Thanks to guidance from an SBA expanded into a global, Resource Partner, the Small Business multimillion dollar Development Center at Yavapai enterprise thanks to SBA Community College, Jennifer and Jeff FUNDING PROGRAMS assistance. Using Arizona honey and learned about financing that worked Jingredients they’ve sourced from for them. The SBA guarantees loans Financing Your Small Business around the world (such as Tahitian made by lending institutions to small vanilla and Moroccan saffron), the business that would not otherwise be Herberts are selling nearly 30,000 able to obtain financing. Their small Tips for gallons annually of their honey-based business qualified for two SBA-backed fermented beverage. They operate a loans totaling more than $600,000. The downtown Prescott, Arizona tasting Herberts’ first SBA-backed loan allowed Success room and state-of-the-art production them to acquire commercial property to 5 facility, creating jobs and building design and build their mead production Get guidance. a local craft industry. The Herberts, facility. Their second SBA-backed loan Develop a working relationship with founding members of the American provided the funding for professional an SBA Resource Partner (see page 8) Mead Makers Association, have brewing equipment to complete their to help you find the funding that works traveled around the world hosting 7,450-square-foot production space. The best for you. pairing events and pouring at craft Herberts recently purchased a historic beverage festivals. building in downtown Phoenix, Arizona Define your lending needs. Challenge to open a mead-pairing restaurant. Determine if a loan is right for you. Is Benefit The Herberts wanted to scale up their this the right time? How much do you The Herberts started with two meadery while also staying true to need? What are you going to use it for? their values of quality ingredients and employees and now have over 20 craft process. It is often difficult for producing 29,000 gallons this year. new entrepreneurs or unique concepts From a homegrown setup, Jennifer and Talk to multiple lenders. Jeff are now charting revenue in excess like a meadery to get traditional See who best matches you and your financing, even though they knew of $2.6 million and distributing to 37 business. Has the lender successfully they had a great idea, the backing states, across Europe and Southeast worked with other businesses in wasn’t there to expand. They say that Asia. They have plans for another your industry? choosing to do something new breaks expansion, including a shipping the mold, which can be uncomfortable warehouse to manage their online retail for traditional lenders. and wholesale orders. Check all options. Consult with your lender to see if you’re eligible for SBA financing programs, determined by your industry & experience; collateral; credit score; and the relationship & transparency you develop with the lending agent.

Be ready for the ups and downs. Your entrepreneurial endeavor will be a roller coaster ride filled with challenges and successes. The path is all consuming so make sure that you love what you do. Passion is the price of admission.

Jeff & Jennifer Herbert, owners of Superstition Meadery, completed their 7,450-square- foot production space and opened a tasting room in Prescott, AZ with the assistance of SBA-backed financing. See their story on YouTube by searching for the 2019 National

COURTESY OF SUPERSTITION MEADERY SUPERSTITION OF COURTESY Small Business Persons of the Year.

27 FUNDING PROGRAMS

Lender SBA-backed Loans help small business owners and entrepreneurs who are Match creditworthy but don’t qualify for conventional financing. Find a lender interested If you cannot obtain a business loan with reasonable rates in working with you at sba.gov/lendermatch. and terms, contact your local SBA Lender to see if you are This matching tool eligible for SBA programs. The SBA works with participating connects entrepreneurs lenders to reduce their risk, increasing the likelihood your with SBA Lenders in loan will be approved with the terms that work best for your area. you. The guarantee is conditional on the lender following SBA program requirements. Just like with any other loan, you make your loan payments directly to your lender in accordance with your terms.

28 FUNDING PROGRAMS

SBAThese participating lenders make SBA-guaranteedLenders loans to small businesses in eastern Pennsylvania. To find more bank locations, visit the lender’s website.

ADAMS COUNTY Newtown COLUMBIA COUNTY Broomall Gettysburg Inspire Federal Credit Union Berwick WSFS Bank ANCB Bank 3 Friends Lane First Keystone National Bank 541 Lawrence Road 100 V-Twin Drive (215) 788-5270 111 W. Front St. (610) 359-6921 (570) 762-3671 (717) 339-5104 Perkasie FRANKLIN COUNTY Penn Community Bank Bloomsburg BERKS COUNTY 219 S. Ninth St. First Columbia Bank & Chambersburg Fleetwood (215) 257-5035 Trust Co. Farmers & Merchants Trust Co. Fleetwood Bank 232 East St. 20 S. Main St. (610) 944-7666 Quakertown (570) 387-4623 (717) 264-6116 QNB Bank Wyomissing 320 W. Broad St. CUMBERLAND COUNTY JUNIATA COUNTY Bellco Federal Credit Union (215) 538-5600 x5657 609 Spring St. Camp Hill Mifflintown (610) 373-5192 Southampton Peoples Bank Juniata Valley Bank Quaint Oak Bank 3100 Market St. 1 S. Main St. Discovery Federal Credit Union 501 Knowles Ave. (888) 846-1970 (717) 436-8211 2744 Century Blvd. (215) 364-4059 (610) 372-8010 Warminster Mechanicsburg LACKAWANNA COUNTY Thompkins VIST Bank Members 1st Federal Freedom Credit Union Dunmore 1240 Broadcasting Road Credit Union 626 Jacksonville Road, suite 250 Fidelity Deposit & (610) 478-9922 5000 Louise Drive (215) 612-5900 Discount Bank (800) 283-2328 101 N. Blakely St. BLAIR COUNTY (570) 348-4370 BUTLER COUNTY Indiana Shippensburg Cranberry Township FNCB First Commonwealth Bank Orrstown Bank Huntington National Bank 102 E. Drinker St. 601 Philadelphia St. 77 E. King St. 20291 Route 19 (570) 348-4816 (814) 696-1475 (888) 677-7869 (724) 741-2848 Mansfield BRADFORD COUNTY DAUPHIN COUNTY First Citizens Community Bank CHESTER COUNTY 15 S. Main St. Wyalusing Harrisburg Downingtown Belco Community Credit Union (570) 662-0417 PS Bank DNB First 449 Eisenhower Blvd. 76 Church St. Scranton 4 Brandywine Ave. (800) 642-4482 NBT Bank (888) 746-6260 (484) 359-3037 Centric Bank 409 Lackawanna Ave., suite 201 BUCKS COUNTY Exton 4320 Linglestown Road (570) 343-8200 Bensalem First Resource Bank (717) 657-7727 800 N. Pottstown Pike TD Bank Mid Penn Bank LANCASTER COUNTY (610) 363-9400 3220 Tillman Drive 2407 Park Drive Lancaster (215) 604-6265 Malvern (866) 642-7736 Community First Fund Meridian Bank 51 S. Duke St. Doylestown 9 Old Lincoln Highway DELAWARE COUNTY (717) 393-2351 Covenant Bank (484) 568-5000 Aston 182 N. Main St. Ephrata Sun East Federal Credit Union (267) 327-4814 Ephrata National Bank Phoenixville 4500 Pennell Road 31 E. Main St. Customers Bank First Bank (610) 485-2960 (717) 733-4181 200 S. Main St. 99 Bridge St. (215) 589-6224 (610) 933-7195 29 FUNDING PROGRAMS

LEBANON COUNTY Blue Bell Service 1st Federal SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY Cleona Berkshire Bank Credit Union Hallstead Jonestown Bank 1787 Sentry Parkway W, 1207 Bloom St. Peoples Security Bank 421 E. Penn Ave. building 16, suite 200 (570) 271-6060 & Trust (717) 274-5180 (215) 985-4400 (570) 879-2175 Bryn Mawr PERRY COUNTY TIOGA COUNTY LEHIGH COUNTY Bryn Mawr Trust Co. Marysville Allentown 801 Lancaster Ave. Riverview National Bank Wellsboro People First Federal (610) 581-4869 200 Front St. Citizens & Northern Bank Credit Union (717) 957-2196 90 Main St. 2141 Downyflake Lane Conshohocken (570) 724-0291 Firstrust Bank (610) 797-7440 x560 Northwest Bank 15 E. Ridge Pike, suite 215 PHILADELPHIA COUNTY (570) 724-2621 x23002 Bethlehem (610) 238-5040 Philadelphia Lafayette Ambassador Bank American Heritage Federal 2005 City Line Road, suite 200 Elkins Park Credit Union WAYNE COUNTY Noah Bank (610) 332-7179 2060 Red Lion Road Hawley 7301 Old York Road (215) 969-2916 Dime Bank (215) 424-5100 99 Welwood Ave. LUZERNE COUNTY Capital One (570) 253-8742 Wilkes-Barre Horsham 1515 Market St. PNC Bank Community Bank (215) 292-3663 2 Walnut Grove Drive Honesdale National Association Hyperion Bank (267) 614-1438 Honesdale National Bank 64 N. Franklin St. 199 W. Girard Ave. 733 Main St. (570) 821-8555 King of Prussia (215) 789-4200 (570) 253-3355 BB&T Pittston M&T Bank Wayne Bank 150 S. Warner Road, suite 270 Landmark Community Bank 1650 Market St., suite 3150 717 Main St. [email protected] 2 S. Main St. (215) 419-6587 (570) 253-1455 (570) 602-4522 Limerick Meridian Bank Victory Bank 1760 Market St. OUT OF STATE LENDERS MERCER COUNTY 548 N. Lewis Road (610) 547-2945 1st Colonial (610) 948-9000 Hermitage Port Richmond Savings Community Bank First National Bank Plymouth Meeting 2522 E. Allegheny Ave. (856) 858-1100 of Pennsylvania Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania (215) 634-7000 1st Constitution Bank 1 FNB Blvd. 3025 Chemical Road Prudential Savings (201) 944-9300 x342 (800) 555-5455 (484) 536-1000 Bank PASA Bancorp Bank Key Bank 1834 W. Oregon Ave. (919) 355-0860 MIFFLIN COUNTY 401 Plymouth Road, suite 600 (215) 755-1500 Lewistown (203) 789-2824 Bank of America Republic First Bank, Kish Bank (210) 250-9953 Wells Fargo Bank dba Republic Bank 115 S. Main St. 2240 Butler Pike (888) 875-BANK BCB Community Bank (717) 242-2500 (610) 397-2692 2 Liberty Place (201) 823-0700 x2053 50 S. 16th St., suite 2400 Pottstown Celtic Bank Corp. MONROE COUNTY (801) 320-6541 Fulton Bank Santander Bank Stroudsburg 400 Creekside Drive, suite 411 1500 Market St. Financial Resources ESSA Bank & Trust (610) 718-5429 (877) 768-1145 Federal Credit Union 200 Palmer St. (908) 429-6501 (570) 421-0531 Souderton Tioga Franklin Savings Bank Univest Bank & Trust Co. 320 E. Girard Ave. First Bank (215) 423-8012 (609) 643-0575 MONTGOMERY COUNTY 14 N. Main St. (215) 721-2566 Ambler United Bank of Philadelphia Five Star Bank 30 S. 15th St., suite 1200 Ambler Savings Bank (919) 851-5446 MONTOUR COUNTY (215) 351-4600 155 East Butler Ave. First Home Bank (215) 646-8400 Danville (727) 399-5692 FNB Bank 354 Mill St. Grand Bank (570) 275-3740 (800) 234-3459 30 FUNDING PROGRAMS

Haddon Savings Bank Northeastern Economic Fax (610) 458-7770 Community First Fund (856) 547-3700 Development Co. seedcopa.com Serving Adams, Berks, Executive Director Carbon, Chester, Cumberland, Home Loan & Investment The 504 Company James Kelshaw Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Bank FSB Vice President Ashley Heaton Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, (401) 739-8800 4000 Fourth St., suite 3 1515 Market St., suite 1200 Moosic Philadelphia Northampton, Perry, Schuylkill, Independence Bank (570) 457-6726 (855) 504-7366 and York counties (401) 886-4600 Fax (570) 457-3395 51 S. Duke St. Live Oak Banking Co. [email protected] Lancaster Lancaster & Lebanon counties (910) 798-1212 EDC Finance Corp. Community (717) 393-2351 New Millennium Bank Vice President Lyle Hosler Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry (732) 729-1100 ext. 2225 115 E. King St. Advantage Lancaster & Franklin counties Newtek Small Lenders (717) 397-4046 (717) 920-1520 Business Finance First State Community Fax (717) 293-3159 York & Adams counties (212) 356-9526 Loan Fund edcfinancecorp.com (717) 848-3863 Serving Chester and NOA Bank Berks, Montgomery, Chester NEPA Alliance Business Delaware counties [email protected] counties (610) 685-4940 Finance Corp. (302) 652-6774 Lehigh & Northampton Parke Bank Vice President Steve Ursich firststateloan.org counties (717) 205-6074 (856) 256-2500 1151 Oak St. Regional Business communityfirstfund.org Pittston Provident Bank Assistance Corp. (570) 655-3634 Cooperative Business (732) 590-9200 Serving Bucks, Carbon, Fax (570) 654-5137 Assistance Corp. Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Radius Bank nepabfc.org Serving Philadelphia County (617) 482-4000 Monroe, Montgomery, (856) 966-8181 Pennsylvania Community Northampton, Philadelphia, cbaclenders.com ReadyCap Lending Development & Finance Corp. and Pike counties (973) 577-4670 The Enterprise Center President Adam Mukerji (609) 587-1133 Serving Delaware, Savoy Bank 2561 Bernville Road rbacloan.com Montgomery, and (646) 775-4000 Reading The 504 Company Philadelphia counties (610) 898-6045 or Seacoast National Bank (855) 504-7366 or (610) 587-1004 4548 Market St. (813) 574-8316 (215) 854-6315 Fax (610) 898-6047 Philadelphia the504company.com Stearns Bank pcdfc.com (215) 895-4000 (888) 320-2899 The Enterprise Center theenterprisecenter.com Regional Business Serving Delaware, Montgomery United Community Bank Assistance Corp. Finanta & Philadelphia counties Serving Bucks, Philadelphia, (864) 240-6205 Serving Bucks, Carbon, (215) 895-4000 Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, United Midwest Savings Bank theenterprisecenter.com Monroe, Montgomery, and Berks counties (614) 827-7205 Northampton, Philadelphia, Women’s Opportunities 1301 N. Second St. Unity Bank and Pike counties Resource Center (WORC) Philadelphia (908) 713-4306 (609) 587-1133 Serving Bucks, Chester, (267) 236-7000 Delaware, Montgomery and finanta.org Woori America Bank [email protected] Philadelphia counties First State Community (212) 244-3000 SEDA-COG Local (215) 564-5500 Loan Fund Development Corp. worc-pa.com Serving Chester and Director of Business Finance Delaware counties Participating Roxanne Greising (302) 652-6774 201 Furnace Road firststateloan.org Certified Lewisburg Participating Development (570) 524-4491 Microlenders MetroAction Inc. Fax (570) 524-9190 Serving Carbon, Lackawanna, Assets Lancaster Companies Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, SEEDCOPA Serving Lancaster and Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Altoona-Blair County Managing Director Berks counties Wayne, and Wyoming counties Development Corp. Sherwood Robbins 100 S. Queen St. 222 Mulberry St. 3900 Industrial Park Drive 737 Constitution Drive Lancaster Scranton Altoona Exton (717) 393-6089 (570) 341-0270 (814) 944-6113 (610) 321-8241 assetslancaster.org metroaction.org Fax (814) 946-0157

31 FUNDING PROGRAMS North Central Pennsylvania Export First Bank PS Bank Regional Planning & (215) 589-6224 (888) 746-6260 Development Commission Assistance firstbanknj.com psbanking.com Serving Potter County Lenders First Resource Bank Quaint Oak Bank 49 Ridgmont Drive 44 Business Capital (610) 363-9400 (215) 364-4059 Ridgway (215) 985-4400 x2783 firstresourcebank.com quaintoak.com (814) 773-3162 berkshirebank.com Fulton Bank Republic Bank www.ncentral.com/ Asian Bank (610) 718-5429 (888) 875-BANK enterprise (267) 519-4069 fultonbank.com myrepublicbank.com West Philadelphia theasianbank.com Lafayette Ambassador Bank Sun East FCU Financial Services Community First Capital Corp. (610) 332-7179 (610) 485-2960 Serving Philadelphia County (717) 393-2351 lafambank.com suneast.org 5200 Warren St. communityfirstfund.org Philadelphia M&T Bank Tioga-Franklin Covenant Bank (215) 452-0100 (215) 419-6587 Savings Bank (267) 327-4814 wpfsi.com mtb.com (215) 423-8012 yourcovenantbank.com Meridian Bank tiogafranklin.com Women’s Opportunities Customers Bank (610) 547-2945 Univest Bank & Trust Co. Resource Center (WORC) (610) 933-7195 meridianbanker.com (215) 721-2566 Serving Bucks, Chester, customersbank.com Delaware, Montgomery, and Newtek Small Business univest.net DNB First Philadelphia counties Finance Inc. VIST Bank (484) 359-3037 2010 Chestnut St. (212) 356-9526 (610) 478-9922 dnbfirst.com Philadelphia newtekone.com vistbank.com Fidelity Deposit & (215) 564-5500 Penn Community Bank Wilmington Savings worc-pa.com Discount Bank (570) 348-4370 (215) 257-5035 Fund Society bankatfidelity.com penncommunitybank.com (610) 359-6921 wsfsbank.com FinWise Bank PeoplesBank (516) 200-1849 (888) 846-1970 finwisebank.com peoplesbanknet.com

32 FUNDING PROGRAMS Need Financing? Visit your local SBA office or lender to learn about these funding options. The 7(a) Loan, the SBA’s Largest Financing Program If you cannot get conventional financing and you meet the eligibility requirements, you can use a 7(a) loan to buy real estate, equipment, or inventory for your small business. It may also be used for working capital, to refinance business debt or purchase a small business. MAX LOAN AMOUNT: $5 million INTEREST RATE: generally prime + a reasonable rate capped at 2.75% TERMS: loan term varies according to the purpose of the loan, generally up to 25 years for real estate, 10 years for other fixed assets and working capital GUARANTEE: 50 to 90%

CAPLines Microloans Meet your revolving capital needs with lines of credit. CAPLines can Eligible businesses can startup and grow with working be used for contract financing, seasonal lines of credit, builders line capital or funds for supplies, equipment, furniture and fixtures. of credit, or for general working capital lines. Borrow from $500 to $50,000 and access free business counseling from microlenders. SBA Express Loan INTEREST RATE: loans less than $10,000, lender cost + 8.5%; loans Featuring a simplified process, these loans are delivered by $10,000 and greater, lender cost + 7.75% experienced lenders who are authorized to make the credit decision for the SBA. These can be term loans or revolving lines of credit. TERMS: lender negotiated, no early payoff penalty MAX LOAN AMOUNT: $350,000 504 Certified Development Company Loan INTEREST RATE: for loans less than $50,000, prime + 6.5%; for If you do not qualify for traditional financing, but would like to loans of $50,000 and greater, prime + 4.75% purchase or renovate real estate or buy heavy equipment for TERMS: loan term varies according to the purpose of the loan, your business, ask about the 504 loan. It provides competitive generally up to 25 years for real estate and 10 years for other fixed fixed-rate mortgage financing through a lender and a Certified assets and working capital Development Company. GUARANTEE: 50% MAX LOAN AMOUNT (UP TO 40% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT): up to $5 million; $5.5 million for manufacturing or energy public Community Advantage policy projects A financing program for women, veterans, low-income borrowers, and INTEREST RATE: below market fixed rates for 10, 20 or 25 year terms minority entrepreneurs just starting up or in business for a few years. TERMS: 20 or 25 years for real estate or long-term equipment, Receive free business counseling as you work with a community-based 10 years for general machinery and equipment financial institution. GUARANTEE: the lender provides a senior loan for 50% of the prime + 6% INTEREST RATE: project cost (with no SBA guarantee); the CDC finances up to 40% in TERMS: up to 25 years for real estate, 10 years for equipment and a junior lien position (supported by the SBA guarantee) working capital SPECIAL CONDITION: a minimum borrower contribution, or down GUARANTEE: 75 to 90% payment, is required, amounts vary by project but are usually 10%

33 FUNDING PROGRAMS Go Global with International Trade Businesses that export are more resilient—they are less dependent on any one market. Exporting also stabilizes sales for those who make seasonal products. COURTESY OF THE SBA COURTESY OF THE SBA

Expand your Market finalizing an export sale or contract, so adequate Interest rate: typically not to exceed prime Small businesses can enter and excel in the financing is in place by the time you win your + 6.5% international marketplace using State Trade contract. If you’ve been in business for at least Terms: up to 25 years for real estate, up to Expansion Program grants and training. a year, ask your area SBA regional finance 10 years for equipment, up to seven years Visit sba.gov/internationaltrade to find manager about the Export Working Capital for lines of credit out if your state is participating. program. The International Trade Loan program Guarantee: up to 90% You can: also helps exporters who have been adversely Approval time: 36 hours or less affected by foreign importing competition, • learn how to export helping you better compete globally. • participate in foreign trade missions and Max loan amount: $5 million trade shows Interest rate: for Export Working Capital, the Expert Advice on • obtain services to support foreign market rate is negotiated between borrower and lender. Exporting entry For the International Trade Loan, it also cannot Find an SBA professional in one of the exceed prime + 2.75% for loan amounts over • translate websites to attract foreign buyers 21 U.S. Export Assistance Centers, $50,000 and maturity of seven years or more • design international marketing products sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/ Terms: For Export Working Capital, typically or campaigns eac, located in most major metro one year, cannot exceed three years. For areas. The centers are also staffed by International Trade Loans, up to 25 years for Financing for International Growth the U.S. Department of Commerce real estate, up to 10 years for equipment Having trouble securing capital to meet your and, in some locations, the Export- Guarantee: up to 90% small business exporting needs? Use SBA Import Bank of the United States and international trade programs to cover short Export Express uses a streamlined process other public and private organiza- or long-term costs necessary to sell goods or that expedites the SBA guarantee—what tions. Visit your local Small Business services abroad. Loan proceeds can be used small businesses need most when preparing Development Center (see page 8) for for working capital to finance foreign sales or to export or ramping up international trade exporting assistance from profes- for fixed assets, helping you better compete on a fast timeline. sional business counselors. globally. You can apply for lines of credit prior to Max loan amount: $500,000

34 COURTESY OF THE SBA ◀

HOW THE SBA HELPED US SUCCEED Help with Trade Barriers Small businesses that qualify for the SBA State Trade Expansion Program use If you need assistance with grant proceeds to bolster their international market presence, which EarthQuaker international trade regulations, Devices has done in a seismic way. A manufacturer of guitar special effects the SBA can be your advocate in pedals in Akron, OH, EarthQuaker has built an international social media fanbase foreign markets. Call toll free (855) delivering content in seven languages, generating millions of website page views. 722-4877 or email your contact EarthQuaker owners Julie Robbins & Jamie Stillman developed their global information and trade issue to marketing strategy and multilingual promo materials with the SBA State Trade Expansion [email protected]. Program. The couple also received global marketing counseling and research assistance from the Ohio Small Business development Center Export Assistance Network. 35 FUNDING PROGRAMS R&D Opportunities for High Growth Startups Engaged in high-risk research and development? Compete for funding to develop your cutting-edge technology.

Do you work in one of these areas? »» advanced materials »» agTech »» artificial intelligence »» biomedical »» cybersecurity »» energy »» first response »» national security »» space exploration The Small Business Innovation Research and the Small Business Technology Transfer programs, also called America’s Seed Fund, provide more than $3.5 billion in early stage capital through a competitive awards process.

How it works Every year, participating federal agencies announce topical areas that address their R&D needs. Eligible businesses submit proposals to win either grants or contracts. There are three phases: »» The proof-of-concept stage typically lasts from 6-12 months, and ranges from $100,000-$225,000. »» The full R&D period lasts about 24 months and typically provides $600,000- $1.5 million. »» The commercialization stage is when you seek public or private funds for your venture. COURTESY OF THE SBA

◀ How your startup benefits

HOW THE SBA HELPED US SUCCEED The funding agency does not take an equity Killer Snails brings science out of the laboratory and into classrooms and living rooms position or ownership of your business. The with award-winning educational games, such as BioDive, Assassins of the Sea, and federal government also protects data rights and Biome Builder. The Brooklyn, NY-based business gained access to startup funding the ability to win sole-source phase III contracts. thanks to the Small Business Innovation Research program. Dr. Mandë Holford, left, Participating agencies: Jessica Ochoa Hendrix, right, and Dr. Lindsay Portnoy envisioned how venomous »» Department of Agriculture marine snail research could be used in extended reality and digital learning to engage students and meet educators’ needs. The business has raised more than $1.2 million to »» Department of Commerce support a team of full-time employees. Killer Snails’s tabletop, digital, augmented and virtual reality games have won national and international awards.

36 FUNDING PROGRAMS

›› National Institute of Standards and Technology ›› National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Investment Capital »» Department of Defense Looking for investors? For mature, profitable busi- »» Department of Education nesses with sufficient cash flow to pay interest, a Small Business Investment Company can help scale up your »» Department of Energy small business. »» Department of Health and Human Services »» Department of Homeland Security How an SBIC works »» Department of Transportation Investment companies with financing expertise in certain industry sectors receive SBA-guaranteed loans, »» Environmental Protection Agency which means the federal government is responsible in »» NASA case of default. These investment companies then use »» National Science Foundation the SBA-guaranteed capital and private funds to invest in qualifying small businesses. Each SBIC has its own Visit sbir.gov to find funding opportunities and helpful program investment profile in terms of targeted industry, geogra- tutorials, as well as past award winners, such as Qualcomm, phy, company maturity, the types and size of financing iRobot, Illumina, and Symantec. they provide. SBIR Road Tour To be eligible Visit sbirroadtour.com to learn about national events The majority of your employees and assets must be within connecting entrepreneurs working on advanced tech to the the United States. Some ineligible small businesses and country’s largest source of early stage funding. Each SBIR Road activities include relenders, real estate, project financing, Tour stop introduces participating federal agency program and foreign investment. managers, who oversee over 5,000 new awards annually. Visit sba.gov and click on Funding Program and then Investment Capital.

37 FUNDING PROGRAMS DISASTER ASSISTANCE COURTESY OF THE SBA

How I Did It Smiling After the Storm With SBA assistance, Stephanie Vitori rebuilt her Miami Beach, FL restaurant after Hurricane Irma. written by Jess Walker beef cheeseburgers sizzle on the flat-top grill. f you ask Stephanie Vitori, the person who coined the term “bittersweet” Burgers are kept classic, no extra frills. “People must have run a business. In the 15 years Stephanie has owned feel at home,” Stephanie says. “You’re not just Cheeseburger Baby, the Florida burger joint has endured recessions, another table somebody has to serve.” Here, multiple hurricanes, and competition from corporate franchises. She has everybody feels like somebody, she says. So grown along with Cheeseburger Baby, changing with each stage of the many people love a good cheeseburger, which business lifecycle. is why all kinds of people are attracted to her IVitori worked as a delivery driver before purchasing the business in restaurant. Cheeseburger Baby’s handcrafted 2004. Since then, she’s expanded by purchasing two food trucks. She runs patties have been featured on the Food an open kitchen, which means customers can watch their 100% Angus Network and consumed by celebrities such as 38 DISASTER ASSISTANCE FUNDING PROGRAMS

What to do after a Disaster Declaration After a disaster is declared by the President Register with FEMA at disasterassistance.gov, or call (800) 621-3362, TTY 800-462-7585, or visit a Disaster Recovery Center. Locations can be found at fema.gov/drc. Businesses are automatically referred to the SBA. Most homeowners and renters will be referred by FEMA to the SBA to apply for disaster loan assistance. You must complete the SBA application to be considered for assistance. If the SBA cannot help you with a loan for all your needs, the SBA

COURTESY OF THE SBA will in most cases refer you back to FEMA. If you do not complete an SBA application, you may not be Jay-Z and Kanye West. Stephanie has met famous chefs “all through considered for assistance from other agencies. a cheeseburger.” But just as special to her is the Vietnamese couple who came in one day, speaking little English. They were eager to meet Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program Stephanie and show her a napkin with “Cheeseburger Baby” scrawled Businesses affected by a Presidential disaster on it. On the other side of the world, a friend had told them to come, declaration are eligible to receive expedited so they did. It all just goes to show you, Stephanie says, people come financing through an SBA Express lender. These together for a great cheeseburger. funds may be used for disaster-related purposes while the business waits for long-term financing Challenge through the SBA’s direct disaster loan program. Despite these sweet moments, there have also been bitter ones. Loan Amount: $25,000 Hurricane Irma struck in 2017, and Cheeseburger Baby lost equipment Terms: up to seven years and food supplies. Thirty percent of sales blew away with the wind. “It was a zombie zone in South Beach. People were scared to come since Guarantee: 50% they thought everything was destroyed,” Stephanie says. “It was the After a disaster is declared by the SBA roughest road I’ve ever traveled.” Businesses of all sizes, nonprofits, homeowners, and renters are eligible to apply Solution for an SBA disaster assistance An SBA disaster assistance loan aided Cheeseburger Baby’s recovery. loan. Visit a Business Recovery The SBA provides direct low-interest loans to businesses of all sizes, Center or Disaster Loan nonprofits, homeowners, and renters to repair damage or replace Outreach Center in your area or property not covered by insurance or other forms of assistance. visit disasterloan.sba.gov/ela to apply for a loan. SBA disaster assistance loans can also be used to rebuild stronger, You can also call the SBA customer service center protecting your home or business against future damage caused by a at (800) 659-2955, TTY (800) 877-8339, and ask for disaster. The SBA also introduced Stephanie to her local Small an application package. FEMA grant assistance for homeowners or renters is not available under an SBA declaration. When you're affected by a disaster the SBA, the Federal Information you need to get started: • address of damaged residence or business Emergency Management Agency, and other organizations and contact information work together to provide assistance. Once immediate safety and security needs are met, the SBA helps get you and your • insurance information, including type of community back to where you were before the disaster. Since insurance, policy numbers, and amount received low-interest SBA disaster assistance loans are government aid, creditworthiness and the ability to repay are taken into • household and/or business income consideration before a loan is awarded. • description of disaster-caused damage and losses

39 FUNDING PROGRAMS DISASTER ASSISTANCE

The SBA provides direct low-interest loans to Keep businesses of all sizes, nonprofits, homeowners, in and renters to repair mind Since an SBA disaster or replace damaged assistance loan is a direct loan from the property not covered government, other

COURTESY OF THE SBA organizations may by insurance or other reduce or not award Business Development Center, which you a grant if you have provided assistance with financing forms of assistance. received an SBA loan options and marketing. She continues or other assistance for to meet with SBDC advisers every SBA disaster assistance your disaster loss. Be month to remain competitive in an sure to check with the ever-changing economy. loans can also be used organization offering During disasters, the responsibility assistance to see how falls on the owner’s shoulders. But to rebuild stronger, an SBA loan might one lesson Stephanie has learned is affect your eligibility for the value in reaching out to others protecting your home or their program. In gen- for assistance and counsel. While her eral, recovery expenses brick-and-mortar restaurant was being business against future covered by insurance, rebuilt, she sold from a food truck. FEMA or other forms of When the restaurant was operational assistance may reduce again, she advertised that with damage caused by a the amount provided spray paint on the plywood covering by your SBA disaster the broken windows. Stephanie disaster. For information assistance loan. and her wife, Gabrie Vitori, rebuilt Cheeseburger Baby by depending on visit sba.gov/disaster. each other and SBA assistance. See their story on YouTube by searching for the 2019 Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery. “You’ve got to have resiliency. You’ve got to swallow your pride sometimes,” Stephanie says. “But you also have to believe in your product.” Get Ready Benefit The Ready Business program, ready.gov/business, For Cheeseburger Baby, that product gives step-by-step guidance on how to prepare will continue satisfying the burger your business for a disaster. The series includes hankerings of locals, celebrities, and preparedness toolkits for earthquakes, hurricanes, tourists alike. Vitori sees expansion in her future—she’d like to have a brick- inland flooding, power outages, and severe winds/ and-mortar restaurant and food truck tornadoes. Spanish materials are available. in each growing town in South Florida. “My whole life is this. I’ve always felt a love for business ownership, ” Vitori says. “That drive keeps you going.”

40 DISASTER ASSISTANCE FUNDING PROGRAMS Getting Back to Business: Six essential preparedness steps for creating a continuity plan The financial and emotional cost of rebuilding a business after a disaster can be overwhelming. With a business continuity plan in place, you can recover more quickly.Your plan also puts you in a better position to contribute to the economic recovery of your community.

1 Establish a communications plan • Test your calling tree or communications list to reach employees to ensure they and their families are safe.

2 3 Protect your documents Review insurance coverage • Keep copies of vital business documents in a digital • Contact your insurance agent to find out if your coverage format or in an accessible, protected off-site location. is right for your business; make sure you understand the policy limits and deductibles. • Ask about business interruption insurance, which compensates you for lost income and covers operating expenses if your company has to temporarily shut down because of a disaster.

Establish a solid supply chain

• If your vendors and suppliers are local and the disaster is widespread, you will all be in the same situation— 4 struggling to recover. Put a disaster response plan in place to get key supplies from companies outside your area. Create a contact list of contractors and vendors you plan to use.

OPEN 5 6 Plan for an alternative location Practice your plan with your staff • Identify several places to relocate your operations in case Based on your location, assess your risk you must close your primary location for an extended time. for every type of emergency. • Consider creative options for available office space, including • Discuss as a group how your plan would be affected by sharing space and resources with other businesses. different types of disasters, such as an earthquake, tornado, • Allow employees to telecommute until your location reopens. flood, mudslight, or hurricane.

41 FUNDING PROGRAMS Surety Bonds SBA-backed surety bonds help small businesses succeed.

Eligible small businesses in the construction, supply, and service sectors better compete for contracting and subcontracting jobs using SBA-backed surety bonds.

How you benefit Surety bonds help small businesses receive the bonding assistance they need to win contracts by providing the customer with a guarantee the work will be completed.

How surety bonds work Many contracts require surety bonds, which are offered by surety companies. The SBA guarantee provides an incentive for surety companies to work with small businesses that would normally not be able to obtain the bond.

Is the program right for you? Small businesses that often come to the SBA for surety bonds: »» startups and firms in business less than three years

»» businesses with credit issues COURTESY OF AZTEC CONTRACTORS or internally prepared financial statements »» those who cannot secure bonding HOW THE SBA HELPED ME SUCCEED With SBA-backed surety bonds, Frank Spencer III has been able to better compete for through regular commercial commercial and government contracts. Aztec Contractors of El Paso, TX received the channels bonding support it needed to compete for construction contracts with the General »» subcontractors with a desire to Services Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Mission and Installation establish their own bonding as a Contracting Command. Frank acquired Aztec in 2006 with no capital and only two prime contractor employees. Now he employs 25 full time and provides internship opportunities. Sales »» those wishing to increase their have grown to about $30 million annually. Aztec now qualifies for bonding in the current bonding limits standard surety market without SBA support.

42 FUNDING PROGRAMS

For all contracts and subcontracts up to $6.5 million, the SBA guarantees bid, payment, performance, and ancillary bonds issued by surety companies. For federal contracts up to $10 million, the SBA makes a guarantee if it’s in the best interest of the government.

The SBA reimburses surety companies in case of default 90% of losses sustained for veteran & service- disabled veteran, minority, 8(a), and HUBZone-certified small businesses; all projects up to $100,000 and 80% for all other small businesses.

Need a surety bond guarantee fast? For contracts under $400,000, the process is streamlined using the SBA’s QuickApp program. »» easy application »» no need to submit financials to the SBA »» online applications submitted to SBA authorized agents approved within hours

Ready to start? The SBA partners with 36 surety companies and hundreds of bonding agents. Find authorized agents at sba.gov/osg. Do you want to discuss the advantages of the SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee program? Contact a bonding specialist:

Tamara E. Murray Kevin Valdes Jennifer C. Bledsoe Denver, CO Seattle, WA Washington, DC (303) 927-3479 (206) 553-7277 (202) 205-6153

43 CONTRACTING Doing Business with the Government

How I Did It COURTESY OF THE SBA Taking the Helm Jennifer Rahn steers Admiral Engineering and Manufacturing to success as a government subcontractor. written by Micaela Morrissette

44 CONTRACTING

Tips for CONTRACTING 5Success: Find a mentor. I had a great mentor in my company, and I reached for opportunity when it was in front of me.

Always move forward. The SBA has educational resources to improve your business know-how. To learn more about government contracting and SBA certification programs, call your local SBA district office or procurement center representative.

Compete smart. See if your company can use the SBA Subcontracting Network database, https://eweb1.sba.gov/ subnet/client/dsp_Landing.cfm. SubNet connects businesses with subcontractors & small businesses with contract opportunities. COURTESY OF THE SBA

Know your industry. ennifer Rahn was first said, laughing. I see everything; I have my hands in hired as an office assistant One of their largest clients, aero- everything. I don’t want to expand to at Phoenix, Arizona-based space and defense company L3 where I can’t do that anymore. Admiral Engineering and Technologies, nominated Admiral Manufacturing Co. Rising for the SBA Subcontractor of the to the top in a sector dominated by Year award. As a subcontractor for L3 Build a team. Jmen, Rahn’s career sounds a lot like Technologies, Rahn said she gets great Everybody feels like this is our work the classic American success story. She satisfaction from knowing soldiers family. My employees are as big a part got there with the help of a mentor and are able to communicate with their of my company as I am, so I make business growth earned as a federal leaders because of parts her company sure they know that. government subcontractor. has made. For 16 years, Rahn worked side-by- When Schlosser decided to retire, he side with then-owner David Schlosser, asked Rahn to purchase Admiral. major government contractors. She’s who became her mentor. Rahn says she “He did not want to sell to a corpo- grateful prime contractors have incen- learned “everything it takes to run a ration that would bring in their own tive to subcontract with small business, machine shop. I naturally just picked it people or end up foreclosing,” Rahn and that helps businesses like Admiral. up and wanted it.” says. “Then all your hard work is gone. Rahn has plans to grow, but not in The learning curve was steep— I agreed because it was everything I had the typical ways. She’s investing in Admiral specializes in complex spent my life working on, too.” replacing equipment, enhancing effi- machined parts for industries including In September 2017, she took over as ciency and productivity while leading aerospace and communications—and owner and president. Ownership tran- Admiral into new arenas like 3D print- Schlosser expected as much as he gave. sition poses a unique set of challenges. ing. Because of the stability provided “When I did something wrong, he told Rahn wanted to maintain relationships by being a government subcontractor, me, and I didn’t do that again,” Rahn with her existing clients, which include she’s able to do all of this.

45 CONTRACTING How to do business with the government

Identify your product or service number at Obtain a free DUNS number at 1 naics.com. 5 fedgov.dnb.com/webform. Search the FedBizOpps database (fbo.gov) to Register with the System for Award see if any federal agencies are looking for your Management (sam.gov) to start doing 2 product or service. 6 business with the government. Attend an SBA district office workshop on Are you eligible for SBA certification contracting. Visit sba.gov/localassistance programs? Read more about the 8(a), 3 to find your local office. 7 woman-owned small business, and HUBZone programs. Find out if you are Talk to a local Small Business Development eligible and upload all required documents Center counselor (see page 8) or visit a to certify.sba.gov. 4 Procurement Technical Assistance Program adviser. Find your closest center at aptac-us.org.

46 47 CONTRACTING SBA Certification Programs Your business could earn profit and gain valuable work experience by providing goods or services to the government.

Socially disadvantaged: those subjected HOW THE SBA HELPED to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias ME SUCCEED without regard to their individual qualities September Myres knew that becoming a because of their identity as members government contractor would empower herself of certain groups. The following groups and other native peoples, while also growing often fit this status: Black Americans, her small business to the next level. She sought Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native business development assistance from the SBA, Hawaiians, Hispanic Americans, Asian qualifying for the SBA 8(a) Business Development Pacific Americans, and Subcontinent Asian Program, which helps small disadvantaged Americans. A person who is not a member businesses compete in the federal marketplace. of one of these groups must establish that This program helped September strategically it is more likely than not that he or she has grow her company to become a competitive force suffered social disadvantage. in the environmental services industry. Sundance Economically disadvantaged: those whose Consulting of Pocatello, ID has won contracts ability to compete in the marketplace has from the Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. been impaired because they have not had Forest Service. She has continually secured as much capital and credit opportunities Department of Defense contracts to improve compared to others in the same or similar Native American lands adversely affected by past line of business. department activities. September often assists The benefits of the 8(a) program: Native American tribes and Alaska Native villages with developing projects and community plans. »» You are assigned an SBA professional to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and native help coordinate business development Hawaiians seeking entreprenurial development assistance. training can start, grow, and expand their »» You could be awarded an 8(a) sole-source business with the help of the SBA, sba.gov/ contract up to $4 million for goods and naa. The Office of Native American Affairs services, $7 million for manufacturing,

COURTESY OF THE SUNDANCE CONSULTING SUNDANCE THE OF COURTESY also consults with tribal governments prior to exceptions apply. finalizing SBA policies affecting tribes. 8(a) small business that can provide the needed services. This is an accelerated process saving time for both you and the Contracting certification programs are education, training workshops, and government agency or office. designed to help you better compete match-making opportunities with federal for and win federal contracts set aside buyers. Firms owned by Alaska Native All Small Mentor-Protege for small businesses. Visit sba.gov/ Corporations, Indian tribes, Native Program contracting to learn more about set- Hawaiian organizations, and Community Looking for an opportunity to partner with asides and whether one or more of these Development Corporations are also a more experienced firm for mentorship? government certification programs is right eligible for 8(a) business development That effort can be rewarded in the All for your business. To see if you are eligible assistance. Small Mentor-Protege Program, sba.gov/ and then certify as a woman-owned, To be eligible for the 8(a) program, your allsmallmpp. At the same time you’re gaining HUBZone, 8(a), or All Small business, visit small business must: invaluable direction and experience, you and certify.sba.gov. »» be owned and controlled by U.S. citizens your mentor can compete for government who are socially and/or economically contracts, further growing your business. 8(a) Business To qualify for this program: Development Program disadvantaged If you’re an entrepreneur who is socially »» demonstrate at least a two-year track »» Proteges must have a mentor prior to or economically disadvantaged, you record and have potential for continued applying for the program. Visit your local may be eligible to receive business success SBA office for guidance. Ask about the SBA’s Resource Partners and the Procurement training and government contracting » have a net worth and adjusted gross » Technical Assistance Program for help in assistance through the 8(a) Business income of less than $250,000 and assets connecting you with a mentor business. Development Program, sba.gov/8a. under $4 million It includes free business development 48 CONTRACTING

»» You must be certified as a small business within your NAICS industry classification (naics.com). Women-Owned Small Business »» Mentors and proteges must be organized for profit or as an agricultural Certification cooperative. If you're a woman proprietor looking to sell to the federal »» Mentors cannot own more than 40% government, you may be eligible for the Women-Owned Small equity in the protege’s business. Business certification, sba.gov/wosb. »» An SBA determination of affiliation must not exist between the mentor and the Here’s how to get certified: protege. All Small-approved partnerships receive an exclusion of affiliation for contracting purposes. 1. Make sure you’re eligible

HUBZone • Your business must be at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more Businesses located in Historically women who are U.S. citizens. The ownership must be direct and unconditional. Underutilized Business Zones, sba.gov/ • A woman must hold the highest officer position and have managerial experience hubzone, can gain special access to federal required to run the business. contracts. To qualify for the certification, your small business must: • One or more women must manage the daily business operations on a full-time basis and conduct long-term decision making and planning. »» be owned and controlled by U.S. citizens, a Community Development Corporation, To qualify as an economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business, your an agricultural cooperative, Indian tribal company must meet these criteria and the business owner and/or manager must government, Alaska Native Corporation, meet certain income and asset requirements. or a Native Hawaiian organization »» have a principal office located in a HUBZone, which includes Indian reservations and military facilities closed 2. Register by the Base Realignment and Closure Act. Enter your address in our interactive map, • Register with the System for Award Management (sam.gov) to start doing busi- maps.certify.sba.gov/hubzone/map, to ness with the government. see if you qualify. » have at least 35% of your employees » 3. Certify living in a HUBZone Self-certify as a woman-owned small business or an economically disadvantaged Service-Disabled woman-owned small business for free, or obtain certification from one of the SBA’s Veterans approved third-party certifiers (which costs a fee): If you’re a service-disabled veteran looking to enter the federal marketplace, you • El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce may be eligible for this small business • National Women Business Owners Corporation certification. To determine your eligibility, • U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce contact a veterans business development officer at your local SBA office, or the SBA’s • Women’s Business Enterprise National Council Office of Veterans Business Development, All required documents must be uploaded to certify.sba.gov prior to submitting sba.gov/ovbd. After you have set up to do an offer on a contract set aside for the program. business with the government in sam.gov, update your status as a service-disabled veteran business. Keep in mind, the SBA 4. Update your status does not officially certify this designation, so when a contract awarded based on • Update your status as a woman-owned small business in sam.gov. this eligibility is protested, the SBA will determine if your business meets the eligibility status, ownership, and 5. Search the database control requirements. • Search the FedBizOpps database (fbo.gov) for your new business opportunity.

49 CONTRACTING

An O’Fallon Casting Inc. employee at work in O’Fallon, MO. Owner Vince Get Expert Gimeno grew his business thanks to expert SBA business counseling. Contracting & Certification Help Federal contracting can be complex, but you don’t have to do it alone. A Procurement Technical Assistance Center adviser can help you determine if your business is ready for government contracting. An adviser can also help you register in the System for Award Management (sam. gov), and see if you’re eligible for any small business certifications and/or programs. One-on-one counseling is free or low cost. Visit sba.gov/ localassistance to find your local SBA office or an SBA Resource Partner near you (see page 8). Procurement Technical Assistance Centers Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance PTAC Serving Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill, and Wayne counties 1151 Oak St. Pittston (570) 655-5581 ptac.nepa-alliance.org

SEDA-COG PTAC Serving Adams, Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union, and York counties 201 Furnace Road Lewisburg (570) 522-4491 seda-cog.org/ptac

Regional/State Contracting Programs To find out more about doing business with local governments, visit: The Commonwealth Harrisburg www.emarketplace.state.pa.us harrisburgpa.gov/purchasing Philadelphia Lancaster phila.gov/procurement/pages/default.aspx cityoflancasterpa.com/procurement-collection Allentown allentownpa.gov/finance/purchasing

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