While the federal government does not provide grants for starting or growing small businesses, it does provide a myriad of services to assist entrepreneurs in pursuit of their dreams. One of the mechanisms in place to promote small business growth and economic development are Community Development Financial Institutions.
The U.S Small Business Administration supports both the Small Business Development Center Program and SCORE to provide management assistance to current and prospective small business owners. These programs offer one-stop assistance to individuals and small businesses by providing a wide variety of information and guidance in central and easily accessible branch locations.
The Small Business Administration has constituted the Secondary Market Lending Authority program, one which aims to provide liquidity for the secondary market, thereby ultimately encouraging new lending opportunities from banks of Small Business Administration guaranteed loans.
Opportunity Zones are an economic development tool that allows people to invest in distressed areas in the United States.
In partnership with the Unreasonable Group, the Nike Foundation is set to launch the Girl Effect Accelerator this November to help social entrepreneurs whose business startups focus on helping economically disadvantaged adolescent girls.