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Contact your state, county and local development departments. Many offer funding programs to foster business within a certain geographic area.
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Take advantage of organizations aimed at helping you. The National Organization of Women Business Owners offers special funding programs for women entrepreneurs, for example, and the National Minority Supplier Development Council has an arm that works with minority entrepreneurs.
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Call on the community banks in your area. These smaller banks pride themselves on helping small business owners.
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Find out of there are any revolving loan fund (RLF) programs for which you might qualify. They provide “gap financing” that your bank won’t or can’t offer. Your banker should know of any RLFs available.
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Visit www.sba.gov/financing, the finance section of U.S. Small Business Administration’s Web site. It provides details on SBA’s many funding programs. Perhaps you qualify for one.
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