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Whether you are thinking about starting your own business, expanding your existing company, or are considering a move to the Keystone State, the PA Business One Stop Shop website will provide useful information to help you work smart and live happy in Pennsylvania.

You can:

• Get help for starting your business
  • Turning your idea into a business
  • Writing a business plan
  • Naming your business
  • Choosing a business structure
  • Getting business advice
• Make your business official
  • Registering your business
  • Registering with PA
  • Local registrations, permits, and zoning
  • Spe

Jump Start Philly is designed to attract new businesses and entrepreneurs that create jobs to Philadelphia by exempting them from paying the Net Profits Tax and the Business Income and Receipts Tax, formerly the Business Privilege Tax, during the first two years of operations.

Additionally, fees will be waived for eligible new businesses for a variety of licenses and registrations, including the Commercial Activity License, formerly the Business Privilege License.

All businesses are still required to apply for applicable licenses, but eligible new businesses pay no fee. To qualify for

The City of Philadelphia's Office of Economic Opportunity is enhancing capacity-building efforts with a series of monthly, educational workshops for businesses. The goal of each workshop is to share pathways toward generational wealth for minority-, women-, disabled-owned businesses.  That includes by exploring opportunities to grow with City contracts, developing a strategy to pursue business proposals, and learning more about available resources. Each month brings various topics and presenters. 

They are offering two monthly workshop series on the following topics:

• Doing Business in

The following links provide access to helpful software and information regarding legal entities, statutes, business income taxes, licenses, permits, ordinances, regulations and other issues which may impact your Philadelphia business.

The following links provide access to microlenders in the Philadelphia area.

The City of Philadelphia invites and encourages you to be part of its continued evolution, history, and prosperity by investing in our federal opportunity zones. We are seeking active and enthusiastic partnership with investors, developers, and residents in the revitalization of our underserved neighborhoods. This presents an opportunity to integrate yourself into the cultural and financial DNA of one of the world’s leading major cities, while further facilitating the growth of our diverse and often unsupported cultural communities.

The City of Philadelphia supports a number of programs and organizations to expand economic development. They provide small business loans and other financial assistance, general business support services, and support for commercial corridors.

 

Small Business Loans

• Beech Interplex, Inc.
• Entrepreneur Works
• Community First Fund
• Neighborhood Progress Fund
• PIDC
• The Merchants Fund
• VestedIn
• Women’s Opportunity Resource Center

General Business Support

• African & Caribbean Business Council
• African American Chamber of Commerce of PA, NJ & DE
• Asian American Chamber of

WomensNet offers business grants to women in Pennsylvania (and across the United States) on a rolling basis, known as the Amber Grant. Every month their judges award one or more Amber Grants of $10,000 each, and at the end of the year, one of those grant recipients is selected to receive the $25,000 Amber Grant.

You can apply by simply telling WomensNet your story. There are no lengthy, complicated documents to complete; you just need to answer a few questions about your business.

Applications are due by the end of each month for the following month's round of funding. 

Click here to

Black business owners face many hurdles, especially when it comes to securing capital. Here is a comprehensive list of government agencies, venture capital firms and programs that can help.

The following documents and links provide some insights and directions for starting a nonprofit business.

The Free Library of Philadelphia's Business Resource & Innovation Center (BRIC) is an excellent source of information and assistance for entrepreneurs and nonprofits at every stage.

The Regional Foundation Center informs the local nonprofit sector through research, resources, and workshops. The RFC houses Philadelphia's largest publicly accessible collection of print and electronic resources on fundraising, nonprofit management, general philanthropy, and institutional advancement.

The following links provide access to legal clinics and pro-bono legal firms that can provide helpful information regarding legal services and questions.

In addition to all of the concerns with any small business, starting a business from your home has additional issues that you'll need to be concerned with.

The following links to the Pennsylvania Department of State website provide information about business registration in the state

Many federal, state, and local government agencies have special programs established to provide contracts for businesses certified as one of the following:Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Women Business Enterprise (WBE), and Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE)

Starting a food business in Philadelphia? Here is a guide on food safety, licensing and permits in the City of Philadelphia for restaurant owners, caterers, event planners, and food truck operators

There is no one-stop-shop for all grants or even for all potential grantees. Researching grants will always take time, knowledge of where to look, and even a little luck finding the right opportunity at the right time.

Use this form to determine whether your initiative or project is a good fit for grant funding or whether you may need to plan more

This document provides links to organizations that provide funding for women in business

The US Small Business Administration (SBA) is an excellent source of information for small businesses. Here are some useful links:

• Starting and Managing a Business
• Write Your Business Plan
• SBA Loan Programs
• Connecting Borrowers with SBA-Approved Lenders
• PA Business One Stop Shop
• Guided Tour Video - PA Business One Stop Shop

For a list of SBA offices in the Philadelphia area click here.

To contact the "PA Business One Stop Shop" click here.