Business & Arts Small Business Resources

Small Business Resources

Opportunities for grants, financing, city services, education, consulting, guides and tools for your small business in Philadelphia.

Financing

Circle of Aunts & Uncles
A multi-generational project to provide low-interest loans and social capital to under-resourced entrepreneurs in order to co-create a more equitable, compassionate, sustainable, and vibrant local economy in the Greater Philadelphia region.

Commonwealth Capital
Commonwealth Capital LLC provides Real Estate secured loans to Companies across all Industries. They help businesses who do not qualify for traditional loans.

Cooperative Business Assistance Corp
CBAC is a nonprofit organization providing market or below market interest rate business loans and technical assistance to small businesses located in or moving into the Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey region.

The Enterprise Center
The Center provides access to capital, capacity building, business education and economic development opportunities to high-potential, minority entrepreneurs. 

Entrepreneur Works
Entrepreneur Works is a Philly-based nonprofit that offers access to microloans, business training, and one-on-one guidance to hundreds of entrepreneurs each year

Community First Fund (formerly Finanta)
Community First Fund is a nonprofit lending institution facilitating access to capital and business consultation services for entrepreneurs, non-profits, community developers, and first-time homebuyers.

Hebrew Free Loan Society
Interest-free loans to members of the Philadelphia Jewish community.

IMPACT Loan Fund
Impact’s Loan Fund helps create innovative products and services that will improve the economic and physical conditions of Lower Northeast Philadelphia

Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation
Philadelphia’s public-private economic development corporation spurs investment, supports business growth, and fosters developments that create jobs, revitalize neighborhoods, and drive growth to every corner of Philadelphia. 

PA Department of Community and Economic Development
DCED acts as an advisor and advocate, providing strategic technical assistance, training, and financial resources—with a keen eye toward diversity and inclusiveness—to help Pennsylvania communities and industries flourish.

Port Richmond Savings
Business loans are available to corporations, partnerships, proprietorship or any commercial enterprise. Various purpose loans and terms available. 

Philadelphia LISC
The Philadelphia office of Local Initiatives Support Corporation makes loans to community partners, both non-profit and for-profit, for transformational projects that advance neighborhoods of choice and opportunity.

The Reinvestment Fund
Reinvestment Fund works with our borrowers to structure and deliver flexible financing that supports their needs and results in investment that benefits the local community.

StartUpPHL
StartupPHL is a collaborative effort between the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Commerce and PIDC. It aims to support entrepreneurs in the City who bring energy, ideas and vitality to Philadelphia.

Women’s Opportunity Resource Center
WORC promotes social and economic self-sufficiency, primarily for economically disadvantaged women and their families.

Grants & City Programs

American Street Empowerment Zone Funding
Grants for business expansion, neighborhood economic development and storefront improvement, as well as nonprofit capital and beautification projects, are available. 

Business Security Camera Program
This SafeCam program provides a 50% reimbursement to commercial property owners and business owners for the installation of surveillance cameras.

InStore Forgivable Loan Program
InStore helps eligible retail, food, and creative for-profit and non-profit businesses purchase equipment and materials associated with establishing a new location or expanding at an existing one.

Kiva
Kiva is a nonprofit that facilitates 0% interest loans for U.S. entrepreneurs. 

The Merchants Fund
TMF provides charitable gifts to current and former business persons facing financial hardship in Philadelphia.

PGW Efficient Building Grants
With PGW’s Efficient Building Grants, you can receive up to $75,000 for comprehensive energy efficiency upgrades to existing commercial, industrial or multifamily buildings.

PGW Efficient Construction Grants
With PGW’s Efficient Construction Grants, you can receive up to $60,000 for energy saving designs in new or newly rehabbed commercial, industrial, and multifamily buildings.

PGW Equipment Rebates
Up to $25,000 in rebates are available to building owners with commercial-sized or industrial-sized equipment and business owners who use commercial cooking equipment.

Philadelphia Business Lending Network
For small businesses in Philadelphia, this service provides access to dozens of nonprofit and for-profit lenders with one form.

Storefront Improvement Program
This program reimburses up to 50% of the cost of eligible storefront improvements to commercial buildings and businesses within designated commercial corridors.

Stormwater Grants
Stormwater grants can cover up to 100% of the cost to design and construct stormwater retrofit projects on non-residential properties in Philadelphia. 

Guides & Tools

Managing a Business in Philadelphia
Find information on State and Federal regulations, incentives and city departments. Learn about resources to manage and grow your business.

Planning a Business in Philadelphia
Find important information about how to create a business plan, understand Philadelphia business regulations and what taxes to expect, as well as discover city incentives for new entrepreneurs.

ReadyPhiladelphia Emergency Planning
A series of quick reference guides to help Philadelphia-area residents prepare for emergencies and respond to local incidents.

Safety Guide for Businesses
The Business Safety Guide is part of a series of small business resources published by the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Commerce. 

Philadelphia Small Business Education & Consulting

Corporate Solutions at Community College of Philadelphia
Get on the path to productivity with employee training, certification testing and continuing professional education., including CCP’s Center for Small Business.

The Enterprise Center
The Center provides access to capital, capacity building, business education and economic development opportunities to high-potential, minority entrepreneurs. 

The Free Library Business Resource and Innovation Center
BRIC assists entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and job seekers at every stage, helping to improve skills through public programs and individualized guidance in research and planning. 

SCORE
SCORE grows small businesses by helping entrepreneurs and existing businesses solve problems through mentoring and support programs.

Temple Small Business Development Center
An outreach center of the Fox School of Business and Management at Temple University that provides start-up and small businesses with professional knowledge and assistance. 

Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians
The Center believes that a steady influx of new customers, workers, and entrepreneurs can reinvigorate Pennsylvania’s aging population, renew its neighborhoods, and re-energize our economy. 

Wharton Small Business Development Center
One of 18 Snider Research Centers of Wharton Entrepreneurship in Pennsylvania, it provides business assistance to small businesses in the Greater Philadelphia region.

Women’s Business Development Center
WBDC facilitates the relationship between corporations, government and women-owned businesses to provide growth and sustainability through the Women’s Business Enterprise Council, a marketing, procurement and certification assistance council.

Technical Assistance

NKCDC provides free technical assistance to small businesses, artists and entrepreneurs in Kensington, Port Richmond and Fishtown, Philadelphia. Local business support includes licenses & permits, zoning, financial referrals, business planning and navigating city departments and resources.

Contact info@nkcdc.org, or call 215-427-0350.

Help during Covid-19

Connect to small business support through the NKCDC Business or Frankford Ave Arts e-newsletters. Sign up for occasional NKCDC business alerts by texting “nkcdcsmallbiz” to 833-901-2072. Find a list of financial resources for businesses on the the City of Philadelphia website.