Small Business Corner

Business Development and Funding Programs for Women Entrepreneurs

1. The National Women’s Business Council. The National Women’s Business Council, or NWBC, “advises on issues of impact and importance to women entrepreneurs and business owners.” The NWBC hosts accelerators, business competitions, conferences, and executive education and training programs across the country and online. Make sure to keep an eye on their calendar for events online or in cities near you.
2. National Association of Women Business Owners. The National Association of Women Business Owners is another national organization dedicated to reaching out to women business owners across the U.S. With the NAWBO Institute, women can access a virtual online learning platform to develop key skills and learn strategies to help take their business to next level. For those interested in public policy and the future of women in business in the United States, you can join and support NAWBO’s government advocacy program, which aims to promote the wealth of women-led businesses at the federal level.
3. The Office of Women’s Business Ownership. Office of Women’s Business Ownership, regularly hosts training programs for women entrepreneurs seeking advice on business development, business counseling, and access to federal contracts, credit, and capital. No matter which stage of growth you’re in, you can count on the SBA for helpful information and resources to support you while you start and grow your business.

Networking Resources

4. Female Founders Association. As of 2017, only 17% of all U.S. companies have a female founder.In response, the founders of the Female Founders Association decided to build a network dedicated to fostering the development of female entrepreneurs. The Female Founders Association seeks to build an active and supportive community of women entrepreneurs and startup founders. Currently, there’s only a Pacific Northwest chapter that hosts events and meetings, but you can apply to their online network to keep in touch with the organization.
5. WE NYC. WE NYC is a networking group for women entrepreneurs specifically in the New York City area, but has resources useful for women business owners anywhere. With a number of programs, mentors, and events, WE NYC seeks to lend a supportive hand to all women looking to start their own business. In their effort to support women entrepreneurs, WE NYC recently opened their own crowdfunding initiative called WE Fund Crowd. We Fund Crowd, similar to GoFundMe or Kickstarter, is designed specifically for women entrepreneurs to source the funding they need. As a bonus, the New York City government promises to pledge 10% (or up to $1,000) to every We Fund Crowd user’s first campaign to get you started on the right foot.
6. Lean In Network. The Lean In Network is probably the most famed network for women business owners and entrepreneurs. To join the Network, find your “circle” at the national and local level and immediately connect to hundreds of businesswomen, female politicians, women in tech, and more in this diverse organization. Founded by Sheryl Sandberg, current COO of Facebook and leading women’s rights activist, the Lean In Network is one of the largest networks for helping women find their niche and build their strengths in a variety of disciplines.
7. Awesome Women Entrepreneurs. Awesome Women Entrepreneurs, or AWE, is a national organization for female professionals to connect to one another in an intimate, casual setting. Events and meetups are typically hosted in members’ homes or local businesses and have a book club-like atmosphere. AWE meetups are more like social get-togethers rather than boardroom meetings, and provide the perfect setting to chat with fellow business women about business and daily entrepreneur life.

This article was originally published by Fundera, Inc. View the original article at fundera.com.