Empowering Minority Entrepreneurs and Pequenas Empresas; Government Resources that Can Help

This week is Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week when representatives from the public and private sector come together in Washington D.C. to share information and resources for growing and expanding minority businesses domestically and globally.

If you can't be there, don't worry, many government agencies are using the month of August to showcase the wealth of resources that they offer to help minorities get started and succeed in business.

Her-s a breakdown of some of the comprehensive resources and mentoring services offered for minority and Hispanic business owners across the'.go' domain and in your community.

Business.gov Resources for Minority-Owned and Hispanic Businesses

In recognition of MED Week and of the unique needs faced by minority-owned business owners, Business.gov (the official business link to the U.S. government) has updated its home page to showcase a host of government resources and guides specifically focused on helping minorities (and women) succeed in business.

These include SBA and community loan programs, links to local mentoring and business assistance programs, and information on doing business with the federal government through initiatives such as the HUBZone Program.

Business.gov also offers information on government business resources that are available in Spanish as well as a useful breakdown of some of the best government and non-profit resources and programs, which specifically support Hispanic business growth - Latinos in Business' Government Resources for Hispanic Entrepreneurs.

Follow Business.gov on Twitter* and Facebook*.

Business Mentoring Services for Minorities

There are a variety of government-sponsored business assistance and mentoring organizations. These include:

• SCORE*' SCORE provides free and confidential counseling, mentoring and advice to small business owners nationwide via its network of more than 12,400 retired business executives, leaders and volunteers. SCORE.org includes a'How-to Guide for Minority EntrepreneursSpanish and English.
• Minority Business Development Centers' The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), who coincidentally sponsors MED Week, is the only federal agency dedicated to advancing the establishment and growth of minority-owned firms. Through its Web resources and Local MBDA Centers (located in areas with the largest concentration of minority populations), the MBDA offers a range of business services to minority entrepreneurs.
• Small Business Development Centers (Centros de Desarrollo Empresarial)' SBDCs provide small business advice, training and networking opportunities in local communities across the country. Learn more about SBDC en Espanol or find an SBDC near you.

Tax Tools and Information for Hispanic Entrepreneurs

Tax information can be difficult to understand in any language but it can be even more difficult if it is not in your first language. To assist Spanish speaking taxpayers and business owners, the IRS provides a wide range of free products and services on its Spanish Language website IRS.gov/espanol including Informacion y Recursos para Pequenas Empresas.

Additional Resources

• Small Business Administration (SBA) en Espanol - Agencia Federal para el Desarrollo de la Pequena Empresa
• The Minority Business Development Agency: Essential Tools & Resources for Minority Entrepreneurs
• SBA, SCORE, and SBDCs Explained - 3 Essential Local Resources for Small Business Owners

*Note: Hyperlink directs reader to non-government Web site.

About the Author

Caron Beesley is a small business owner, a writer, and marketing communications consultant. Caron works with the SBA.gov team to promote essential government resources that help entrepreneurs and small business owners start-up, grow and succeed. Follow Caron on Twitter: @caronbeesley