There are numerous special programs and organizations to assist women and minority owned businesses gain access to capital and manage their businesses. Below are links to some of them.
Alliance of Business Women International
ABWI is a
non-profit organization founded in 1995 to encourage and support businesswomen
involved or interested in international trade opportunities. ABWI is supported
by women entrepreneurs and women in corporate America, politics and government,
film, agriculture, and service-oriented, educational and cultural
sectors.
American Business Women’s Association
ABWA’s mission is
to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and to provide
opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and
professionally through leadership, education, networking support and national
recognition.
Association for Enterprise Opportunity
Provides information and resources for microbusinesses—those with five or fewer
employees that require $35,000 or less of start-up capital and do not have
access to the commercial banking sector. In general, AEO provide entrepreneurs
with training and technical assistance, microloans, access to market services
and training, and/or economic literacy and asset development services.
Many AEO members provide direct microloans of $35,000 or less. Those who don't
operate their own loan funds act as referral organizations, directing
individuals to other groups and organizations that provide lending services. In
most cases, organizations require that individuals complete a training program
before they can become eligible for microloans.
Athena Foundation
The Athena
Foundation pairs woman-owned businesses with a group of local mentors who serve
as a panel of advisors. Advisors work with the business owner on her business
for one year at no charge.
Center for Women and Enterprise-Community Entrepreneurs Program
The Community
Entrepreneurs Program is an entrepreneurship training program designed for women
who intend to start their own business to achieve economic self-sufficiency.
Committee of 200
The Committee of
200 is the organization of preeminent businesswomen that capitalizes on the
success, power and influence of women in the global economy. The mission of The
C200 is to exemplify and promote entrepreneurship and corporate leadership among
women of this generation and the next. The membership of C200 is comprised of
women business leaders from all industries. Each C200 member has attained or
exceeded
a specific level of success tied to revenues and industry recognition.
Count Me In
Count Me In
champions the cause of women's economic independence by providing access to
business loans, consultation and education.
Digital Women
Digital Women was
created for women in business, businesswomen and all women around the globe
looking for a place to gather free resources, business tips, home business
ideas, and a place to gather together. It is an international online community
for women in business around the globe. Membership is free for women.
Direct Selling Women's Association
The Direct
Selling Women's Association is an international association that works to unite
direct sellers around a shared vision of personal and financial success.
Franchise Solutions for Women
A resource for
women interested in buying their own business or franchise. The site includes
interviews with women franchise owners.
KeyBank
KeyBank's Web
site is dedicated to women business owners and gives advice on how to secure
funding, forecast sales and manage accounts payable.
Ladies Who Launch
Ladies Who Launch
is a women's networking organization with 11 U.S. locations that offers
workshops to its 25,000 entrepreneur members, 40 percent of whom are mothers.
Mompreneurs Online
Mompreneurs
Online offers business ideas, strategies and networking for work-at-home moms.
National Foundation for Female Executives
(NAFE)
NAFE provides resources and services to women through education, networking and
public policy.
National Association of Women Business Owners
For nearly 25 years, members have benefited from NAWBO's growing network,
advocacy and resources. NAWBO is a membership organization that provides
resources and networking opportunities for women in business.
The National Women's Business Council
The National
Women's Business Council is a bi-partisan federal advisory council created to
serve as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the
President, Congress and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) on economic
issues of importance to women business owners. The Council's mission is to
promote policies and programs designed to support women's business enterprises
at all stages of
development.
The National Women Business Owners Corporation
A national
501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, NWBOC was established to increase
competition for corporate and government contracts through implementation of an
economic development strategy for women business owners. NWBOC is a sister
organization to the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and
the Center for Women's Business Research (CWBR).
NWBOC provides a national certification program for women-owned and controlled
businesses as an alternative to the multiple state and local certifications
required by many public and private sector agencies. Over 100 private and public
agencies now accept NWBOC certification.
Online Women’s Business Center
Access business
basics, networking opportunities and search state Women’s Business Centers on
this site. Learn about WNET (Women’s Network for Entrepreneurial Training)
Roundtables and find an event in your city.
Organization of Women in International Trade
OWIT is a nonprofit, professional organization designed to promote women doing
business in international trade by providing networking and educational
opportunities.
Small Biz Data
Smallbizdata.com
offers financial benchmarking to business advisors and directly to small
businesses. Training programs and mentoring services are available to all women
owned and minority owned businesses.
Springboard Enterprises
Springboard
Enterprises is a national, nonprofit that aims to increase women business
owners' participation in equity capital markets. Springboard offers education
and coaching programs, connections with investors and business development
professionals.
Venture Funding for Women Entrepreneurs Report
The
2004 Venture Funding for Women Entrepreneurs Report, developed by
Growthink Research in partnership with re:invention, is a landmark gender-based
analysis of venture capital investments. In preparing this report, our team
analyzed 1,860 companies that raised over $19 billion of venture capital in
2003. This 400
page study identifies and
profiles 671
companies
with women executives
that successfully raised venture capital.
Women's Business Enterprise National Council
WBENC is dedicated to
enhancing opportunities for women's business enterprises in America's major
business markets. In partnership with women's business organizations throughout
the United States, WBENC provides access to a national standard of certification
and information on certified women's businesses to purchasing managers.
WebMomz.com
WebMomz.com is an
online resource dedicated to empowering women in the areas of business, personal
growth and family life.
WomanOwned.com
This site
provides online business information and networking assistance, as well as a
number of resources for setting up, running and small growing businesses. One
notable feature is an online search engine of women business owners from every
type of industry and from nearly every country around the world.
Women Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century Web Site
This site is a
collaborative project between the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and
Department of Labor. The site is shaped to help women navigate the ever-changing
business climate.
Women Impacting Public Policy
Women Impacting
Public Policy (WIPP) is a national bi-partisan public policy organization
representing more than 500,000 women in business and women business owners
nationwide.
Women’s Business Centers
Each women’s business center, supported by the U.S. Small Business
Administration (SBA), provides assistance and/or training in finance,
management, marketing, procurement and the Internet, and addresses specialized
topics such as home-based businesses, corporate executive downsizing and
welfare-to-work. A number of them also are intermediaries for the SBA’s
MicroLoan and Loan Prequalification programs. Each WBC tailors its programs to
the needs of its community, and many offer programs and counseling in two or
more languages.
Women's Business Enterprise Council
The Women's
Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) is dedicated to enhancing
opportunities for women's business enterprises in America's major business
markets. In partnership with women's business organizations throughout the
United States, WBENC provides access to a national standard of certification and
information on certified women's businesses to purchasing managers through an
Internet database.
Women Presidents' Organization
Women Presidents'
Organization (WPO) is for women whose businesses annually gross over two million
dollars. The organization has forty-nine chapters in thirty-six cities.