Business Support and Growth Tools

Support for Entrepreneurs

• SCORE Greater Seattle

  • Free and confidential one-on-one business counseling by phone, email, and in-person for the Greater Seattle area. Also provides resources and workshops for entrepreneurs.   

• Main Street America 

  • Their Small Business Support programs offer small business owners and economic development leaders with tools, resources, and educational opportunities to encourage economic vitality and innovative entrepreneurship.

• StartUp Washington Small Business Resiliency Network

  • Culturally and linguistically relevant assistance and other business support services at no cost to entrepreneurs, small businesses and nonprofits – with an emphasis on those owned by historically marginalized and underserved persons. 

• Communities Rise Free Legal Services

  • Services for small businesses include free legal advice clinics and one-on-one legal help. Assistance is for low-income small business owners only.

 
Business Tools 

• Seattle Public Library Business Research Tools

  • If you are starting a business, applying for a grant or planning to invest in the stock market, find free resources to help you. 

• Seattle Good Business Network

  • On-demand learning labs about marketing, commercial leasing, using Square, and more.

  • Sustainability resources curated for and by Washington small businesses, from packaging to assessments to second-life material sourcing. 

 
Resources for Community and Business Organizations 

• Urban Land Institute

  • Ten Principles for Rebuilding Neighborhood Retail

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) 

  • LISC’s Institute for Comprehensive Community Development provides resources for business to encourage practices and policies that seek to advance racial and economic justice, and spark development without displacement.

  • Their Community Leadership programs and initiatives provide training and learning opportunities for staff and leadership through community development corporations (CDCs) and many other local groups.

  • The Commercial Revitalization Planning Guide is a toolkit for community-based organizations to support local urban neighborhood business district revitalization efforts.

• Communities Rise 

  • Provides capacity building and legal services for community organizations and small businesses.

• People's Academy for Community Engagement (PACE) 

  • PACE is a free City-administered leadership development program that teaches participants how to navigate local government and progress community goals.

• Main Street America 

  • Provides programs and resources for strengthening older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.