Help for the Small Business Owner
Utilize these websites and Stratford Library resources to assist you
in starting or maintaining a small business.
The library also offers printing, faxing, scanning, and tech help:
General
Small Business Hub
A research guide from the Library of Congress designed to highlight where to start, no matter what stage of business you’re in. Each topical page features a few recommended books, free websites, and subscription databases.
U.S. Business Grants
Assists small businesses find, apply, qualify for and receive grants.
U.S. Small Business Administration
An independent agency of the United States government that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships, the Small Business Administration assists and protects the interests of small business concerns. Learn more about their business guides, loan programs, training resources and more.
USA.gov – Small Business
Learn the steps to start a small business, get financing help from the government, and more including how to sell to the government and filing and paying business taxes.
Business Plans/Legal/Taxes
Bplans
The largest single collection of free sample business plans online. Also contains helpful tools and know-how for managing your business.
Business Plan Basics
From the Small Business Administration, this web site outlines business plan basics, and how to successfully write and implement a business plan.
CT State Business Taxes
Provides business owners information about registering a business, sales and use taxes, exemption certificates, filing and amending sales tax returns and more.
Findlaw – Small Business Law
This web site provides legal information for business, including starting a business, employer and employee rights, financing, immigration, worker’s compensation and many other business-related legal issues.
IRS Small Business and Self-Employed One-Stop Resource
This web site includes information on EINs (employer identification number), tax information, links to other small business information, online self-directed workshops, ad other helpful government information.
Connecticut
Black Business Alliance
BBA is a 501c6 non-profit membership organization that seeks to act as a primary collaborative entity for local and statewide black and minority businesses to create a culture of mini ecosystems to build self- worth, capacity building and community inclusion.
Business.CT.gov
A one-stop-shop where entrepreneurs can easily find information and create a checklist with everything required to start up or manage a business in Connecticut
Community Economic Development Fund
CEDF provides loans to Connecticut small business owners, primarily in low-to-moderate income communities, who are not able to obtain traditional bank financing.
CT Department of Economic and Community Development
Learn how to get your business started in Connecticut
CT Small Business Administration
The SBA helps Americans start, grow, and build resilient businesses. Manufacturers with fewer than 500 employees.
CT Small Business Development Center (CTSBDC)
Provides no-cost advising services to both prospective and existing business owners to help them start or expand their business
SCORE Business Mentoring
Connect with an expert through the nation’s largest network of small business mentors.
Spanish American Merchants Association
SAMA is a non-profit organization created to assist business people, in particular, Latinos, to acquire a better understanding of economic principles. Technical assistance is provided to promote business expansion, job creation, and new entrepreneurship.
Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC)
The Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) is the leader of entrepreneurial and financial training for women in Connecticut. WBDC offers workshops, financial advice, and professional
Local
Bridgeport Regional Business Council
The goal of the BRBC is to grow the regional economy by offering targeted legislative, networking and business development events to the community of businesses serve.
Stratford Office of Economic & Community Development
This office works to strengthen and improve the economic well-being of Stratford and in turn, the quality of life for our residents. Contact the office directly to learn more about business opportunities in Stratford.
Research Databases
You can connect directly to these databases from within the Stratford Library. From outside the library you will be prompted to enter your Stratford Library barcode to log into the database. Provided by the Stratford Library and the CT State Library.
Small Business Reference Center
Provides a wide range of business resource, including industry research, business basics, a start-up kit and how to create a business plan. Also offers exclusive full text for many top consumer small business reference books.
Learning Express Workforce Solutions
Provides a comprehensive collection of job search and career exploration tools. It includes resume and letter builders with targeted samples and tips, millions of job and internship postings, interviewing advice and a personal dashboard to track users’ work
Reference Solutions
Search for businesses and individuals in the U.S. and Canada in this comprehensive database with millions of records. Ideal for sales leads, mailing lists, market research, employment opportunities, and much more.
Print Resources / Stratford Library
 Small Business reference books |
 Writing a Business Plan |