Email: Richard Rasmussen
Click on a link below to jump to:
- State Agencies
- Federal Agencies
- Small Business Development Centers
- Other Service Providers
- Newsletters
State Agencies
- Business section of the Official Web Site of the Commonwealth of Virginia (Business.Virginia.gov) - provides information and resources on starting, running, and relocating a business to Virginia including business assistance, licensing, state procurement, and other pertinent resources.
- Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority - facilitate favorable credit financing of assistive technology for with disabilities.
- Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - promotes the economic growth and development of Virginia agriculture, encourages environmental stewardship and provides consumer protection.
- Department of Business Assistance - promotes economic growth by helping Virginia businesses prosper.
- Department of Business Assistance: Financing Authority - provides direct loans and loan guarantees to small businesses in Virginia.
- Department of Business Assistance: Workforce Services Program
- Department of Conservation & Recreation - helps conserve, protect, enhance, and advocate the wise use of the Commonwealth's unique natural, historic, recreational, scenic and cultural resources. Contains information on Virginia's Outdoors Fund and Virginia's Recreational Trails Grant Program.
- Virginia Business Emergency Toolkit, Department of Emergency Management - provides information and resources to help businesses plan for, respond, and recover from emergencies and disasters.
- Office of Pollution Prevention, Department of Environmental Quality - provides assistance in pollution prevention, environmental management systems (EMS).
- Small Business Assistance Program, Department of Environmental Quality - provides assistance to small businesses to comply with state and federal air regulations.
- Department of Health: Division of Shellfish Sanitation - responsible for overseeing the safety of shellfish and crabmeat harvested and processed in Virginia.
- Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) - collaborates with Virginia's communities to fully develop their economic potential and create a healthy, safe and affordable living environment.
- Department of Labor & Industry - administers and enforces the Commonwealth's occupational safety and health programs, payment of wage statute, right-to-work and child labor laws, fosters worker apprenticeship programs, and certifies the safe operation of commercial boilers and pressure vessels.
- Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) - provides a system of high quality comprehensive health services to qualifying Virginians and their families.
- Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy - provides state government, the business community, and citizens with a focal point for the development of innovative policies, and for the implementation of comprehensive programs for energy and mineral resources consistent with modern safety and conservation practices.
- Department of Minority Business Enterprise - provides State Certification, technical and management assistance, financial assistance, marketing assistance, and advocacy for the Minority and Disadvantaged Business Community.
- Department of Rehabilitative Services - provides employers the tools and resources they need to not only diversify their workforce, but broaden their consumer-base and improve their bottom line of business.
- Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) - serves all citizens of the Commonwealth through public education, administration, and enforcement of those laws and regulations necessary to protect their health, safety, and welfare.
- InsureMoreVirginians.org - links to "A Guide for Health Insurance Options for Small Businesses in Virginia" and other resources to help small businesses provide health coverage.
- Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology - private non-profit corporation for accelerating development of Virginia's next generation of technology and technology companies, works to establish world class research hubs and make Virginia a global leader in the development of entrepreneurial technology ventures.
- Virginia Information Technologies Agency, Small, Women-owned, and Minority-owned (SWAM) resources page - provides resources intended to assist SWAM businesses interested in participating in Commonwealth IT procurement activities potentially leading to a contract award.
Federal Agencies
- US EPA Region III - Business Assistance Center - Offers convenient answers to help smaller companies cut through the red tape of regulatory requirements, explore new options to eliminate waste and improve competitiveness. Services include acting as small business liaison, offering compliance assistance, promoting pollution prevention and encouraging the development of innovative environmental technologies.
- U.S. Small Business Administration - Richmond, Virginia District Office - Created in 1953, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the only independent agency of the federal government with the sole purpose of assisting small businesses to start, grow, and prosper. Through our extensive network of SBA resources and partnerships with other public and private organizations, SBA is here to help the small business owner. The Richmond SBA office is responsible for the delivery of SBA programs and services to 92 counties in Virginia. The office is located in the Federal Building, Suite 1150, 400 North 8th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23240.
- Internal Revenue Service Small Business (SB)/Self-Employed (SE) Taxpayer Education and Communication (TEC) - educates and informs SB/SE taxpayers and representatives about their tax obligations by developing educational products and services focused on customer needs and by providing top quality pre-filing services to help taxpayers understand and comply with the tax laws.
Small Business Development Centers
- Small Business Development Center Network - provide free one-on-one counseling, and educational courses on a range of topics-from accounting principles and product licensing to tax planning and e-commerce.
- SBDC Network: Office and Contact Directory - there are 29 local SBDCs across Virginia providing professional business counseling, training and information resources to help grow and strengthen Virginia businesses
- Manufacturing Technology Center - nonprofit organization dedicated to helping manufacturers in southwestern Virginia to become more competitive and profitable in today's world market. MTC provides companies access to technical expertise, informational resources and training opportunities that can help them adopt world class manufacturing technologies and modern management techniques.
- Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP) - educates small businesses in Southwest Virginia about the bottom line benefits of strategic environmental management and assists them in implementing EM initiatives.
Other Service Providers
- Virginia's A.L. Philpott Manufacturing Extension Partnership - provides fee-based consulting services to manufacturers.
- Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA)
- National Federation of Independent Business - the largest advocacy organization representing small and independent businesses.
- Virginia Manufacturers Association - encourages and supports the industries located within the Commonwealth of Virginia, to afford a medium for cooperation among those industries and to initiate, encourage, foster and promote constructive policies and activities on behalf of industry.
- VA Chamber of Commerce - protects members' interests on broad range of issues, builds effective coalitions that unite the Virginia business community on key issues, provides opportunities for members to connect with those people and organizations that will help grow their businesses and provide members with valuable information and business tools.
Newsletters
- Community College Workforce Alliance: CCWA e-Newsletter
- VA Dept of Business Assistance: Inside Viriginia