The US Small Business Administration has formally partnered with several prominent civic organizations to deploy the Business Smart Toolkit among their membership, affiliates, and constituents to help new and aspiring entrepreneurs launch their business ideas and understand the steps to build a business that is credit ready.

The SBA and the National Association for Government Guaranteed Lenders (NAGGL) developed the Business Smart Toolkit and recently launched a free “train the trainer” resource for community-based organizations to teach entrepreneurship and financial literacy.  The partner organizations include:

National Peace Corps Association

U.S. Black Chambers of Commerce

100 Black Men of America

U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC)

Thurgood Marshall College Fund

Southern Christian Leadership Conference

N.O.B.E.L. Women (National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women)

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity

NALCAB (National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders)

Faith Works Community Development Corporation

“Many people who could benefit from SBA are not always sure how to access the services of SBA and our many partners.  The Business Smart Toolkit is one of many efforts SBA is taking to make entrepreneurship more accessible to all communities,” said Tameka Montgomery, Associate Administrator for SBA’s Office of Entrepreneurial Development.  “By partnering with the SBA, these organizations have agreed to host Business Smart workshops across the nation using their local chapters, affiliates and members to educate their constituents about small business ownership and connect them to the resources to get their businesses off the ground.”

The Business Smart Toolkit is a part of SBA’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative to provide resources for underserved communities.  The toolkit will assist those in underserved communities to learn more about business ownership as a source for economic growth.  It is designed for use by local nonprofit organizations whose community members are interested in starting a business.  Working with a network of community and faith-based organizations, the Business Smart Toolkit will enable those individuals in becoming business-ready.

To learn more about the Business Smart Toolkit, go to https://www.sba.gov/offices/headquarters/oed/resources/1475961.