Helpful Resources for Small Businesses

• From the Library
• Online
• New York City
• New York State
• Federal
• Additional Resources

• Need help with your business research? We offer 30-minute video consultations with a Librarian to help you out. These consultations are completely free and tailored to your needs. CLICK HERE to book an appointment.
• Need to do research for your business plan or other business projects? We have plenty of resources you can access at home if you have Internet access and a library card. CLICK HERE to see them.
• Want to meet (virtually) with a business advisor for a free and confidential session tailored to your business? CLICK HERE to see the list of Business Advisory Groups that are offering remote consultations.
• View our small business webinars held and recorded since the library closed for the pandemic.
• Sample Business Plans are available for your use via the Gale e-Booksdatabase. The database is available onsite or remotely from home with a valid New York Public Library card.
• ​Worried about money? The Thomas Yoseloff Business Center offers Financial Counseling by Phone. You can speak to a counselor about any personal financial matter, such as investments, retirement planning, saving, banking, budgeting, general money management, and more. Come prepared with your questions. You must book a 30-min appointment online for a specific date and time, and the counselor will call you at the appointed time.

SCORE offers free, recorded webinars in a variety of business topics.

Department of City Planning

• The New York City Department of City Planning’s Population Factfinder and its accompanying Population MapViewer present a variety of economic and demographic information about New York City, as well as its many ethnic and racial groups.
• The Department of City Planning (DCP) and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) - together with regional leaders - has released a new report - Life Sciences in the NYC Metro - showing that the NYC Metro area is leading the nation on jobs and funding in the life sciences industry. The report compares the NYC Metro region to other metro areas and shows the full scale and strength of the region’s life sciences ecosystem.
• The New York City Department of Planning has posted the second edition of its Geography of Jobs Report. Originally published in 2018 this report explores regional employment, labor force, and housing production trends. A tracking report, NYC Metro Region Monthly Employment Changes Since January 2019, on the impact of COVID-19 is also available.
• The Department of City Planning's August 2019 report -Assessing Storefront Vacancy in NYC: 24 Neighborhood Case Studies - offers a detailed exploration of current retail trends and storefront vacancies in the five boroughs.

Department of Consumer and Worker Protection

• New York City Local Law 144 of 2021 -regarding automated employment decision tools (“AEDT”) - prohibits employers and employment agencies from using an automated employment decision tool unless the tool has been subject to a bias audit within one year of the use of the tool, information about the bias audit is publicly available, and certain notices have been provided to employees or job candidates. The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection began enforcement of the law on Wednesday July 5, 2023.
• The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) licenses dozens of industries and inspects tens of thousands of businesses to ensure compliance with many different local and state laws. As a new business, it can be hard to know what you need to do to comply. DCWP’s Visiting Inspector Program (VIP) provides a free inspection by a senior inspector who will visit a business and advise you on what you need to know to comply with DCWP regulations and avoid violations.
• In November 2017, NYC's Fair Workweek and Fast Food Deductions laws became effective. The laws mandate scheduling notification requirements for fast food and retail industry employers.

Department of Design and Construction

• The New York City Department of Design and Construction [DDC] has launched a new mentoring initiative designed to support and increase business opportunities for Minority- and Women- Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs).

Department of Health + Mental Hygiene

• The New York City Department of Health + Mental Hygiene is sharing its new Monkeypox [Orthopoxvirus] Data dashboard.

Department of Sanitation

• New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced on September 19, 2023 that - effective March 24, 2024 - all New York City businesses will be required to containerize all their trash, the next phase in the Adams administration’s war on rats.
• As part of New York City's Skip the Stuff program, the Department of Sanitation's Restrictions on Providing Utensils, Condiments, Napkins and Containers regulations are effective as of July 31, 2023 for all New York City food service establishments providing takeout and delivery service.

Department of Small Business Services

• New York City’s new MyCity Business website features the New York City Department of Small Business Services NYC Funds Finder, the City’s first online capital marketplace for small business owners. The site can connect entrepreneurs with financing assistance through community development financial institution partners and other lenders.
• Mayor Eric Adams - and New York City Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Kevin D. Kim - announced the launch of the $75 million New York City Small Business Opportunity Fund, the largest public-private loan fund directed at small businesses in the city’s history. Approximately 1,500 local businesses will be served by the fund with loans up to $250,000 at a market-leading rate of 4 percent. Flexible terms address historic barriers to ensure broad access to the fund by eliminating credit score minimums, not requiring application fees, serving start-up and growth-stage businesses, and leveraging the deep roots of local organizations to reach businesses in BIPOC and immigrant communities. Applications to the Fund have been temporarily paused due to overwhelming interest. For additional information call the Department's Hotline at 888-727-4692.
• ​​​Chamber On-the-Go is a Department of Small Business Services mobile business support program - in partnership with local Chambers of Commerce - that helps New York City small business owners access FREE services without leaving their storefront. During anon-site visit, trained business specialists will: conduct a snapshot assessment of your business strengths and needs; connect you withFREE resources to help your business thrive provided by the NYC Department of Small Business Services, Chambers of Commerce, and local organizations; provide immediate business support and make appointments for future services; and answer questions and collect feedback on the challenges and opportunities facing your specific business community. Contact Chamber On-the-Go for additional information.
• The NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) launched Cannabis NYC to support the development of a thriving and equitable cannabis industry with first-of-its-kind support for aspiring cannabis entrepreneurs. Through strategic outreach, public engagement, business services, and advocacy efforts, Cannabis NYC will support the creation of good jobs, successful small businesses, and sustainable economic opportunity to address historic harms of cannabis prohibition.
• NYC Cool Roofs provides New Yorkers with paid training and work experience installing energy-saving reflective rooftops. The program supports the City’s goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. This initiative is a partnership between the NYC Department of Small Business Services, its Workforce1 Industrial & Transportation Career Center, the Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice the Mayor's Office of Resiliency, and the HOPE Program.
• The Department of Small Business Services’ Customized Training Grant Program provides federally funded grants to help NYC-based businesses train and retain their employees. This competitive, reimbursable training grant is available for businesses that are for-profit, operating for at least one year, and able to pay for training upfront. Customized Training grants offer financial support to make training your staff more affordable.
• Visit the New York City Department of Small Business Services website - Assistance and Guidance for Businesses Impacted Due to Novel Coronavirus - for information about resources and services related to COVID-19. Information is also available from the New York City Health Department, the New York State Department of Health, the New York City Office of Emergency Management, and the Centers for Disease Control,
• Learn how to start and grow your New York City-based business anytime, anywhere from the New York City Department of Small Business Services and their FREE, online courses provided by industry experts.
• NYC Business Solutions - a service of New York City's Department of Small Business Services to help entrepreneurs with various steps of starting a business.
• In February 2018 the New York City Department of Small Business Services launched a FREE legal service - the Commercial Lease Assistance Program - to assist small businesses with commercial lease issues.
• The New York City Department of Small Business Services' [SBS] Business Solutions Center can help you launch your business.
• WE NYC - an initiative of New York City's Department of Small Business Services - is dedicated to helping women start and grow their businesses.
• BE NYC is an initiative of New York City's Department of Small Business Services that is dedicated to advancing Black Entrepreneurship.
• The New York City Department of Small Business Services’ First Course NYC Apprenticeship Program teaches the culinary skills necessary for a career as a line cook. The Program features eight weeks of hands-on culinary training; six weeks of paid on-the-job training; connection to full-time employment as a restaurant line cook; and the opportunity to earn a NYC Food Protection Certificate. Select a date to attend a FREE required information session to start the application process.

Department of Transportation

• On March 27, 2024 New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced that the agency has authorized the use of e-cargo bikes on city streets and established key safety standards. The new rules are designed to make deliveries safer and more sustainable by reducing the number of large delivery trucks on New York City streets.
• Applications for Dining Out NYC – New York City’s permanent outdoor dining program - have now closed. Restaurants that are actively participating in the temporary Open Restaurants program needed to apply by August 3, 2024 in order to continue operating outdoor dining setups. Additional information can be found at www.nyc.gov/diningoutnyc. Businesses can call 212-839-4500 with any questions.
• The New York City Department of Transportation’s Dining Out NYC is New York City's permanent outdoor dining program. The requirements for how sidewalk and roadway cafes are designed, built, and operated are available on New York City’s Official Rules website. Restaurants will be able to apply for roadway and sidewalk cafes in March 2024.
• The New York City Department of Transportation oversees the City's Open Restaurants program.
• The New York City Department of Transportation announced the release of Streets for Recovery: The Economic Benefits of the NYC Open Streets Program - a report developed in collaboration with Bloomberg Associates - which for the first time uses data from the New York City Department of Finance to highlight the economic benefits of the Open Streets Program on the City’s critical hospitality industry during the height of the pandemic.
• The Department of Transportation's June 2018 New York City Mobility Report highlights key indicators of the City's vibrancy and how DOT is supporting this vibrancy to improve travel by foot, bus, or bicycle. Previous reports are archived and available.

Human Resources Administration

• NYC Health Insurance Link [HI Link] helps New Yorkers—business owners and individuals—learn how to get the health coverage they need.

Mayor's Office of Contract Services

• The Mayor’s Office of Contract Services has launched PASSPort, New York City’s end-to-end digital procurement platform, managing every stage of the procurement process from vendor sourcing – who we purchase goods and services from, releasing and responding to solicitations (referred to as “RFx” in the system), and contract award, development, registration and management.

Mayor's Office of Management and Budget

• Doing Business with OMB -- The Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) periodically solicits various goods and services to assist the agency in carrying out its mission. For procurement opportunities, go to: https://www.nyc.gov/site/mocs/resources/standard-prof-services-ll63.page

Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment

• The NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre (“Women’s Fund”) - administered by the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) in partnership with the City of New York Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) – provides grants to encourage and support the creation of content that reflects the voices and perspectives of all who identify as women. $2 million will be offered in this fourth round which launched on July 26, 2022. Applications awarded on a rolling basis.

NYC Business

• Mayor Eric Adams has signed Executive Order 34 which standardizes data collection from city-affiliated agencies that will help facilitate the city’s full M/WBE performance outcome tracking in real-time and ensures that city agencies have a senior staff member — with a dual reporting relationship to the citywide chief business diversity officer and their respective commissioner on M/WBE outcomes— empowered to prioritize M/WBE programming. The newly created agency chief contracting diversity officer will ensure accountability across agencies and help to further centralize shared, city-wide M/WBE goals.
• NYC BEST [Business Express Service Team] assists diverse small businesses across the five boroughs by providing one-on-one expert support to help business owners resolve or avoid fines and violations, save time and money navigating city government rules and regulations, and expediting permit and licensing processes.
• If your business needs help with a commercial lease issue in New York City, you may be eligible for FREE legal services. These services are available through New York City’s Commercial Lease Assistance Program designed to assist eligible businesses with signing a new commercial lease; amending, renewing, or terminating an existing lease; or addressing a commercial lease related issue.
• NYC Business details resources and services available to New York City business owners and entrepreneurs: license and permit assistance; FREE workshops, seminars, and advisory services; and business preparedness information.

New York City - MyCity

• On March 27, 2024 New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the launch of Jobs NYC a new citywide effort to reduce barriers to economic opportunities and deliver workforce development services directly to communities across the five boroughs that are experiencing high unemployment. This collaborative effort will focus on three core pillars: 1) revamping the administration’s “hiring halls” in an effort to bring public and private job opportunities and career services to economically-disadvantaged communities on a monthly basis in each borough, 2) launching a new Jobs.nyc.gov talent portal to connect New Yorkers to job and training opportunities for jobseekers and for employers and 3) continuing to reform the city’s Minimum Qualification Requirements to make certain entry-level jobs within city government are more accessible. In June 2023, Mayor Adams removed the bachelor’s degree requirement for certain city jobs.
• Integrating his administration’s efforts to embrace responsible AI tools that can streamline and improve government services within the groundbreaking MyCity portal, Mayor Adams and New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Kevin D. Kim - on October 16, 2023 - launched the new MyCity Business site, which features a pilot for New York City’s first citywide AI chatbot. Building on the first phase of MyCity – launched in March 2023 to help New York City families access child care – MyCity Businesswill connect business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to content to help them start, operate, and grow businesses in New York City. With the AI chatbot, business owners will more easily be able to access trusted information from more than 2,000 NYC Business web pages.
• The MyCity portal is a one-stop shop for New York City services and benefits, that will make it easier for New Yorkers to interact with and access the support of a multitude of city agencies. MyCity users will be able to easily check eligibility, apply for, and track services and benefits in the city’s 10 most common languages, as well as securely save their information and documentation for future applications as they apply for business, child care, and career services.

New York City Council

• A City Council bill – released on Thursday May 18, 2023 - is calling for the creation of a licensing structure that would allow outdoor dining structures to exist in roadways, but only from April through November. Sidewalk cafes would be allowed year-round. The bill - which is supported by Mayor Eric Adams and still requires the approval of the full Council - aims to strike a balance between retaining a mostly popular program while taking steps to control its outgrowth.
• City Council Releases Pay Equity Report Ahead of Black Women’s Equal Pay Day Pay Equities in NYC: Analysis of Pay Differences in the New York City Municipal Workforce - from the New York City Council.

New York City Economic Development Corporation

• On November 1, 2023, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball, and The Fedcap Group celebrated the opening of Civic Hall at Union Square, a tech and digital hub training New Yorkers and creating an inclusive talent pipeline for family-sustaining jobs in the city’s tech sector. Civic Hall at Union Square combines accessible entrepreneurial space with digital skills training for diverse and traditionally underserved communities to allow all New Yorkers to participate in the opportunities this sector offers. It is expected to serve approximately 750 people in its first year.
• The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) has launched the next phase of the Women.NYC initiative, The Women.NYC Network. “The Network,” is a social capital building platform designed to connect women in New York City with resources to help them excel and identify opportunities in emerging industries namely, offshore wind, life sciences, technology, and green economy. The Network will offer three types of programs to connect women to industry leaders and gain real world experience in new fields, including: virtual one-on-one office hours, small group discussions, and a shadowing experience, in addition to quarterly large-scale events.
• The Department of City Planning (DCP) and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) - together with regional leaders - has released a report - Life Sciences in the NYC Metro - showing that the NYC Metro area is leading the nation on jobs and funding in the life sciences industry. The report compares the NYC Metro region to other metro areas and shows the full scale and strength of the region’s life sciences ecosystem.
• ​​​Locate an affordable incubator, co-working space or wet lab that meets your needs by visiting the New York City Economic Development Corporation's [NYCEDC} Incubators and Workspaces Network.
• If your business is working on - or hoping to work on - a project with a City agency or with the New York City Economic Development Corporation [NYCEDC] the New York City Department of Small Business Services can help you secure the financing you need via their Contract Financing Loan Fund.

New York City Office of Special Enforcement

• On January 9, 2022, New York City adopted Local Law 18, also known as the Short-Term Rental Registration Law. The law requires short-term rental hosts to register with the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement (OSE). Booking service platforms will be prohibited from processing transactions for unregistered short-term rentals. OSE will not begin enforcement of the registration law requirements until July 2023. The Short-Term Rental Registration Law also requires OSE to maintain a Prohibited Buildings list. This list is comprised of buildings where short-term rentals are prohibited, either by the law or by the leases and occupancy agreements for the building. Owners can notify OSE that short-term rentals are prohibited in their building.

New York City Police Department

• On May 16, 2024, Mayor Adams announced a new public safety pilot program - in partnership with Fusus - Connect New York - to combat retail theft, create efficiencies, and improve Police-Community relations using innovative camera technology. Businesses interested in participating – or who may have questions – should visit the New York Police Department’s Fusus pilot program website to sign up.
• New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that the city is issuing new rules setting forth a permitting process and guidelines for the take-off and landing of unmanned aircraft in New York City. Managed by the New York City Police Department, the rules include building inspections, infrastructure inspections, and capital project planning.
• The New York City Police Department [NYPD] has launched a web portal enabling New Yorkers involved in traffic accidents to find their collision report online.

Office of Technology and Innovation

• On October 16, 2023, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser released the Adams administration’s comprehensive New York City Artificial Intelligence Plan, The broad plan — the first of its kind for a major U.S. city — will develop a framework for city agencies to carefully evaluate AI tools and associated risks, help city government employees build AI knowledge and skills, and support the responsible implementation of these technologies to improve quality of life for New Yorkers.

Office of the City Comptroller

• The Office of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has launched The Comptroller’s NYC Agency Staffing Dashboard. Updated monthly, the Dashboard presents data on the number of actual full-time City employees, as well as the number of full-time positions that City agencies are authorized to hire since the beginning of FY 2017. It includes data on all Mayor and non-Mayoral agencies, but excludes staff at separate but related agencies, such as the New York City Housing Authority and NYC Health + Hospitals. Data on full-time equivalent positions or FTEs are also excluded.
• The Office of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has launched a new digital resource to enhance transparency into the City’s contracting and budgeting for service provision to support asylum seekers. The resource - Accounting for Asylum Seeker Services - brings together the most comprehensive publicly available set of the City’s known emergency contracts, budget projections, and high-level data on the asylum seeker population.
• The Office of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has launched the NYC Climate Dashboard to track the City’s progress in meeting its climate goals. The Dashboard assesses how effectively the City is reducing carbon emissions and how prepared neighborhoods are for the impacts of climate change. Each Dashboard section includes key climate indicators and data on City policies and programs designed to improve these outcomes.
• The Office of New York City Comptroller Brad Landler has published the 2024 LGBTQ+ Guide of Resources and Services. The Guide is a comprehensive citywide directory of resources for LGBTQ+ communities. Over 200 organizations that provide programs and services by – and for – LGBTQ+ New Yorkers are included in the directory.
• The Office of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander released a new report – Understaffed, Underserved -- that identifies areas where direct services to New Yorkers - and the City’s long-term planning and risk management - are being affected by high agency vacancy rates. The FY 2024 preliminary budget includes the impact of several rounds of savings initiatives, primarily through blunt vacancy reductions. Among the 15 agencies with the highest vacancy rates, the Comptroller found that the Department of Small Business Services, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and Housing Preservation and Development are falling farthest behind on the critical indicators they set for themselves in the Mayor’s Management Report.
• New York by the Numbers: Monthly Economic and Fiscal Outlook provides a profile of the US and New York City economies. Click on website's Archives button to read earlier reports.
• The Office of City Comptroller Brad Lander has published the 2022 edition Annual State of the City's Economy and Finances. Archival editions are available.
• New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer's September 2019 report - Retail Vacancy in New York City: Trends and Causes, 2007-2017 - details changes in the retail environment in the five boroughs and selected zip codes.

Office of the Mayor

• New York City Mayor Eric Adams has released a new report – Renew, Rebuild, Reinvent: A Blueprint for NYC’s Economic Recovery – detailing his administration’s vision for the future of New York City’s economy at this moment in time.
• New York City announces changes to the Commercial Rent Tax to provide relief for small businesses. The changes went into effect on July 1, 2018.

Tenant Protection Cabinet

• New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the launch of New York City’s first ever Tenant Protection Cabinet, a multi-agency initiative to better serve City renters by developing policies and long-term strategies that support tenants and ensure safer, fairer housing conditions.

Department of Environmental Conservation

• Effective March 1, 2020, single-use plastic bags, with limited exceptions, are banned in New York State. In addition, businesses will be collecting a five-cent fee on carryout paper bags in New York City. For more detailed information visit the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and their Bring Your Own Bag New York and their Plastic Bag and Film Plastics Recycling for Retailers web pages.

Department of Health

• The New York State Official Health Plan Marketplace provides information on health care options for employers and employees.
• New York State's Paid Family Leave Program went into effect on January 1, 2018.

​​​​Department of Labor

• All New York State workers have rights regardless of their age, immigration status, or work authorization. On May 29, 2024 Governor Kathy Hochul announced the New York State Department of Labor’s Youth Workers Bill of Rights which details additional rights for workers younger than 18 to protect their safety at work and their time to rest and learn outside of the workplace.
• New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the New York State Department of Labor is helping connect newly-authorized migrants and asylum seekers with businesses looking to hire these workers.
• The New York State Department of Labor’s Cannabis Employment and Education Development (CEED) Unit is designed to assist both job seekers and businesses who work in the adult-use, medical cannabis, and cannabinoid hemp industries. They connect workers to a variety of employment opportunities in this emerging field. The Unit also support businesses so they may thrive in the New York economy.
• Business Support Services provides Hiring Incentives, Tax Credits, and Funding Opportunitiesthat give employers that do business in New York trim labor costs through workforce and economic development programs.

Department of Motor Vehicles

• On June 11, 2024, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles announced the launch of New York Mobile ID, a highly-secure digital version of a state-issued driver’s license, learners permit, or ID - on a smartphone - for businesses and for individuals. The Mobile ID is available to Android and IOS users. Anyone with a valid, state-issued driver’s license, learners permit, or non-driver ID can download the app through Google Play or the App Store. The New York MiD serves as a companion to a physical ID – not all businesses or stakeholders will initially accept Mobile IDs. New Yorkers should continue to carry their physical driver’s license or ID.

Department of State

• On December 13, 2023 New York State Governor Kathy Hochul signed an updated credit card surcharge law that went into effect on Sunday February 11, 2024. This consumer protection law requires businesses that impose a credit card surcharge to post the total price of transactions – including surcharges – prior to sale. To help businesses the New York State Department of State has created a Credit Card Surcharge Guide and Video. Additional information is available in the Department of Consumer Protection’s Credit Card Surcharge Legal Update Letter.
• Effective June 20, 2023, all businesses selling gift cards are required to display a notice at or near where any gift card or gift certificate is displayed or sold to caution consumers about gift card fraud. The Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection has created and published model notices that gift card sellers can download and post to comply with this new law. Businesses are encouraged to access these downloadable signs and post them where they sell gift cards.

Empire State Development

• Empire State Development Corporation’s Division of Minority and Women Business Development oversees New York State’s MWBE program. Their FY 2022/ 2023 Annual Report is now available.
• New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced the launch of the New York Forward Loan Fund 2 to provide flexible loans to New York State small businesses. Qualified applicants with fewer than 100 employees and less than five million dollars in gross annual revenue can apply for loans of up to $150,000 with affordable, fixed-rate interest rates.
• Empire State Development and The New York State Governor's Office of Motion Picture & Television Development (MPTV) guides filmmakers through the many programs and assets that the New York State Film Resource Center offers to productions of all types, sizes and budgets, including production, post-production, and commercial tax credit programs.
• Empire State Development's Division of Science, Technology and Innovation – NYSTAR - has designated 10 Innovation Hot Spots—one for each of New York's economic development regions—and 20 Certified Business Incubators, which receive funding to reach a greater number of early-stage companies. Support may vary by location but generally includes: physical space; shared administrative staff; access to capital; coaching; mentoring; networking connections; prototype development; and access to other technical services. Innovation Hot Spots also coordinate regional entrepreneurial ecosystems, and can offer tax benefits to client businesses.
• Planning to start a business in New York State? Visit the State's small business web portal to learn about available services and resources.
• Governor Hochul announced plans for the Focused Attraction of Shovel-Ready Tracts New York Grant Program - FAST NY - to attract and expand key growth industries to New York State. The State's Fiscal 2023 budget will make up tp $200 million available to the grant program to develop sites that will attract high tech manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, and logistics businesses to the State.
• Business Mentor NY is a FREE easy-to-use social network that allows entrepreneurs and volunteer business mentors to connect.
• Empire State Development's Small Business Hub provides assistance for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
• The Global NY Loan Fund is open to New York State companies seeking financing to create or expand direct exports, or to serve as suppliers to larger exporters. Loans are available to purchase equipment, inventory, working capital to support foreign accounts receivable, export lines or credit, or long-term financing. ESD is also offering interest-free loans for Distilled and Fermented Beverage industry businesses to promote New York State’s thriving beverage industry on a global scale.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority [NYSERDA]

• Governor Hochul Announces More than $3.7 Million to Bring Climate Tech Manufacturing and Products to New York State Through M-Corps Program. The M-Corps Program will connect startups to local supply chain partners to scale climate technologies and support Climate Act goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 85% by 2050.

New York State Gaming Commission

• Every Friday, the New York State Gaming Commission publishes weekly mobile sports wagering reports from all of its operators online.

New York State Office of Cannabis Management

• The Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act was chaptered into law on March 31, 2021. The Act legalized the adult-use of cannabis and established the Office of Cannabis Management to implement a comprehensive regulatory framework to cover medical, adult-use, and cannabinoid hemp programs. The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee has launched a website – Cannabis and Driving: What You Need to Know - detailing how the Act applies to the rules of the road in New York State.
• The New York State Cannabis Control Board has approved regulations for growing cannabis at home for medical patients and caregivers. Starting October 5, 2022, patients are permitted to grow up to three mature and three immature cannabis plants at one time. Patients need a certification from a health care provider. Certified patients then register online with the Office of Cannabis Management to receive a registry ID card. New York State provides a list of FAQ’s on home cultivation for potential patients.
• The New York State Office of Cannabis Management has opened the application process to obtain a Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary [CUARD] license. As a result of regulations adopted by the Cannabis Control Board individuals and corporations—including nonprofit organizations—may be eligible applicants for a CUARD license. The license authorizes the license holder to acquire, possess, sell, and deliver cannabis from a retail dispensary to consumers who are 21 and older.
• The New York State Office of Cannabis Management announced that applications to run the first legal adult-use marijuana dispensaries in New York will open on August 25, 2022. Applications will first be granted to New Yorkers who have past marijuana convictions — a key provision under a "Seeding Opportunity Initiative" that aims to provide equity to people who unfairly bore the brunt of past marijuana laws. The application window is now closed.
• Governor Hochul announced the launch of Cannabis Conversations, New York's first public education campaign on cannabis. The campaign is designed to help New Yorkers understand the facts on the Cannabis Law, important information on health and safety, and the opportunities the new industry will create.
• Governor Kathy Hochul announced the opening of the web-based application portal for hemp farmers seeking to obtain a conditional license to grow adult-use cannabis in the 2022 growing season. The license was made possible by a law the Governor signed last month.
• NY State Office of Cannabis Management - This New York State office is the regulatory structure to oversee the licensure, cultivation, production, distribution, sale, and taxation of medical, adult use,and cannabinoid hemp in New York State.

New York State Office of Children and Family Services

• For grants and other funding opportunities, go to check out Contract Development and Management

Office of the New York State Comptroller

• On November 18, 2021, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli released the 2020 Census: Municipal Population Shifts in New York State report tracking New York’s local demographic changes based on 2020 Census data, and an interactive online map that breaks down population statistics by age, race and ethnicity, along with housing trends, in New York’s cities, counties, towns and villages. DiNapoli’s report provides a snapshot of New York state’s population, which totaled more than 20.2 million in 2020, up 4.1% since 2010.

State University of New York [SUNY]

• New York State Small Business Development Centers [SBDCs] - funded via a partnership with the US Small Business Administration - are available to assist entrepreneurs looking to start a business in New York State. Virtual counseling is available at locations throughout New York State.
• The New York Small Business Development Center’s BidLinx Service helps small businesses find appropriate government contract opportunities and sends them right to their desktop. The service is entirely web-based. BidLinx monitors more than 3,000 bid source sites daily. Automated search capabilities enable your business to efficiently locate procurement opportunities from multiple sources: Federal agencies; New York State; county/local governments; all 50 states; U.S. territories; and International government websites. BidLinx is FREE for SBDC clients.

Census Bureau

• The United States Census Bureau’s Business Formation Statistics website provides timely and detailed new business applications and formations statistics for the United States. There are Time Series and Trend Charts by Business and Industry; Geographic Area, NAICS Code; and Monthly and Annual Business Applications by State and by County.
• NEW Census Bureau report: Census Bureau Releases Report on Same-Sex Couple Households

Department of Labor

• 2020 data is now available from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics' American Time Use Survey detailing the amount of time people spend doing various activities such as paid work, child care, volunteering, and socializing.

Department of Health and Human Services

• The National Institutes of Health has launched a website – MakeMyTestCount.org - for self-reporting COVID-19 test results.

Department of State

• The United States Department of State announced on Wednesday June 12, 2024 that is bringing back a trial service to renew your passport online, saying it will open the system for all online renewals soon. Right now, the rollout for online passport renewals is restricted to certain times. Beginning at midday – Eastern time – the Department will accept a limited number of applications. Once the portal has reached its daily limit, it will close until the next day.

Federal Aviation Administration

• Effective December 21, 2015: anyone who owns a small unarmed aircraft of a certain weight must register with the Federal Aviation Administration's Unmanned Aircraft System [UAS] Registry before flying outdoors. People who previously operated their UAS must register by February 16, 2016. People who do not register could face civil and criminal penalties. Drone owners can also call 1-844-FLY-MY-UA.

Federal Communications Commission

• Broadband Consumer Labels - On Wednesday April 10, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission will require internet service providers with MORE than 100,000 subscribers to provide basic information for anyone shopping for a broadband wireless plan. Providers with LESS than 100,000 subscribers have until October 10, 2024 to comply. A glossary – available in English and in Spanish – is available to help consumers better understand the information displayed on the label. Sample pdf format labels are available for home internet access and for mobile broadband access.

Federal Researve Bank

• The Federal Reserve Bank's Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2023 is their annual survey of thousands of individuals about their household finances including income, savings, and expenses. Archived survey reports are available.
• The Federal Reserve Bank's 2023 Small Business Credit Survey is a national study of small businesses with fewer than 500 employees on their performance, obstacles, and credit seeking experiences.Archivedsurvey reports are available.

Internal Revenue Service

• The Internal Revenue Service’s Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center provides information on preparing and on filing or paying business taxes for small business owners and the self-employed. Archival survey reports are available.

Small Business Admimistration

• The Small Business Administration has launched Ascent, an interactive digital platform with resources women business owners need to set and achieve their business goals. Ascent is designed for women entrepreneurs who are beyond the start-up phase, generating revenue, and looking to grow and scale.
• The Small Business Administration is offering designated states and territories low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus - COVID-19.
• T.H.R.I.V.E. Emerging Leaders Reimagined is an executive-level training series intended to give ambitious small business leaders a challenging opportunity to accelerate their growth through targeted training led by motivating leaders in small business development.
• Small Business Administration's Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Businesses Program details how you can make your business eligible to compete for the program's set-aside contracts.
• Effective December 21, 2015: anyone who owns a small unarmed aircraft of a certain weight must register with the Federal Aviation Administration's Unmanned Aircraft System [UAS] Registry before flying outdoors. People who previously operated their UAS must register by February 16, 2016. People who do not register could face civil and criminal penalties. Drone owners can also call 1-844-FLY-MY-UA.

US Global Change Research Program

• The Fourth National Climate Assessment - Volumes One and Two - provide an in-depth look at climate change impacts on the United States. The 2014 Assessment is also available.

• Accompany Capital released the results of their 2022 survey of women entrepreneurs in New York City, The Accompany Capital NYC Women Entrepreneurs Survey. New York City is unique in many ways, including the growth rate of women entrepreneurs, which increased 64% from 2015 to 2020. The survey’s findings offer perspective about how lenders can further advance opportunities for women entrepreneurs so that they, in turn, can contribute in even more significant ways to the economy and the culture of New York City.
• The Awesome Foundation is a global community advancing the interest of awesome in the universe, $1000 at a time. Each fully autonomous chapter supports awesome projects through micro-grants, usually given out monthly. These micro-grants - $1000 or the local equivalent - come out of the pockets of the chapter's "trustees" and are given on a no-strings-attached basis to people and groups working on awesome projects. Every chapter interprets "awesome" for itself. As such, awesome projects include initiatives in a wide range of areas including arts, technology, community development, and more.
• Better Business Bureau - The Better Business Bureau’s June 2024 report – Phishing Scams – is now available. The report documents common tactics that scammers use to steal cash and bank information from their targets [individuals and businesses], details ways to avoid scams, and lists the kinds of enforcement helping to curb fraud.
• Tha Cannabis Workforce Initiative has created a career guide detailing the options available for pursuing a career in cannabis.
• Clara Wu Tsai, co-owner of the Brooklyn Nets, is launching the largest business accelerator for minority founders of early-stage startups. The BK-XL Accelerator plans to invest up to $500,000 in 12 startups founded by Black, Indigenous, and other minority founders in 2023. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
• CUNY Startups - The program's mission is to improve the economic mobility of CUNY students through entrepreneurship while stimulating small business growth and economic development in New York City. CUNY Startups launched in 2014 as a CUNY program to provide central entrepreneurship resources to all 270,000 students across the 25 colleges. Located on the Baruch College campus, CUNY Startups programs - New Venture Accelerator and CUNY Hackathon - facilitate student and volunteer engagement through broad and meaningful recruitment and outreach to traditionally marginalized groups. Students learn the skills they need to propel their careers through a combination of instruction, mentorship and practice.
• Center for an Urban Future policy brief - Preparing Today's Asylum Seekers for Tomorrow's Workforce - September 2023
• Center for Urban Future report - In Good Company — What NYC’s Employers Should Do to Expand Access to Good Jobs
• Center for an Urban Future new report - Starting Up and Staying Out How New York City could give former prisoners an entrepreneurial push.
• Center for an Urban Future new report - HARNESSING CUNY AS A LAUNCHPAD INTO TECH CAREERS
• Deloitte - Deloitte’s second Women @ Work 2022: a Global Outlook aims to better understand how women’s experiences in the workplace impact their engagement and career progression.
• Experian - Questions about your business credit? Visit Experian's BusinessCreditFacts.
• Freelancers Union | Black Freelancers Web Directory - This service from the Freelancers Union. Right now information is listed only by individual name and specialty - neither alphabetical.
• Hot Bread Kitchen - Hot Bread Kitchen’s HBKi Scale program – in partnership with The Acceleration Project and a network of Community Development Financial Institutions – connects eligible New York City food businesses to a network of mission-driven lenders and prepares entrepreneurs to apply, secure, and understand loans that are tailored to their businesses’ unique growth trajectory. HBKi Scale is specifically designed to support women and gender-expansive people, immigrants, and people of color. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
• Hello Alice - in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and with funding from Etsy and Progressive – has opened the application portal for the Small Business Growth Fund. The Fund provides small business owners the capital they need to make their next move. Check website for various funding information.
• nyc domain name web address - Any person, business, or organization with a physical address within the five boroughs can register for a .nyc domain name web address.
• The New Jersey Business Action Center is the one-stop for entrepreneurs looking to start a small business in New Jersey. Their Office of Small Business Advocacy supports small businesses - startups and established - throughout the state.
• The New School : Center for New York City Affairs - For One in 10 New York Workers, 'Independent Contractor' Means Underpaid and Unprotected - a new report from the New School’s Center for New York City Affairs (CNYCA) - reveals that873,000 workers in many of New York State’s major low-paying industries are wrongly classified as “independent contractors.”
• ​Looking for New York City Statistics? Visit NYC Data; NYC Open Data; NYC Census FactFinder; and AllTransit.
• New York University - Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service - New York City’s Open Restaurants outdoor dining program began in June 2020. Open Restaurants in New York - a Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service report -compares New York City’s old Sidewalk Café outdoor dining program with its replacement: Open Restaurants. IThe report highlights how Open Restaurants has led to new outdoor dining opportunities outside Manhattan, in communities that had no prior outside dining, and in communities of color and low-income neighborhoods as well.
• New York University's Entrepreneurial Institute's list of Incubators, Co-Working Spaces, and Accelerators includes NYU-Affiliated Programs, Non-NYU Co-working Spaces, and Non-NYU Startup Accelerators.
• New York’s New Jobs Engine – a July 2022 report prepared by the Center for an Urban Future – explores the challenges and headwinds that the tech sector will face as it strives to create a larger, more sustainable, and more inclusive tech ecosystem in New York City.
• The Pace University Small Business Development Center partners with a range of State and Federal agencies in the area of international trade to help small business owners access the financial resources and technical assistance needed to export their goods or services.
• Pace University Small Business Development Center - Interested in government procurement opportunities? Pace University's Small Business Development Center's BidLinx is a FREE, web-based bid-matching service for SBDC clients that monitors thousands of bid sources and emails notices of opportunities tailored to a firm's products, services, and capabilities.
• Run by the Partnership Fund for New York City and Accenture, FinTech Innovation Lab New York is a highly competitive, 12-week program that helps early- to growth-stage tech companies refine and test their value proposition with the support of the world’s leading financial service firms. Running in parallel to the fintech track, New York also operates an insurtech track, enabling insurtech entrepreneurs to elevate their technologies to leaders within the industry. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. There is no fee to apply.
• The Queens Economic Development Corporation [QEDC} has launched their Entrepreneur Space - a food and business incubator - in Long Island City. The incubator offers a fully equipped kitchen, storage and coaching. Classroom space and private / semi-private office space is also available Information on how to apply - and more details - are available at the Entrepreneur Space website and via their FAQs.
• Service Corps of Retired Executives [SCORE] - SCORE's New York Women in Business Directory - an online directory for women-owned businesses only - is OPEN for registration. Inclusion in the directory is FREE.
• Yippity Doo - Each month Yippity Doo – a partner of the Queens Economic Development Corporation - gives one $1000 grant to a woman - age 18 or over - in the United States to invest in their business or idea. The Big Idea Grant for Women can to be used as start-up grant, marketing grant, operational grant or whatever is needed to help a woman-owned business.
• Start Small Think Big - SSTB - is a nonprofit organization that focuses on pairing entrepreneurs ready to grow their businesses with top pro bono attorneys and financial and marketing experts. Complete their online application form and SSTB will contact you to schedule an online appointment. Call 646-723-4053 or email hello@startsmallthinkbig.org. if you have any questions about SSTB's legal, financial, and marketing services.
• Tory Burch Foundation - The Tory Burch Foundation empowers women and women entrepreneurs by providing access to capital, education, and digital resources to help them grow their business.
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce - The 55 Grants, Loans and Programs to Benefit Your Small Business- a list compiled by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce - is updated weekly. Whether you are starting a new small business - or looking to grow the one you already own - finding funding can be a challenge. If you're looking for a small business grant or loan, the Chamber's list is one place to start.
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has launched a new digital platform CO-to help small businesses start, run. amd grow.
• Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Grant – Verizon - in partnership with LISC - has rolled out their brand-new round of grant opportunities and your small business could be eligible to apply for $10,000 -, funding that could be used to help power up your marketing, purchase equipment, grow your team, and more! To apply for the current round of grant funding, complete any combination of two courses, coaching events, and community events. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
• WeWork and Bunker Labs have partnered on a nationwide initiative Veterans in Residence ProgramThis initiative provides space, services, business mentorship, and community to help veteran and military family member entrepreneurs.
• WomensNet - WomensNet invites you to apply for their $25,000 Amber Grant for Women. In recognition of the diversity of businesses owned by women, WomenNet has expanded their grant-giving to include “Marketing Grants,” “Business Category Grants,” as well as two “$25,000 Year End Grants.” Two $10,000 Amber Grants are awarded each month, and two of the monthly winners get an additional $25,000 Year-End Amber Grant.