STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

The Abilities Fund
National Office
410 N 18th St
Centerville, IA 52544-1823
Telephone: 641-856-2173
Toll Free: 888-222-8943
Fax: 641-856-3101
http://www.abilitiesfund.org

"The Abilities Fund and Accion USA, a leading national microfinance lender specializing in loans to small businesses, have joined hands to ensure that individuals with disabilities have added benefits when applying for a loan from Accion USA. Qualified applicants will enjoy a lower interest rate along with technical assistance regarding the loan application. For more information, please visit the Abilities Fund Web site.

In support of new microlending services, The Abilities Fund is expanding its online presence to include training and technical assistance. This summer, people with disabilities nationwide will have 24-hour access to online tools such as Feasibility First ©, business plan development, and financial planning for business startup -- all of which are resources designed to prepare entrepreneurs with disabilities for self-employment."

Chattanooga-Hamilton County Business Development Center
1001 Market St., Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 756-2121
E-mail: bdc@chattanooga-chamber.com
URL: http://www.chattanooga-chamber.com

"The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce has a fairly simple mission: To promote regional business growth that creates prosperity and enhances quality of life."

Department of Economic and Community Development
Rachel Jackson Building, 320 6th Avenue, North Nashville, TN 37243-0405
Phone: (615) 741-3282
In Tennessee: (800) 342-8470
Outside of Tennessee: (800) 251-8594
E-mail: rmiles@mail.state.tn.us
URL: http://www.state.tn.us/ecd/

• Sources of Funding
  URL: http://www.state.tn.us/ecd/rg_ch5.htm#sec_fundsource

The Development Corporation of Knox County
601 W. Summit Hill Drive, Suite 200-A, Knoxville, TN 37902
Phone: (865) 546-5887
Fax: (865) 546-6170
URL: http://www.knoxdevelopment.org/

"The main objective of the Fairview Technology Center is to support and encourage the creation of technology-based businesses by providing them with an affordable work environment."

Disadvantaged Businesses in Tennessee
Resources Available for Socially & Economically Disadvantaged Businesses
URL: http://www.state.tn.us/ecd/rg_ch7.htm

• Contact List
  URL: http://www.state.tn.us/ecd/rg_ch7.htm#sec_contact

East TN State University Community Partnership Center
305 W. Main Street, Mountain City, Tennessee 37683
Phone: (423) 727-1250
Fax: (423) 232-7255
E-mail: tja@preferred.com
URL: http://www.etsu.edu/keystone

"The Center for Community Outreach and Family Services administers a wide range of programs designed to address social and economic concerns in East Tennessee."

First Tennessee:
Where to Go for Small Business Information
in Memphis & Shelby County
URL: http://www.memphislibrary.org/ftsbc/where/wheretogo.htm

Jubilee Project Business Incubator (Clinch Powell Common Kitchens)
Steve Hodges, Director
123 N. Jockey Street, P.O. Box 657, Sneedville, TN 37869
Phone: (423) 733-4195
Fax: (423) 733-1624
E-mail: jubilee@naxs.com
URL: http://jubileeproject.holston.org

"Jubilee Business Incubator offers mentoring, networking, help with Access to Loan Funds, manufacturing practices assistance, product design, and marketing."

MIFA Opportunity Banc
PO Box 3130, Memphis, Tennessee 38173
Phone: (901) 529-4524
Fax: (901) 529-4500
E-mail: awesterholm@mifa.org
URL: http://www.mifa.org

"Community Development Program facilitates cooperation between residents and neighborhood institutions for the purpose of revitalizing the Peabody/Vance neighborhood. This area, which is home to MIFA's headquarters at 910 Vance and the Estival Communities, is located in the city's most impoverished zip code."

Nashville Capital Network
211 Commerce St, Suite 100
Nashville, TN 37201
Phone: (615) 322.3154
Fax: (615) 256.0393
URL: http://www.nashvillecapital.com

"NCN helps entrepreneurs with business ventures that have the potential to attract institutional equity refine their business concepts, prepare for the fundraising process, and raise equity capital. As an extension of its educational initiative, NCN connects entrepreneurs with investors to help businesses raise early stage capital, grow, and prosper. NCN employs its resources to develop investment opportunities often not available to individuals or informal investor groups. Additionally, NCN provides resources that assist Angels including due diligence, structuring, and administration of Angel investments. The NCN serves as an advocate for entrepreneurs and will assist in the fundraising process by matching promising ventures with experienced and knowledgeable Nashville- based investors."

The National Association for Women Business Owners - Nashville Chapter (NAWBO)
P. O. Box 101024, Nashville, TN 37224
Phone: (615) 248-3474
Fax: (615) 256-2706
E-mail: tnwrc@bellsouth.net
URL: http://www.nashvillenawbo.com/

"The Nashville Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is a membership-based organization that informs, empowers and promotes women business owners and invites its members to impact the social, political and economic communities. Nashville NAWBO was the first chapter chartered in Tennessee and provided assistance to establish chapters in Chattanooga, Memphis and Tri-Cities, thus creating a statewide partnership of women business owners. The Tennessee NAWBO Chapters are affiliated with the national NAWBO association which includes 60 chapters throughout the United States. NAWBO is a member of Les Femmes Chefs D'Entreprises Mondiales, an international association of Women Business owners. In concert with its educational foundation, the Nashville Foundation for Women Business Owners (NFWBO), Nashville NAWBO has established the first, SBA-funded women's business center in Tennessee. Located in Nashville, The Women's Resource Center will offer on-site business counseling services, training programs and technical assistance to women business owners in Middle Tennessee, which includes 21 counties. Through the consortium of sister NAWBO Chapters and our corporate partnership with BellSouth and the Tennessee Economic Development Center, the Women's Resource Center will be able to provide training programs statewide through satellite, two-way interactive video conferences and the internet."

Small Business Development Center/Cleveland State Community College
Technologies Bldg., Room 126, 3535 Adkisson Drive, P.O. Box 3570, Cleveland, TN 37320
Phone: (423) 478-6247
Fax: (423) 478-6251
E-mail: rplatz@clevelandstatecc.edu
URL: http://www.clscc.cc.tn.us/sbdc/SbdcPage/index.htm

"We provide business information and consulting services to help business owners and start-ups become successful. We provide timely and accurate information to answer Client questions. All information is carefully researched and delivered in an easy-to-understand and expeditious manner. If we are unable to satisfy a Client’s need, we assist in contacting other agencies and organizations that can. We tutor our Clients in the processes that identify and resolve business problems. Through our services and those of partnering business professionals and volunteers, we give our Clients the insights they need to successfully manage and grow their businesses. We specialize in helping Clients understand financing processes and, for those who are qualified, we help find and secure funding sources."

South Central Tennessee Development District
815 South Main Street, PO Box 1346, Columbia, TN 38402
Phone: (615) 381-2040
Fax: (6515) 381-2053
URL: http://www.sctdd.org/

"South Central Tennessee Development District (SCTDD) is an association of thirty-six municipal and thirteen county governments in southern middle Tennessee organized to advocate and promote economic and community development within the region."

Tennessee Business Information Guide (PDF Format)
URL: http://www.state.tn.us/ecd/res_guide.htm

"The small business resource guide is provided to help new businesses understand the information they will need to make their dreams of business ownership a reality."

Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association
Rural Development Loans
710 Spence Lane
P.O. Box 10092
Nashville, TN 37224
Phone: 615-367-9284
URL: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/tn/busdevel.htm

"This program is utilized to finance rural economic development and rural job creation projects that are based on sound economic and financial analyses. Loans and grants are made to Rural Utilities Service (RUS) electric and telephone borrowers who use the funds to provide financing for business and community development projects. Tennessee ranks second in the nation for this program."

Tennessee Extension Service
101 Morgan Hall, Knoxville, TN 37996
Phone: (423) 974-7114
E-mail: rvannoy@utk.edu
URL: http://www.utextension.utk.edu/

Tennessee Network for Community Economic Development
PO Box 23353, Nashville, TN 37202-3353
Phone: (615) 226-8868
Fax: (615) 226-5992
E-mail: tnced@aol.com

Tennessee Small Business Development Centers
TSBDC Lead Center
MTSU
P.O. Box 98
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
Phone:(615) 849-9999
Toll Free: (877) 898-3900
URL: http://www.tsbdc.org/

"The TSBDC is a network of professional business consultants with 12 centers and 2 satellite offices in 14 cities throughout the State of Tennessee. The TSBDC prides itself on providing expert business advice to all types of businesses whether you are a manufacturer, retailer, service provider, or a professional; we are here to help you help yourself."

Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency
3111 Enterprise Drive, Cookeville, Tennessee 38506
Phone: (931) 528-1127
Fax: (931) 526-8305
E-mail: uchramis@multipro.com
URL: http://www.uchra.org/

"The Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency (UCHRA) was established by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1973 to be the delivery system for human resources in the 14 counties of the region."