Small and Underutilized Businesses

This section highlights policy, procurement and other resources for Tennessee's entrepreneurs, small and underutilized businesses seeking certifications and registrations to do business with the government and private sector.   

 

Entrepreneurs with Disabilities

Programs, Resources, Certification

  • Disability:IN - resource for business disability inclusion
  • Go-DBE - Certification for Persons with Disabilities Business Enterprise (DSBE)
  • SBA 8(a) – business development program helps DBEs compete in the marketplace
  • Vocational Rehabilitation Services , TNDHS  - a program providing services to individuals with disabilities to attain self-employment

Minority Business Enterprises

Programs, Resources, Certification 

Small Business Enterprise 

Programs, Resources, Certification

Veteran Business Enterprises

Programs, Resources, Certification

Women Business Enterprises

Programs, Resources, Certification

LGBT Business Enterprises

Programs, Opportunities and Resources

Justice Impacted Individuals (Previously Incarcerated Entrepreneurs)

Programs, Opportunities and Resources

  • Grants – see the grant section under Quick Links; grant dollars related to previously incarcerated typically go to nonprofits and government agencies to provide support services and training to affect recidivism
  • Jobs4TN – find employers near you
  • Jobs For Felons Hub -  online reentry resource portal
  • Reentering the Community – A Handbook – checklists, available services, helpful tools
  • Step Ahead: helps job seekers with felony convictions and other criminal charges know their work options

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Rural Businesses

Programs, Opportunities and Resources

  • AgLaunch - collaboratively supports and develops sustainable, future-ready farms and transformation of regional agricultural and food economies
  • HUBZone ​- helps small businesses gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities
  • Main Street (Tennessee) - provides technical assistance, training and guidance to nationally accredited downtowns
  • National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) - an alliance of grassroots organizations that advocates for federal policy reform to advance the sustainability of agriculture, food systems, natural resources, and rural communities
  • Opportunity Zones - a federal tax incentive for investors to re-invest  capital gains into investing in designated low-income areas
  • RUPRI – provides unbiased analysis and information on the challenges, needs and opportunities facing rural America
  • Southern Rural Development (SRDC) – a mix of strategies to help rural communities seed entrepreneurs
  • USDA Rural Development - work in partnership with the private sector and the community-based organizations to provide financial assistance (not a direct lender)
  • UT Institute for Agriculture and Extension – information resource for rural business

Youth Entrepreneurship

Programs, Opportunities and Resources

  • DECA - prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in high schools and colleges worldwide
  • Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) - bring business and education together
  • Global Entrepreneurship Week - the world’s largest celebration of the innovators and job creators who launch startups
  • Junior Achievement (JA) - K-12th grade programs foster work-readiness, entrepreneurship, financial literacy
  • Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) - provides programs that inspire young people from low-income communities to stay in school, to recognize business opportunities 
  • FSA Youth Loans (loan program) – loans of up to $5,000 for eligible individual rural youths, (10-20 yrs. old) to finance income producing, agriculture-related projects
  • Virtual Enterprise - an in-school entrepreneurship program and global business simulation
  • Young Entrepreneurs - current articles, blogs and other media for teens and young entrepreneurs