CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY EVENT CALENDAR & REGISTRATION MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
JOIN NOW BENEFITS
OF MEMBERSHIP MEMBER
LOGIN PHOTO, PODCAST, VIDEO GALLERY BLOG
& FORUM GREATERREADINGVOICE.COM GRBRC.COM WOMEN2WOMEN

USEFUL LINKS

General Resources

Veterans - NaVOBA - National Veteran-Owned Business Association, NaVOBA unites current and future veteran-owned businesses by acting as the national voice for the veteran business movement; or US Small Business Administration (SBA),

Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights - United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Inventions - American Society of Inventors (ASI), ASI is a non-profit organization formed to bring inventors together and to educate them on protecting, developing, and marketing or licensing their invention.

Persons with disabilities - Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), , OVR is a State Agency that helps persons with disabilities help themselves to prepare for, start, and maintain a career.

Franchises - Small Business Administration (SBA); or FranNet.

Disaster Preparedness and Relief- SCORE; or SBA, or PA Department of Health.

Public Libraries - Reading Public Library, the library has many resources for businesses, both at the branch and online.

Entrepreneurs and business owners - US Small Business Administration, programs and services to help you start, grow and succeed a small business.

US Chamber of Commerce

Financing

Pennsylvania Angel Network (PAN) - PAN is a statewide organization designed to offer support to over 2,000 angels in the commonwealth. By increasing individuals' knowledge base through information sharing, PAN provides an opportunity to assist angels in making connections with companies and to make the most of those connections.

Community First Fund (CFF) - CFF creates lasting economic growth for the communities it serves by providing equitable financial services, technical knowledge, and advocacy for its customers.

Greater Berks Development Fund (GBDF) - is a private nonprofit corporation that provides financing, real estate and development services to businesses expanding or locating in Berks County. It acts a lending agent for the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and accesses their lending programs for companies in Berks County.

Berks County Industrial Development Authority - its purpose of promoting and developing commercial, industrial and manufacturing enterprises and encouraging employment within the County of Berks.

US Small Business Administration (SBA) - SBA help Americans start, build and grow businesses. The SBA only lends thru other institutions.

Local banks - there are many local institutions who are able to assist with financing.

Local Credit Unions - there are many local institutions who are able to assist with financing.

State, Federal and Private Funding Sources

PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) - DCED and the Commonwealth offer business assistance to help organizations fund their projects or start a business, find a location, expand their business, or stay in Pennsylvania.

Grants.gov - is a central storehouse for information on over 1,000 grant programs and provides access to approximately $500 billion in annual awards.

Catalog for Federal Domestic Assistance - this online program gives you access to a database of all Federal programs available.

The Foundation Center - is the nation's leading authority on philanthropy, connecting nonprofits and the grant makers supporting them to tools they can use and information they can trust. For the most complete listing, access The Foundation Center at the Reading Public Library main branch located at 100 S 5th St, Reading, PA.

PA Business Resources

PA Open for Business - this web site gives entrepreneurs "one stop" access to business information. Entrepreneurs can explore financial options, download many of the important forms necessary to start and expand a business, and electronically register a business with the Pennsylvania Departments of Labor and Industry, Revenue, and State.

Governors Action Team (GAT) - is a single point of contact for businesses that are considering Pennsylvania as a site for a facility location or expansion.

Team Pennsylvania Foundation - is a system designed to bring buyers together with Pennsylvania suppliers of products and/or services. This service is offered at no cost to you through grants from the State and Federal governments.

PA Business Guide

PA Department of State (DOS)

PA Department of General Services (DGS) - it oversees procurement of goods and services for the state, expands opportunity for minority and women-owned businesses, and is responsible for purchasing or contracting for equipment, supplies and services for the Commonwealth, among other things.

PA Business Incentives

Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) - is an economic development program funded by the PA Department of Community & Economic Development and other stakeholders in the program.

Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) - FTZs were created to neutralize negative U.S. tariff impact on products used by manufactures operating in the United States and to keep U.S. businesses competitive with businesses operating offshore or overseas.

Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) - is providing an opportunity to develop land with greatly reduced state and local taxes.

Local Business Resources

Our Partners

Other Local, State and Federal Offices- (taxes, licenses, others)

Child Care Licenses - or PA Department of Public Welfare.

Restaurant/Food Handling Permits - City of Reading;

Alcohol Licenses - PA Liquor Control Board (PLCB), the PLCB is responsible for all licensing and retailing, as well providing an educational program on the effects of alcohol.

Home Improvement Contractor Registration - the law requires that all contractors who perform at least $5,000 worth of home improvements per year register with the Attorney General's Office.

Professional Licensure - PA Department of State, Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Professional licensing protects the health, safety and welfare of the public from fraudulent and unethical practitioners.

Business in the city of Reading

PA Department of Revenue

Internal Revenue Service

PA Department of Labor and Industry

Rural Development - United States Dept. of Agriculture, Rural Development, it is the mission of the USDA Rural Development to provide financial and technical assistance to rural individuals, families, communities, and businesses.

Berks County District Attorney Bad Check Restitution Program - In an effort to combat this problem, the Bad Check Restitution Program has been organized to assist local merchants with bad check losses.

Non-ProfitResources

Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO) - PANO is the statewide membership organization serving and advancing the charitable nonprofit sector through leadership, advocacy, education and services in order to improve the quality of life in Pennsylvania.

SCORE - The Reading, PA Chapter is part of SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business," a national nonprofit association dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth and success of the nation's small businesses. Their services are also available to the non-profit community.

MBE/WBE Certification and Resources

Pennsylvania Department of General Services - Learn about Pennsylvania's Minority & Women Business Enterprise certification program and its requirements and benefits.

Unified Certification Program

8(a) Business Development Program