Illinois Small Business Development Center
Providing Guidance for Business Growth
The Illinois Small Business Development Center is the answer place for start-up or existing McHenry County businesses that employ up to 500 people. Services include free counseling, grant assistance, networking opportunities and a host of seminars and courses covering everything from how to start a business in Illinois to how to grow a business by obtaining loans or exporting products worldwide. Think of us as your "first stop center" for any of the following areas!
Seminar and Workshop Series
Whether you'd like help crafting your business plan or you're interested in winning government contracts, we offer in-depth assistance with an ongoing series of courses, from two-hour workshops to weekly classes. Review our Seminar Schedule.
Free One-on-One Counseling
We offer free counseling for self-employed entrepreneurs, owners and managers of businesses. Let us review your business plan before you talk to the banker. Use our research and contacts to develop your marketing and e-business strategies. Plus, we catalog and track all federal, state and local government business assistance programs. We offer counseling and seminars/workshops on these and other topics:
- Business planning, personnel and other business management issues
- Marketing and advertising
- Finance and accounting, regulation and taxation
- Production and operations, office automation and computer training
- Business data analysis, technology and other issues necessary to promote business growth
The Procurement Technical Assistance Center
Need help in bidding on federal, state or local government contracts? Our Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) helps businesses find government markets and offers help in making bids on contracts. PTAC also provides tips on how to administer government contracts once your business has them. This service is in collaboration with Rock Valley College.
Export/International and E-Commerce Assistance
The Illinois Small Business Development Center and other MCC programs provide full and/or low-cost assistance for businesses interested in exploring or enhancing their export/international or e-commerce business. Additional assistance is available through collaboration with College of DuPage's International Trade Center. Counseling and seminars are also available.
Grant Assistance
We offer assistance on qualifying for local, state, and federal loan, grant and other business assistance programs. We have up-to-date information on grant availability and qualification, and we maintain personal contact with authorized individuals at the state and federal levels.
Networking
We maintain a cooperative working relationship with financial institutions, CPA associations, bar associations, trade and business organizations, chambers of commerce and economic development groups, to name a few. The current director is on the board of directors of SomerCor 504, the Certified Development Corp. for this region. All of these resources are available to you through the Illinois Small Business Development Center'
The Illinois Small Business Development Center has been developed through a partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and McHenry County College under a cooperative agreement.
Read about one of our many success stories!
Additional Small Business Resources
- Illinois Entrepreneurship Network www.ienconnect.com
- Small Business Administration www.sba.gov
For more information contact:
Mary Margaret Maule
Illinois Small Business Development Center Coordinator
Phone: (815) 455-6098
E-mail: sbdc@mchenry.edu
9/26/08