Growing your business takes more than just money. It takes skill, expertise and hard work. Erie County, Pennsylvania offers a multitude of entrepreneur and small business support services to help you succeed, regardless of the stage your business is in. We encourage you to seek the advice and support of one or more of the following services, most of which are free.
Matches eligible creative entrepreneurs with existing, free, local and small business consulting services and financial resources ranging from $500 to $2000 to help them grow their businesses, audiences, and revenue.
In partnership with Erie Arts & Culture, the StARTup Grant program supported by ECRDA will review and offer an additional $5000 grant to those that qualify. Cohorts and applications are quarterly. For more information and to apply please visit www.erieartsandculture.org.
The Entrepreneur Business Clinic is hosted by the Penn State LaunchBox program and provides free business services for startup and early-stage businesses in PA.
For more information, contact Britani Peterson at BLP193@psu.edu or complete the online intake form.
EBWS offers workshops and training on everything from repairing your credit to building your brand and Business 101 for those thinking about starting a business.
For more information on EBWS and its workshops, visit its website.
The Idea Lab is an adult maker space offering free equipment and class access. Their goal is to be an educational resource for the community to build creative skills, connect with other makers, and make cool stuff! For more information, Idea Lab – Erie County Public Library.
Paramount Pursuits is a small business incubator and economic development consulting partner, concentrating on empowering entrepreneurs and providing guidance for Main Street revitalization projects within our local communities.
To support our entrepreneurs and businesses at all stages of development, the Pennsylvania Business One-Stop Shop was created and launched business.pa.gov in February 2018.
The Small Business Development Center at Gannon University offers no-cost, confidential consulting services for small businesses and entrepreneurs looking to start a business. The SBDC can help you with everything from business planning to bookkeeping.
Collaborative resources, professional services and technology offered by area universities and the Erie County Public Library free to entrepreneurs. See how The Hive can help you at nwpabeehive.com.
The City of Erie sponsors this international crowdfunding program to help launch businesses and provide early-stage resources. For more information, contact Victoria Lewek at erie@local.kiva.org.
