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Encourage Entrepreneurship in your Community with the SBA Business Smart Toolkit

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Created on September 29, 2015
 

What is it? The SBA Business Smart Toolkit is a ready-to-use workshop toolkit developed jointly by National Association for Government Guaranteed Lenders and SBA. The workshop lays the groundwork for helping new and aspiring entrepreneurs launch a business idea and understand the steps to building a business that is credit ready.

The Business Smart Toolkit is a part of SBA’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative to provide resources for underserved communities. The information is laid out simply in three modules.

ready

The three modules will focus on:

  1. READY: Basics of Business startup
  2. SET: Essentials of becoming credit-ready
  3. GO: How and where to find additional small business support and educational resources.

Each module will have approximately 60€90 minutes of presentation material. The modules can be presented in a one-day [or multiple day] workshop(s), depending on what is best suited for the individual community.

The toolkit is available online for download at SBA’s website and includes:

  • Introductory video 
  • PowerPoint presentation 
  • Customizable template to insert local small business support resources 
  • Instructor Notes/guide 
  • Supporting worksheets, links, etc.

Who is it for? The toolkit is designed for local community organizations whose constituents are interested in starting a business but do not know where to begin. The curriculum will allow the local organization to provide their constituents with enough basic knowledge to get them on the right track in starting and connecting them to local resources—along with providing further support along their entrepreneurial journey. The toolkit and instructor guide are written at a level so that a community volunteer can feel comfortable presenting the information.

Why is it needed? This toolkit will help ensure we are providing America's current and aspiring entrepreneurs with the most comprehensive and current support possible. We recognize that community leaders may want to provide business and financial information to their constituents but not know where to find this information in an easy to use format. The Business Smart Toolkit will provide that support.