How The SBA Helped This Black-Owned Media Company Get Started

Among the largest African-American owned and operated media corporations in the United States, Radio One was started by Catherine L. Hughes in 1980. Key to her sucessful start was a SBA-guaranteed 7(a) loan for $600,000 in 1980.

Radio One owns and/or operates 53 radio stations located in 16 urban markets in the United States. Radio One received investments totaling $9.5 million from SBA-licensed SBICs in the late 1990s.

Many of the SBA programs offering Small Business Grants, Loan Programs and Counseling Programs for women are offered through state agencies.

Introduction to the Small Business Administration

If you're looking for a way to help your business grow, now would be a good time to understand how the government can help you with your small business needs.

Small Business Administration HUBZone Program

The Historically Underutilized Business Zones Empowerment Contracting Program provides federal contracting assistance to eligible small businesses located in underutilized business zones to improve their employment opportunities, investments, and their area's economic development.

SBA Low-Interest Disaster Loans

Disaster loans can be utilized for the repair and rebuilding of non-farm, private sector disaster losses, and are available to all types of business, instead of being restricted to small businesses alone.

SBA Loans Explained

This short video describes the most popular Small Business Administration loan program, the 7(a) loan.

HUBZone Certification Program Webinar

This video explains the basics of the HUBZone certification program for small business federal contractors.

HUBZone certification allows certain small businesses to compete for set-aside contracts aimed at spurring investment in low median income or high unemployment areas.

SBA 8(a) Business Development Program Webinar

This video explains how the SBA's 8(a) Program works, its eligibility requirements, technical assistance available to small disadvantaged businesses through the program and common myths about the program.

Local Assistance from the Small Business Administration

The Small Business Administration has many local offices and resource partners that counsel, mentor and train small business owners and entrepreneurs.

These nearby offices and online assistance can help your business start up, succeed and grow. This short video provides a good introduction to services near you.

Small Business Administration Resources for Veterans

The Small Business Administration offers various resources for veterans interested in starting, financing or growing their businesses.

SCORE Services to Small Business - An Introduction

In an excerpt from a 2010 interview the SCORE CEO discusses its counseling and workshops offerings to small businesses.

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Featured Government Grant Resources

Small Business Administration's Portable Assistance Program

The Small Business Administration has established the Portable Assistance Program wherein they seek to provide grants to Small Business Development Lead Centers that provide services to small businesses in an effort to increase the success of small business establishments and their viability in certain communities where economic hardship is apparent and is attributable to the impact of a major disaster.

How The Government Can Help Your Small Business

The United States Small Business Administration, otherwise known as SBA, is a United States government agency that was established on the 30th day of July, 1953.

More Small Business Resources