Starting and Growing a Business in Muscatine
GMCCI is committed to helping our small business community grow and thrive. As the backbone to any economy, it is critical that these stakeholders have access to resources, funding, education and relationships that will help support their entrepreneurial goals. Whether it’s building, growing or reinventing your small business, we hope these tools and resource partners will help you navigate your journey and put you on the path to success!
SBDC of Iowa
The Iowa Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers free business counseling. Primary areas of concentration include market planning and strategy, business growth, loan proposal assistance, succession and continuity planning, market research, cash flow, pricing and projections, accounting and QuickBooks, disaster recovery, export assistance and more.
Business resources include information on cybersecurity, e-commerce (including how to register your Iowa made products on the “Shop Iowa” platform), digital marketing, business planning, international trade, financing and capital.
Click here to learn more about SBDC Iowa.
SCORE
SCORE is a volunteer group of retired executives that is dedicated to helping small businesses start and grow by offering mentorships, workshops, webinars and classes, business templates and other resources.
Click here to learn more about SCORE.
Iowa Center for Economic Success
The Iowa Center is an economic development organization that delivers three lines of direct service to empower entrepreneurs to launch and grow their small businesses: Business coaching, credit & lending and tax services.
Get small business coaching and counseling, as well as access to planning and startup tools.
Find courses on business planning and strategy, accounting and financials, marketing, credit and lending, human resources and legal. Available in-person and online and most are offered free of charge.
Apply for capital up to $50K (for those without access to traditional financial assistance), including lending education, technical assistance and credit counseling.
Click here to learn more about Iowa Center for Economic Success.
Goodwill of the Heartland
Goodwill offers skills training and credentials to help fortify your new business. Includes classes on social media marketing, customer service and sales, cybersecurity, data analytics and more.
Available in person and online with scholarships available.
Click here to learn more about Goodwill of the Heartland.
IA SourceLink
Since 2012, IA SourceLink has been a central place for anyone wanting to start a business in Iowa and has directly assisted over 16,000 entrepreneurs (and indirectly assisted hundreds of thousands more) in all 99 Iowa counties and across 43 states.
Their FREE 10-step guide to starting a business in Iowa can help you learn how to write a business plan, register your business, apply for licensing and permits, pay taxes, understand business insurance, conduct market research and more.
Click here to learn more about IA SourceLink.
Iowa Economic Development Authority
Iowa is home to competitive advantages when it comes to spearheading new ventures.
Find information about financial assistance, including tax credits, business incentives, workforce training, innovation grants and funding.
Click here to learn more about IEDA.
US Small Business Administration
Plan, launch, manage and grow with SBA. Find access to funding and loan programs, startup tools and incentives and more.
Click here to learn more about SBA.
CBI Bank & Trust
CBI Bank & Trust is GMCCI’s committed small business lending partner. When it comes time to access capital, make sure to ask your trusted small business banker about small business lines of credit, business credit cards and reward programs and SBA loan products (such as the 7a, 504 and microloan programs) offering lower down payments, fixed interest rates and flexible terms for working capital, real estate and equipment purchases.
Click here to learn more about CBI Bank & Trust.
Just getting started and need personalized business assistance? GMCCI can help with your questions about the City of Muscatine and be a resource to your business no matter the size or experience. Please contact our office to setup a time to discuss your business needs.