Resources

The Heartland Partnership - www.heartlandpartnership.org
The Heartland Partnership has experts on staff who can help your business get connected. We can help new businesses get off the ground, existing businesses grow and connect both with resources needed to succeed in Central Illinois. Our family of companies has something for every business.

• The Economic Development Council for Central Illinois - www.edc.centralillinois.org
EDC can help existing businesses in need of assistance with a variety of issues from financing to expansion. The EDC also has the answers for businesses looking to relocate to our region. The EDC continuously strives to increase revenue resources through private sector investments, public sector investments, public sector contracts and smaller administration and marketing contracts.

• The Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce - www.peoriachamber.org
The Chamber is the leading voice and resource for business in the region. This organization can assist you with business to business networking opportunities, educational events, advertising and promotional opportunities, keep you informed on public policy issues, share information on key community issues and much more.

• Peoria NEXT - www.peorianext.org
Peoria NEXT focuses on technology and innovation. Peoria NEXT is your partner to high tech business growth; a leader in discovery, innovation, and commercialization. Utilize us as your connection to the right resources and smart solutions. With an Innovation Center that provides bricks and mortar for your technology business, networking opportunities and multiple resources to get your small business started…this should be the first place you look when considering a new technology business in Central Illinois.

• TransPORT - www.portdistrict.org
The Heart of Illinois Regional Port District is a specialized economic development unit for transportation and logistics. TransPORT facilitates commercial development of transportation facilities, offers financing tools and can help your business construct public-private partnerships. If you have questions about anything transportation related, the experts here will get you answers.

• The Heartland Capital Network helps bridge the funding gap between promising business and community ventures and capital necessary to generate growth in the Central Illinois Region. It encompasses a venture capital fund, an angel network and numerous finance programs.

Whether you’re looking for technical or financial assistance we can help you find the information you need. We also have resource partners throughout the region who have the expertise to help with a variety of topics.

Angel Capital Education Foundation - http://www.angelcapitaleducation.org/dir_resources/for_entrepreneurs.aspx
ACEF is a charitable organization that focuses on education and research in the field of angel investing. It does not provide financing or investment to an entity. The link for entrepreneurs within its website includes information as it relates to angel investing.

Angel Capital Association - http://www.angelcapitalassociation.org
The Angel Capital Association is North America's professional alliance of angel groups. This fast-growing association brings together many of the 330 angel organizations in the United States and Canada to share best practices, network, and help develop data about the field of angel investing. The ACA provides a directory of angel investor networks and other information about angel investors and angel investment group.

Kauffman Foundation - http://www.kauffman.org/; http://www.entrepreneurship.org
Our vision is to foster "a society of economically independent individuals who are engaged citizens, contributing to the improvement of their communities." In service of this vision, and in keeping with our founder's wishes, we focus our grant making and operations on two areas: advancing entrepreneurship and improving the education of children and youth. We carry out our mission through four programmatic areas: Entrepreneurship, Advancing Innovation, Education, and Research and Policy.

Illinois Technology Association - http://www.illinoistech.org
The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) is committed to developing an environment in which technology companies can flourish in an increasingly competitive marketplace. The ITA is a regional industry trade association headquartered in Chicago and serving all of Illinois. The ITA provides members with access to connections, information and promotional opportunities to improve business locally, regionally and nationally.

Wisconsin Angel Network - http://www.wisconsinangelnetwork.com/resources/entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs who are raising capital for the first time should start here. On this web page you will be able to earn your own "mini-MBA" on how to raise capital for your start-up.

Under "Additional Resources," you can keep those but edit the first one to read Bradley University Illinois Small Business Development Center

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Bradley University Illinois Small Business Development Center
http://www.bradley.edu/turnercenter/centers/sbdc.html
The Illinois Small Business Development Center at Bradley University provides free business counseling and low-cost training programs for existing and startup businesses in Central Illinois.

Bradley NAFTA Opportunity Center
http://www.bradley.edu/turnercenter/centers/noc.html
Since 1994, the NAFTA Opportunity Center has helped hundreds of Illinois companies capitalize on the potential of Free Trade Agreements around the world, including the state's two top export destinations - Canada and Mexico. Whether your company is new to international trade or already has established export markets, contact us to maximize your export potential.

Bradley Technology Commercialization Center
http://www.bradley.edu/btcc/
The Bradley Technology Commercialization Center (BTCC) works with researchers, inventors, and entrepreneurs to transform new technologies and innovations into commercial enterprises.

Illinois Business Financial Services (IBFS)
http://www.ibfs.org/
Illinois Business Financial Services is a Certified Development Company (CDC) that works in cooperation with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) by packaging and submitting 504 and SOHO loan applications. By working with local banks, the SBA and the small business community, IBFS has played a major role in strengthening the Illinois economy and has helped generate..."The Money That Makes America Work."

Illinois CMS Bureau of Strategic Sourcing & Procurement
http://www.state.il.us/cms/
The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) provides a broad range of programs and services to other state agencies and to the general public ranging from procurement and IT expertise to personnel and benefits to management of many properties around Illinois. CMS helps ensure that state agencies serve the people of Illinois efficiently and cost-effectively.

Illinois Community Development Assistance Program
http://www.illinoisbiz.biz/dceo/Bureaus/Community_Development/Grants/CDAP.htm
The Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP) is a grant program funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that assists Illinois communities by providing grants to local governments to help them in financing economic development projects, public facilities and housing rehabilitation. The program is targeted to assist low-to-moderate income persons by creating job opportunities and improving the quality of their living environment.

Illinois Dept. of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
http://www.commerce.state.il.us/dceo/
The Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is the lead state agency responsible for improving Illinois' competitiveness in the global economy. Guided by an innovative regional approach, DCEO administers a wide range of economic and workforce development programs, services and initiatives designed to create and retain high quality jobs and build strong communities. DCEO leads the Illinois economic development process in partnership with businesses, local governments, workers and families.

Illinois Energy and Recycling Program
http://www.commerce.state.il.us/dceo/Bureaus/Energy_Recycling/
The Bureau of Energy and Recycling seeks to demonstrate the economic development benefits, including job creation, of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and recycling through a variety of programs and services. Further, Bureau programs will demonstrate that economic development, sustainable energy, recycling practices, and environmental protection go hand in hand.

Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center (IMEC)
http://www.imec.org
IMEC is a team of specialists who work with Illinois companies to be more productive and globally competitive. IMEC solutions help companies develop profitable business strategies, meet customer quality requirements, contain operating costs, increase capacity and on-time delivery, and solve technical operating problems such as product defects or process bottlenecks. Our focus is on preparing a company's internal team to accelerate improvement and achieve results that will stick -- long term.

Illinois Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at ICC
http://www.icc.edu/ptac
IL PTAC at Illinois Central College is a no cost outreach program for small and medium-sized businesses looking for contracting opportunities with government agencies and large companies. We help small and medium-sized businesses connect with governmental agencies and large companies who have buying needs for commercial products and services.

International Trade Center at Bradley University
http://www.bradley.edu/turnercenter/centers/itc.html
The Illinois SBDC International Trade Center at Bradley University has helped hundreds of Illinois companies take advantage of the potential of the international marketplace. The ITC expanded in 1994 to include the NAFTA Opportunity Center - one of only two in the state with a focus on Canada and Mexico. Working together, more than 500 companies have expanded their export sales by more than $80 million.

Professional Development Institute (PDI) at ICC
http://www.icc.edu/pdi
The Professional Development Institute at Illinois Central College is a comprehensive training organization whose mission is to serve businesses and individuals by providing both open enrollment and customized, in-house or on-site, quality seminars and workshops. Through our dedicated staff, state-of-the-art technology, and community and academic resources, we seek to continuously improve our programs and services to our customers.

SCORE: Counselors to America's Small Business
http://www.score.org
SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SCORE has 370 chapters throughout the United States and its territories, with 11,200 volunteers nationwide. Both working and retired executives and business owners donate time and expertise as business counselors.

Small Business Administration (SBA), Springfield
http://www.sba.gov
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. We recognize that small business is critical to our economic recovery and strength, to building America's future, and to helping the United States compete in today's global marketplace. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam.

U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Peoria U.S. Export Assistance Center
http://www.buyusa.gov/peoria
The U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce is a federal government agency dedicated to helping small-to-medium sized companies with their exporting strategies.