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Resources for Women
Business Owners
Willisdacrooner has assembled this list of hotlinks to useful Web
sites for women entrepreneurs:
Alliance of Business
Women International
ABWI is a non-profit organization founded in 1995 to encourage and
support businesswomen involved or interested in international trade
opportunities. ABWI is supported by women entrepreneurs and women in
corporate America, politics and government, film, agriculture, and
service-oriented, educational and cultural sectors.
American Business
Women’s Association
ABWA’s mission is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations
and to provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow
personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking
support and national recognition.
Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO)
Provides information and resources for microbusinesses—those with five
or fewer employees that require $35,000 or less of start-up capital and
do not have access to the commercial banking sector. In general, AEO
provide entrepreneurs with training and technical assistance, microloans,
access to market services and training, and/or economic literacy and
asset development services.
Many AEO members provide direct microloans of $35,000 or less. Those
who don't operate their own loan funds act as referral organizations,
directing individuals to other groups and organizations that provide
lending services. In most cases, organizations require that individuals
complete a training program before they can become eligible for
microloans.
Athena Foundation
The Athena Foundation pairs woman-owned businesses with a group of local
mentors who serve as a panel of advisors. Advisors work with the
business owner on her business for one year at no charge.
Center for Women’s
Business Research
The Center for Women's Business Research, founded as the National
Foundation for Women Business Owners, provides original, groundbreaking
research to document the economic and social contributions of
women-owned firms, and consulting and public relations services to
maximize the benefits of that knowledge.
Center for
Women and Enterprise-Community Entrepreneurs Program
The Community Entrepreneurs Program is an entrepreneurship
training program designed for women who intend to start their own
business to achieve economic self-sufficiency.
Committee of 200
The Committee of 200 is the organization of preeminent businesswomen
that capitalizes on the success, power and influence of women in the
global economy. The mission of The C200 is to exemplify and promote
entrepreneurship and corporate leadership among women of this generation
and the next. The membership of C200 is comprised of women business
leaders from all industries. Each C200 member has attained or exceeded a
specific level of success tied to revenues and industry recognition.
Count Me In
Count Me In champions the cause of women's economic independence by
providing access to business loans, consultation and education.
Digital
Women
Digital Women was created for women in business, businesswomen and all
women around the globe looking for a place to gather free resources,
business tips, home business ideas, and a place to gather together. It
is an international online community for women in business around the
globe. Membership is free for women.
Direct Selling
Women's Association
The Direct Selling Women's Association is an international association
that works to unite direct sellers around a shared vision of personal
and financial success.
Franchise Solutions for Women
A resource for women interested in buying their own business or
franchise. The site includes interviews with women franchise owners.
KeyBank
KeyBank's Web site is dedicated to women business owners and gives
advice on how to secure funding, forecast sales and manage accounts
payable.
Ladies Who Launch
Ladies Who Launch is a women's networking organization with 11
U.S. locations that offers workshops to its 25,000 entrepreneur members,
40 percent of whom are mothers.
Mompreneurs Online
Mompreneurs Online offers business ideas, strategies and
networking for work-at-home moms.
National
Foundation for Female Executives (NAFE)
NAFE provides resources and services to women through education,
networking and public policy.
National
Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
For nearly 25 years, members have benefited from NAWBO's growing
network, advocacy and resources. NAWBO is a membership organization that
provides resources and networking opportunities for women in business.
The
National Women's Business Council
The National Women's Business Council is a bi-partisan federal advisory
council created to serve as an independent source of advice and policy
recommendations to the President, Congress and the U.S. Small Business
Administration (SBA) on economic issues of importance to women business
owners. The Council's mission is to promote policies and programs
designed to support women's business enterprises at all stages of
development.
The National
Women Business Owners Corporation
A national 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, NWBOC was
established to increase competition for corporate and government
contracts through implementation of an economic development strategy for
women business owners. NWBOC is a sister organization to the National
Association of Women Business Owners
(NAWBO) and the Center for Women's Business Research
(CWBR).
NWBOC provides a national certification program for women-owned and
controlled businesses as an alternative to the multiple state and local
certifications required by many public and private sector agencies. Over
100 private and public agencies now accept NWBOC certification.
Online Women’s
Business Center
Access business basics, networking opportunities and search state
Women’s Business Centers on this site. Learn about WNET (Women’s Network
for Entrepreneurial Training) Roundtables and find an event in your
city.
Organization of
Women in International Trade (OWIT)
OWIT is a nonprofit, professional organization designed to promote women
doing business in international trade by providing networking and
educational opportunities.
Springboard Enterprises
Springboard Enterprises is a national, nonprofit that aims
to increase women business owners' participation in equity capital
markets. Springboard offers education and coaching programs, connections
with investors and business development professionals.
Venture Funding for Women Entrepreneurs Report
This report developed by Growthink Research and
re:invention, inc. focuses on private companies with female
entrepreneurs that have
successfully raised capital.
Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
WBENC is dedicated to enhancing opportunities for women's
business enterprises in America's major business markets. In partnership
with women's business organizations throughout the United States, WBENC
provides access to a national standard of certification and information
on certified women's businesses to purchasing managers.
WebMomz.com
WebMomz.com is an online resource dedicated to empowering women in the
areas of business, personal growth and family life.
WomanOwned.com
This site provides online business information and networking
assistance, as well as a number of resources for setting up, running and
small growing businesses. One notable feature is an online search engine
of women business owners from every type of industry and from nearly
every country around the world.
Women
Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century Web Site
This site is a collaborative project between the U.S. Small Business
Administration (SBA) and Department of Labor. The site is shaped to help
women navigate the ever-changing business climate.
Women Impacting
Public Policy
Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) is a national bi-partisan public
policy organization representing more than 500,000 women in business and
women business owners nationwide.
Women’s Business Centers (WBC)
Each women’s business center, supported by the U.S. Small Business
Administration (SBA), provides assistance and/or training in finance,
management, marketing, procurement and the Internet, and addresses
specialized topics such as home-based businesses, corporate executive
downsizing and welfare-to-work. A number of them also are intermediaries
for the SBA’s MicroLoan and Loan Prequalification programs. Each WBC
tailors its programs to the needs of its community, and many offer
programs and counseling in two or more languages.
Women's Business
Enterprise Council
The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) is dedicated to
enhancing opportunities for women's business enterprises in America's
major business markets. In partnership with women's business
organizations throughout the United States, WBENC provides access to a
national standard of certification and information on certified women's
businesses to purchasing managers through an Internet database.
Women Presidents' Organization
Women Presidents' Organization (WPO) is for women whose businesses
annually gross over two million dollars. The organization has forty-nine
chapters in thirty-six cities. |
