FINANCIAL RESOURCES

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ACCESS TO CAPITAL | ACCOUNTING/PAYROLL | TAX ADVISING

ACCESS TO CAPITAL: LOANS, GRANTS, FINANCIAL ADVISING

toolkits

Good Money Guide — [Toolkit] A guide to accessing “good” capital — small to large loans and grants — compiled by the Alliance for Community Development. Good capital is considered money from non-predatory lenders who typically loan/give to small businesses that are minority owned, are creating jobs, have a mission beyond profits, and criteria other than just their credit score.

Healthy Business, Healthy Bottom Line — [Toolkit] A health and wealth toolkit to help entrepreneurs achieve financial and physical wellness for themselves and their workforce created by Small Business Majority.

How Businesses Obtain Credit — [Toolkit] Comerica Bank outlines what criteria traditional lenders use when approving loan applications.

VIDEOS/WEBINARS

Build Business Credit in 30 Days — [Video] Business Credit Insider's Circle

Finding Alternative Funding for Your Business — [Video] Verizon Small Business

How to Avoid Predatory Lenders — [Webinar] As you search for capital for your business, it’s critical that you are protected from harmful predatory lenders promising quick and easy cash.

How To Build Business Credit FAST in 2022 — {Video] Destiny Adams

articles, BLOGS, BOOKS

Eleven Things You Should Know About Your Business Credit Score

Five Questions to Prepare You to Borrow Capital with Confidence

4 Reasons You’re Not Getting Approved for Business Financing

How to Get a Business Loan

Improving Personal and Business Credit

Starting Out Right: Building Business Credit

Understanding the Three Major Business Credit Bureaus

When Is the Best Time to Borrow Money for Your Small Business?

FUNDING & FINANCIAL ADVISING ORGANIZATIONS

Accion Opportunity Fund
Offer small business loans ($5-$100K); support available in English or Spanish.

The Alameda County SBDC
Provides free consulting and seminars, along with connections to additional resources, to local business owners.

The Alliance for Community Development
Dedicated to increasing access to capital and support for local, underrepresented entrepreneurs.

The American Indian Chamber Education Fund Procurement Technical Assistance Center (AICEF PTAC)
Helps Native businesses contract with federal agencies, state, and local governments.

American Sustainable Business Council & Social Venture Circle (ASBC-SVC)
Facilitates major investments ($220,K-$3M).

BusinessAdvising.org by Pacific Community Ventures
Advising and mentoring platform matches business owners who are beyond the startup phase with pro bono business coaches and mentors who provide tailored, hands-on advising.

CalAsian Chamber of Commerce
Loan procurement and loan assistance.

California Enterprise Development Authority (CEDA)
Financing assistance to buy land, invest in equipment, or to build facilities.

The California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CALOSBA)
Funding, grants, and incentives hub for small businesses.

The California Rebuilding Fund — 0% Loans
The California Rebuilding Fund is a loan program designed to help California’s small businesses access the funding they need, including those located in economically distressed areas of the state.

CDC Small Business Finance
$5K-$20M capital to small businesses.

Clearinghouse Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI)
Commercial loan amounts tailored from $500,000 – $15 million.

Community Bank of the Bay
California’s first Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), they take socially responsible banking to heart in their mission to support Oakland’s diverse small business community. Request a free consultation.

Commercial Induction Rebate/Loans
East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) is offering rebates of up to $17,500 to businesses who upgrade to an electric kitchen. Available on a first-come, first-served basis, the rebates cover induction and electrical materials and equipment.

Community Reinvestment Fund
$150K-$4M loans for real estate, business acquisition, equipment, working capital, debt refinancing, and more.

Community Vision Capital & Consulting
Loans ($50K-$3M) for businesses in human services, arts and culture, healthy food, and employee ownership, and more.

Cutting Edge Capital
Capital strategies ($100K) to attract impact investors.

East Bay Economic Development Alliance (EDA)
Resources for accessing capital.

Hebrew Free Loan
Interest-free loans up to $50k.

Kapor Capital
Open to investing across every tech-driven sector, including education, work, finance, justice, food and health.

Inclusivity Project
Connects Black entrepreneurs and Black-owned small businesses with the capital and mentorship they need to start and grow their business and bring about the meaningful economic impact to NorCal’s Black and African American marketplace and surrounding communities.

Inner City Advisors
Provides coaching, connections, and capital investments to grow your business.

Main Street Launch
Capital ($10K-$250K), education, and relationships.

MEDA
Community loan fund ($5K-$100K).

Minority Business Development Agency
Provides technical assistance for minority-owned manufacturers to get government contracts, and programs that help minority-owned businesses access capital, business match-making, global business development, and more.

Mission Asset Fund (MAF)
Lending Circle programs for small businesses.

Nonprofit Finance Fund
Financing ($500K-$6M), consulting, partnerships, and knowledge-sharing.

Northern California Financial Development Corporation (NOR-CAL FDC)
Provides greater access to a variety of sources of capital.

Oakland Black Business Damage Fund
Oakland Black Business Fund is a Black-led grant-making program, providing capital, technical assistance, and growth strategy to Black businesses in Oakland.

OCCUR
Provides mini grants.

Onward Oakland by Unity Council
An 18-month program for small business owners East of the Oakland’s Lake Merritt communities and the greater Bay Area who’ve been financially impacted by COVID-19. Small business owners are connected with the necessary tools and resources to help their business grow and thrive.

People of Color Small Business Network (POC SBN)
One-on-one business support at no cost for up to a year to bolster their current offerings and address any resource gaps they may be experiencing, including marketing support, technical assistance with funding applications, introductions to people and organizations, support with research, and more.

Prospera
Helps small businesses access capital.

RSF Social Finance
Provides funding to social enterprises, especially in food, education, the arts, and the environment

Runway
”We believe in you,” funding for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

Small Business Grants for Native Americans
Provides grant/contracting opportunities and technical assistance in small business skills development to Native entrepreneurs.

Small Business Repair Fund
Issues grants of $600 to Oakland businesses with damaged storefronts, prioritizing BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), Immigrant, Queer-owned, Woman-Owned, and legacy businesses (30+ years in operation), and Oakland born/raised.

Small Event Grant Fund Program
Laurel District Association (members only) — small grants to help Laurel District businesses create events.

Small Manufacturers Grant for Technical Training & Assistance
Grants for small manufacturers that are owned by a veteran, woman or minority (African American/Black, Asian, Native American or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or LatinX/Hispanic), and have under 75 employees.

TMC Financing
Helps business owners secure and maintain SBA 504 loans.

The Unity Council
Small Business Help Line in multiple languages for financial resource navigation, marketing and promotion, business management/operations advising, tax, accounting, HR, and legal services referrals.

U.S. Small Business Administration
Assist small businesses in getting traditional loans.

Venturize
Free online resource hub for small business owners.

Working Solutions
Loans ranging from $5-$50K.

ACCOUNTING: BOOKKEEPING, PAYROLL, ETC.

TOOKITS

Bookkeeping & Accounting Templates — [Toolkit] Easy-to-use business planning, finance, sales, marketing, and management templates to help you plan for a new business or grow your existing business.

VIDEOS/WEBINARS

Best Payroll Service in 2022 — [Video] Buyer Guides for Small Business

Bookkeeping Basics — [Video] Small Business University

Bookkeeping Basics for Small Business Owners — [Video] Bench Accounting

Bookkeeping 101 for Small Business — [Video] Jill Gockel

Top 5 Accounting Software For Small Businesses 2022 — [Video] Knowledge By Marcus

Top 5 Most Popular and Best Accounting Software — [Video] Businessopedia

Which Payroll Company is Best? — [Video] Jamie Trull

articles, BLOGS, BOOKS

Accountants Versus Bookkeepers — What You Should Know

Beginner Bookkeeping Issues

Best Accounting Software for Small Business 2022 Comparison

How to Choose a Payroll Company

How to Choose the Right Small Business Accounting Software

Learn Accounting for Free

Short and succinct bookkeeping concepts

The 9 Best Payroll Software for Small Businesses in 2022

Three Things Small Businesses Must Look For in Their Accounting Software

Tips and resources about bookkeeping

Why Record-keeping is Vital and How to Do it

SUPPORT & ADVISING ORGANIZATIONS

East Bay SCORE
Free business mentoring in multiple languages across a broad range of business issues.

The Unity Council
Free accounting and bookkeeping advising.

TAXES: ADVISING, PREP & LAWS

TOOKITS

Certification Organizations to Find an Advisor — [Toolkit] Many tax professionals belong to national organizations that provide their members with continuing education and ethical guidelines; the IRS compiled this resource for you.