Louisville has a robust community of partners and resources to help small businesses start and succeed, from an entrepreneur to a retailer to a  service provider.

 

Louisville Metro Department of Economic Development
Louisville Metro Department of Economic Development assists businesses with resources including troubleshooting regulatory processes with other agencies, finding a location for new or expanding business, facilitating connections with other small businesses, business associations and resources, and obtaining funding to help the business open or grow.

• The METCO loan program also is housed in this department, and businesses can apply for loans up to $100,000.
  502.574.4140
• Nia Center Business Clinic is a one-stop resource where you can find anything from finishing your GED, to starting a business, to getting a job.
  502.574.1140

Louisville Metro Department of Resilience and Community Services Microbusiness Program
This program helps low and moderate income business owners with starting and growing small businesses (five or fewer people). The program includes training, technical assistance and an opportunity to apply for a microloan, up to $15,000.
502.574.5168

Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development – Office of Entrepreneurship
The Office of Entrepreneurship provides guidance and support to start-up operations statewide and assists existing small business with growth opportunities. The office also guides the Cabinet’s extensive resources for small and new businesses, as well as innovative and high-tech companies, through funding initiatives, marketing and sales assistance and small business advocacy.
800.626.2930

EnterpriseCorp
EnterpriseCorp is the entrepreneurial arm of Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI) – the region’s leading economic development organization and the Louisville Regional Office for the Kentucky Innovation Network (KIN). GLI’s EnterpriseCorp is dedicated to building a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem and culture for small, early and second stage fast growth firms.
502.625.0000

Navigate Enterprise Center
The Navigate Enterprise Center is a subsidiary of Jewish Family & Career Services, which focuses on low-income individuals, immigrants and refugees by assisting them in pursuing entrepreneurship as a viable means of achieving economic selfsufficiency. This is accomplished through business education, mentorship, financial literacy training and access to micro-lending programs and partnerships.
502.452.6341

Kentucky Small Business Development Center
Kentucky Small Business Development Center offers training and consulting services, including one-on-one management consultations, training workshops, market research, loan packaging help, and assistance with financial projections. 502.625.0123

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
SBA provides counseling services to help start and grow a small business, and a full array of loan, contracting and exporting programs.
502.582.5971

SCORE
SCORE is a volunteer, nonprofit organization of counselors that provides free and confidential business counseling to both prospective entrepreneurs and existing small business owners throughout the Louisville metropolitan area. 
502.888.4543

Access Ventures
The Growth Loan is a character-based loan of up to $35,000 with no collateral or credit requirements. It is designed for small business owners who are unable to access capital through traditional underwriting methods.
502.208.1641

Community Ventures
The nonprofit provides business loans to start-up and existing businesses, and offers assistance with business planning and technical assistance.
502.566.6076

UofL Family Business Center
Family Business Center is a community where business-owning families can exchange strategies and experiences and share challenging issues that are unique to family businesses.
502.852.8874

LHOME 
LHOME is a community development financial institution formed by the leadership of Jewish Family and Career Services and the Metropolitan Housing Coalition with the aim to provide greatly needed low-interest, credit building loans to low-income Louisvillians.

 

Click here to downloand a detailed brochure on Louisville Small Business Resource Ecosystem.