Latin Business Association - http://www.lbausa.com/
MicroEnterprise Training & Assistance (META) -
http://www.metaidaho.org
OSHA Spanish Language
Compliance Assistance Resources - http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/compliance_assistance/index_hispanic.html
U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce - http://www.ushcc.com
Idaho Hispanic Chamber of Commerce - www.idahohcc.org
Minority Business Development Agency - a division of the
U.S. Department of Commerce - http://www.mbda.gov/
Small Business Administration Minority Owned Businesses -
http://www.sba.gov/content/minority-owned-businesses
Idaho
Prime Loan Program:
The Idaho Prime Loan Program is a cooperative effort
between the Idaho State Treasurer, the Small Business Administration,
and the banking community to provide funding to small businesses
throughout the state. To learn more about the program and to find out if
your business qualifies for a loan, visit http://sto.idaho.gov/Programs/IdahoPrime.aspx.
Idaho Department of Education Adult Basic Education Learning Centers - http://www.sde.idaho.gov/AdultEducation/docs/Access%20Services/abec.pdf
Idaho Office for Refugees -
http://www.idahorefugees.org/
MicroEnterprise Training and Assistance (META) - non-profit
provider of direct and supportive small business assistance to new
Americans, women, minorities, and low-to-moderate-income
entrepreneurs in southwest and south central Idaho - http://www.metaidaho.org
Small Business Administration Minority Owned Businesses -
http://www.sba.gov/content/minority-owned-businesses
Import/Export:
Idaho Department of Commerce International Business Division -
http://commerce.idaho.gov/international/
U.S. Export Assistance Center of Idaho -
http://export.gov/idaho/
Idaho Department of Agriculture International Marketing - http://www.agri.idaho.gov/Categories/Marketing/marketinginternational.php
Export-Import Bank of the U.S. – http://www.exim.gov
U.S. Government Export Portal - http://www.export.gov/
U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security Export Administration Regulations - If you export, or
import and then export, certain goods and technology or act as a freight
forwarder of certain items, see
http://www.bis.doc.gov/licensing/reexportguidance.htm for licensing
information.
U.S. State Department Office
of Commercial and Business Affairs - Doing Business in International
Markets - http://www.state.gov/e/eeb/cba/
Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) - a government agency
that helps small businesses develop business opportunities with less
developed countries - http://www.opic.gov/doing-business-us
U.S. Small Business Administration Office of International
Trade -
http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/1/2889
Industry Research/Market
Research:
U.S. Census Bureau - http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html
City Data.com - http://www.city-data.com/
U.S. Department of Labor - Labor Market Statistics - http://www.dol.gov/dol/stats.htm
Idaho Labor Market Statistics - http://lmi.idaho.gov/Default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
See Libraries below.
Federal Trade Commission
resources:
Invention Assistance:
Idaho Small Business Development Center –
www.idahosbdc.org/DocumentMaster.aspx?doc=1161
Inventors Digest Online –
http://www.inventorsdigest.com
Idaho Department of Commerce, Commercial Innovation
Division -
http://commerce.idaho.gov/business/key-industries/technology-innovation/
Prototype and Technical Assistance -
www.idahosbdc.org/DocumentMaster.aspx?doc=1214
Free Patents Online -
Easy to navigate repository of patents and patent applications. Search by
patent number or keywords. http://www.freepatentsonline.com/
Google Patents - Google is beta testing a searchable site
containing over 8 million U.S. patents - http://www.google.com/patents
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office - http://www.uspto.gov
University of Idaho Patent and Trademark Depository Library
Program - http://www.lib.uidaho.edu/docs/patents.html
U.S. Department of Energy Industrial Technology Program -
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/
Washington State University College of Business Innovation Assessment
Center – http://www.business.wsu.edu/organizations/iac/Pages/index.aspx
Wisconsin Innovation Service Center -
http://wisc.uww.edu/
Innovation Institute -
http://www.wini2.com/
Invention Fraud
Information:
Attorney General of the state where the home office of an
invention assistance company is located; in Idaho
http://www.ag.idaho.gov/index.html.
For other states, use a search engine to find your state Attorney General's
office.
Better Business Bureau – http://www.bbb.org
Find complaints or file complaints against an invention assistance company. Search the
local BBB and the BBB where the company's home office is located.
Brown & Michaels – http://www.bpmlegal.com/pinvmktg.html
for information on intellectual property issues and a list of invention
marketing firms that have had legal action taken against them.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/products/pro21.shtm
for information about invention promotion. Many articles about
invention fraud can be found by doing a search of the FTC site using the
term "inventions." The American Inventors
Protection Act of 1999 guarantees inventors certain rights when dealing with
invention promoters. To learn about your rights before you hire
a promoter, visit the link above.
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Complaint Form - http://www.uspto.gov/web/forms/2048.pdf
Laws, Legal Information and
Help:
Idaho Administrative Rules –
http://adm.idaho.gov/adminrules/
Idaho State Bar and Idaho Law Foundation – http://isb.idaho.gov/
Idaho Statutes - http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/idstat/TOC/IDStatutesTOC.htm
Martindale.com - database of attorneys searchable by
specialty http://www.martindale.com
Small Business Law Firms.com - http://www.smallbusinesslawfirms.com
Legal Structure/Business Entity
Descriptions and Forms:
Idaho Secretary of State – http://www.sos.idaho.gov/corp/corindex.htm
For detailed descriptions of entity types
and links to forms, visit the Legal
Structure/DBA section of this Web site at http://www.idahobizhelp.org/legal_ent.htm.
Libraries - Research:
Marketing/Advertising:
Small Business
Administration - Advertising Law:
http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/starting-managing-business/starting-business/business-law-regulations/advertising-law
A Guide
to Marketing and Business Development with Technology -
http://www.qwiktag.com/index.php/knowledge-base/153-marketing-business-technology-guide
Federal Trade Commission Resources:
Advertising Guides
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/resources/guidance/adv.shtm
Advertising and Marketing -
http://business.ftc.gov/advertising-and-marketing
Using Endorsements and Testimonials -
http://www.ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf
Minority Business Help:
MicroEnterprise Training & Assistance (META) - serving
southwestern and south central Idaho -
http://www.metaidaho.org
Minority Business Entrepreneur - http://www.mbemag.com/ResourceCenter/
Minority Business Development Agency -
http://www.mbda.gov/
Small Business Administration - Minority Owned Business -
http://www.sba.gov/content/minority-owned-businesses
Native
American Business Help:
MicroEnterprise Training and Assistance (META) - serving
southwestern and south central Idaho -
http://www.metaidaho.org
Onaben - A Native American Business Network for tribes in the Northwest - http://www.onaben.org
U.S. Department of Labor Division of Indian and Native American
Programs -
http://www.doleta.gov/dinap/
National Center of American Indian Enterprise Development - http://www.ncaied.org
Northwest Native American Business Development Center -
serves Idaho, Washington, and Oregon - a division of the National Center
of American Indian Enterprise - http://www.nwnabec.org/
USA.gov for Tribal Governments and Native American Services -
http://www.usa.gov/Government/Tribal.shtml
Code Talk - Federal Inter-agency Web Site that delivers
electronic information from government agencies and
other organizations to Native American communities - http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/ih/codetalk/
Native American Banking Resource Directory -
http://www.occ.gov/topics/community-affairs/resource-directories/native-american/index-native-american.html
Small Business Administration Office of Native American
Affairs -
http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/1/2960
Minority Business Development Agency - a division of the
U.S. Department of Commerce - http://www.mbda.gov/
Small Business Administration - Minority Owned Business -
http://www.sba.gov/content/minority-owned-businesses
Non-Profit
Organizations:
Idaho Non-Profit Center - Assists non-profit organizations
with business development strategies -http://www.idahononprofits.org/
Internal Revenue Service - tax information for non-profits
-
http://www.irs.gov/charities/index.html
The Foundation Center –
http://foundationcenter.org/
Foundations Online -
http://www.foundations.org
Eastern
Idaho Funding Information Center -
http://www.marshallpl.org/library-services/adult-services/eificMain.html
For information on establishing a non-profit organization, see the
Hot
Topics section of this Web site.
Idaho Secretary of State – register a foreign (out of
state) corporation or LLC in Idaho - http://www.sos.idaho.gov/corp/corpform.htm
Patents, Trademarks, Servicemarks &
Copyrights:
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office - search for a patent or register your patent in the U.S.- http://www.uspto.gov/main/patents.htm
European Patent Office - http://www.epoline.org/portal/public
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office – search for a trademark
or register your trademark in the U.S. http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm
Idaho Secretary of State Trademark Division
– register your trademark in Idaho – http://www.sos.idaho.gov/tmarks/tm_faq.htm
Idaho Secretary of State
Trademark Division – make a search to determine if your trademark or a similar one is already registered in Idaho - http://www.accessidaho.org/public/sos/trademark/search.html
Library of Congress Copyright Office - search for a copyright registration
- http://www.copyright.gov/records/
Library of Congress Copyright Office – copyright basics -
http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.pdf
Library of Congress Copyright Office – general information and copyright
registration - http://www.copyright.gov/
Library of Congress Copyright Office - copyright laws -
http://www.copyright.gov/laws/
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Business and Industrial Directories:
Encyclopedia of
Business - over 600 articles containing
detailed information about financial planning, market analysis, sales,
business plans, tax planning, human resources and more
http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/
MacRae's Blue Book - directory of manufacturers of industrial parts and
equipment http://www.macraesbluebook.com
The Electrical Resource - directory of electrical construction products
and manufacturers http://www.theelectricalresource.com/
Thomas Register on-line - comprehensive list of U.S. and Canadian manufacturers and products
http://www.thomasnet.com
Process Register - industrial buyer's guide -
http://www.processregister.com/
The Idaho Division of Building Safety - public
works contractor licenses -
http://dbs.idaho.gov/programs/publicworks/faq.html
Public Works contracts available for bid -http://adm.idaho.gov/pubworks/dpwconstprojects.htm You must have an
Idaho public works contractor license to bid.
To find local public works projects, contact your city or county planning and zoning
or planning and development department. Many projects are listed in the
legal section of your local newspaper.
Registering
Your Business:
Idaho Secretary of State - register your
business name - http://www.sos.idaho.gov
Idaho Business Registration System - register your
business with the Idaho State Tax Commission, Idaho Industrial Commission, and
Idaho Department of Labor by completing just one form.
You may not need to register your business if you do not
have employees or sell products, so be sure to check
before completing the form - https://labor.idaho.gov/applications/ibrs/ibr.aspx
Visit the Legal Structures/DBA
page on this site.
Visit the Hot
Topics page on this site and choose "Grants"
from the menu at the top of the page.
Idaho Attorney General’s office - report scams -
http://www.ag.idaho.gov/index.html
Better Business Bureau – http://www.bbb.org
Econsumer.com - created by 21 nations; report
cross-border consumer complaints
-
http://www.econsumer.gov/english/
Internal Revenue Service - tax fraud or schemes - http://www.irs.gov/compliance/enforcement/index.html
Multi-Level Marketing Schemes - http://www.ftc.gov/os/comments/businessopprule/522418-12585.pdf
U.S. Postal Service Mail Fraud Complaint Form -
https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/
Work-at-Home Schemes - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/invest/workhome.shtm
Also see the Invention
Fraud section above and the Hot Topics
section of this Web site.
Tax
Payer Identification Number (EIN):
Also called an Employer Identification
Number; see the information in the
Hot Topics or the Glossary
pages on this site.
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Technology
Business Assistance:
Idaho Department of Commerce, Commercial
Innovation Division -
http://commerce.idaho.gov/business/key-industries/technology-innovation/
Idaho Technology Transfer Center, University
of Idaho - http://idahot2.org/
Small Business Administration Technology
Resources Network (Tech-Net) -
http://web.sba.gov/tech-net/docrootpages/index.cfm
Technology and Entrepreneurial Center, Boise State University
(TeCenter) -
http://www.bsutecenter.com
TechHelp - Assistance for manufacturers, processors, and
inventors - http://www.techhelp.org/
Trademarks:
See Patents, Trademarks, Servicemarks &
Copyrights
above
GS1 US BarCodes,
formerly known as Universal Packaging Codes -
http://www.gs1us.org/
Veterans' Services:
Idaho Department of Labor Veteran's
Services http://labor.idaho.gov/dnn/idl/Businesses/Veterans/tabid/653/Default.aspx
and http://labor.idaho.gov/publications/vethandout.pdf
http://labor.idaho.gov/dnn/Default.aspx?tabid=666
National Veteran-owned Business Association
- http://www.navoba.com/
SBA Office of Veterans Business Development -
http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/1/2985
U.S. Department of Labor Veterans'
Employment and Training Service -
http://www.dol.gov/vets/index.htm
U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs - http://www.va.gov/
U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs Center
for Veterans Enterprise - Resource center for entrepreneurs
who are veterans - http://www.vetbiz.gov
Veterans Benefits Administration - http://www.vba.va.gov/
National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
- NAWBO chapters are located in Spokane and Boise. For
the location of
the Spokane chapter and meeting times, visit http://www.nawbonw.org. For information about the
Boise chapter, visit http://www.nawboboise.org.
Micro-Enterprise Training & Assistance (META) - serving
southwestern and south central Idaho -
http://www.metaidaho.org
U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau - http://www.dol.gov/wb/welcome.html
National Women Business Owners Corporation -
http://www.nwboc.org
Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) - http://www.wbenc.org
Center for Women's Business Research - http://www.womensbusinessresearch.org/
SBA Office of Women's Business Ownership -
http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/1/2895
Womenbiz.gov - a division of the Small Business Administration that
helps women business owners sell to the federal government http://www.womenbiz.gov
U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce -
http://www.uswcc.org/
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