1

Small Business

resource guide

2019 EDITION

How

To 

Grow 

Your

BUSINESS

in Minnesota 
2
 3

CONTENTS

Funding 

Programs 

26 National Success Story

With the help of a 7(a) business 

acquisition loan of $1.1 million, 

Mark Moralez and John Briggs 

purchased Printing Palace in 

Santa Monica becoming small 

business owners.

29 Need Financing?

31 Assistance with Exporting

32 Investment Capital

33 Federal Research 

 & Development

36 SBA Lenders

52 National Success Story

Forest Lake Drapery and 

Upholstery Fabric Center in 

Columbia, South Carolina, 

rebounds thanks to an SBA 

disaster assistance loan.

54 National Success Story

Three Brothers Bakery weathers 

two hurricanes with the help of the 

SBA’s disaster assistance program.

56 SBA Disaster Loans

57 How to Prepare Your 

 Business for an 

 Emergency

58 Surety Bonds

Contracting 

60 National Success Story

Evans Capacitor Co. of Rhode 

Island, a leading manufacturer of 

high-energy density capacitors, 

gains contracting success with 

SBA assistanced.

64 SBA Contracting Programs

66 Woman-Owned Small 

	 	 Business certification

Local Business 

Assistance 

8 National Success Story

Rebecca Fyffe launched Landmark 

Pest Management with the help 

of the SBA-supported Women’s 

Business Development Center.

11 Local SBA Resource 

 Partners

13 Your Advocates

14 How to Start a Business

19 Write Your Business Plan

22 Programs for 

 Entrepreneurs

23 Programs for Veterans

24 Local Success Story

Jam Hops Gymnastics Factory Inc. 

was faced with a great problem 

for any small business to have: it 

was attracting a lot of clients and 

adding new programs fast.

 ON THE COVER Brenda Nolby, photo 

courtesy of Jam Hops Gymnastics.

Minnesota 2019
4

Veterans Business Outreach Centers and SCORE chapters in 

communities nationwide. Through education, training and 

mentorship, these experts help entrepreneurs increase their 

potential and propel their businesses forward.

We at the SBA like to say we power the American Dream. 

Nowhere is that dream more apparent than in the work 

entrepreneurs do to invest in their communities and create 

economic opportunities for others. Over half of the U.S. 

workforce either owns or works for a small business, and small 

businesses create two out of every three net new jobs in the 

private sector. Small businesses invigorate neighborhoods 

and cities, making them vibrant places to live, work and 

raise a family. I encourage all entrepreneurs to leverage the 

opportunities detailed in this resource guide to power their 

own American Dream.

Regards,

Linda McMahon

SBA Administrator

A merica’s 30 million small businesses are the driving 

force of our nation’s economy, and I am proud to 

lead a team of professionals dedicated to helping 

them start, grow, expand and recover. For more 

than 65 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration has 

been an advocate and ally of entrepreneurs, helping them 

at every stage of the business lifecycle. Whether they are 

a startup seeking capital; an established business seeking 

guidance on expanding to new markets through export 

opportunities or government contracts; or a business, 

nonprofit, homeowner or renter needing help recovering 

from a declared disaster, the SBA has their back.

I am honored to serve as a member of President Trump’s 

Cabinet and represent the interests of America’s small 

businesses. The President’s pro-growth policies, including 

tax cuts and workforce development initiatives, are aimed at 

making it easier for entrepreneurs to invest in their businesses 

and employees. The President believes that when small 

businesses succeed and create jobs, our economy grows and 

our nation thrives.

As Administrator of the SBA, I have visited hundreds of 

small businesses and each of the SBA’s 68 district offices in 

all 50 states. Every entrepreneur has a different story about 

what inspired them to take a risk on starting or growing a 

small business. No matter their industry, location or level of 

experience, the SBA serves as a resource to help them turn 

their dreams into realities. Many entrepreneurs have told 

me their business simply would not exist without the help 

of the SBA—from the guaranteed loans that provided the 

funding they needed to realize their goals of owning a small 

business, to the advice they got on writing a business plan or 

conducting market research, to the disaster aid they received 

when it seemed all hope had been lost. Throughout this 

issue of our resource guide, you will read stories of successful 

entrepreneurs who received assistance from the SBA. These 

successes are the motivation for the work we do.

Of course, we can’t do it alone. We are honored to have 

the expertise of our resource partners, including Small 

Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, 

WE MAKE SMALL BUSINESS

OUR BUSINESS.

START • GROW • EXPAND • RECOVER

THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

A MESSAGE FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR
 5
6

published by

New South Media, Inc.

304.413.0104 | newsouthmediainc.com

PUBLISHER

Nikki Bowman, nikki@newsouthmediainc.com

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Zack Harold, zack@newsouthmediainc.com 

Pam Kasey, pam@newsouthmediainc.com

DESIGNER

Hayley Richard, hayley@newsouthmediainc.com

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Holly Leleux-Thubron, holly@newsouthmediainc.com

ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR 

Heather Mills, heather@newsouthmediainc.com

ADVERTISING SALES 

Sandy Burky, Kelley McGinnis, Bryson Taylor

sba@newsouthmediainc.com

Copyright: New South Media, Inc. Reproduction in part or whole is 

strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the 

publisher. 

© NEW SOUTH MEDIA , INC. 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Marketing & Customer 

Service directs the publication of the Small Business Resource Guide 

under SBA Contract #SBAHQ–17–C–0018. SBA publication Spring 2018 

National edition #mcs-0087.

WRITER/EDITOR

Becky Bosshart

(202) 205-6677

rebecca.bosshart@sba.gov

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

Paula Panissidi Tavares

paula.tavares@sba.gov

PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST

Kelley Daniels

kelley.daniels@sba.gov

The SBA’s participation in this publication is not an endorsement of the 

views, opinions, products or services of the contractor or any advertiser 

or other participant appearing here. All SBA programs and services are 

extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Printed in the 

United States of America. While every reasonable effort has been made 

to ensure that the information contained here is accurate as of the date 

of publication, the information is subject to change without notice. The 

contractor that publishes this guide, the federal government, or agents 

thereof shall not be held liable for any damages arising from the use of or 

reliance on the information contained in this publication.
 7

District Director Letter

Welcome to the 2019 edition of the U.S. Small Business 

Administration’s Minnesota Small Business Resource Guide. As the 

director of the SBA Minnesota District Office, I would like to take this 

opportunity to say that I’m happy you have found this guide and hope that it will be 

a valuable tool for you as you explore starting or growing your own small business.

The SBA helps make the American dream of small business ownership a 

reality. We are the only federal agency dedicated to helping our 30 million small 

businesses start, grow, expand, and recover after a disaster. The SBA Minnesota 

District Office works with an extensive network of business advisers and lenders 

to help our state’s 515,000 small businesses at every stage of development.

Across Minnesota in the last year, we empowered the state’s small 

businesses to:

• Find an ally, advocate or mentor via our 19 different locations for 

our SBA Resource Partners, which includes SCORE, Small Business 

Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, and the Veterans 

Business Outreach Center, all powered by the SBA.

• Access over $684 million in SBA-guaranteed loans using more than 400 

local banks, credit unions, community-based lenders, and microlenders. 

These 2,000 plus small businesses have hired thousands of new 

employees, bought needed equipment, and built or renovated facilities.

• Gain more than $690 million in federal contracting awards with help 

from SBA certification programs.

• Recover after a disaster. SBA disaster assistance also approved 40 

loans in Minnesota, totaling over $1 million, for homes damaged by 

declared natural disasters.

SBA Resource Partners have assisted 245 small business startups. These 

expert business advisers have trained and counseled 23,000 small business 

owners. You will find our resource partner and lender information in this 

guide, and we hope that you will contact them today to start, grow, or 

expand your small business. Stay up to date on SBA events near you and 

get valuable business information 

by following us on Twitter at @SBA_

Minnesota. Register for email updates at 

sba.gov/updates.

Sincerely,

Nancy J. Libersky

Minnesota District Director

U.S. Small Business Administration

District Director

Nancy Libersky

(612) 370-2306

nancy.libersky@sba.gov

Deputy District Director

Brian McDonald

(612) 370-2337

brian.mcdonald@sba.gov

District Counsel

Royce Nelligan

(612) 370-2328

royce.nelligan@sba.gov

Public Affairs Specialist

Sarah Swenty

(612) 370-2316

sarah.swenty@sba.gov

Office of International 

Trade

Regional Manager

Carlos Sosa 

(se habla español)

(612) 348-1642

carlos.sosa@sba.gov

Procurement Center 

Representative

Gwen Davis

(612) 370-2325

gwendolyn.davis@sba.gov

Business Opportunity 

Specialist

Shaun McClary

(612) 370-2320

shaun.mcclary@sba.gov

Lead Economic 

Development Specialist

Twila Kennedy

(612) 370-2300

twila.kennedy@sba.gov

Economic Development 

Specialist

Maribel Reigstad (se 

habla español)

(612) 370-2321

maribel.reigstad@sba.gov

Economic 

Development Specialist/ 

Administrative Officer

Mike Jackson

(612) 370-2335

don.jackson@sba.gov

Lender Relations 

Specialists

Thomas Osborne

(612) 370-2356

thomas.osborne@sba.gov

Alisha Podobinski

(612) 370-2331

alisha.podobinski@sba.gov

SBA Minnesota District Office

330 Second Ave. South #430

Minneapolis, MN 55401

(612) 370-2324

Fax (612) 370-2303

sba.gov/mn

@SBA_Minnesota
8

How SBA-backed loans helped 

one woman turn a flagging pest 

control business into an

ever-expanding enterprise.

LOCAL BUSINESS 

ASSISTANCE

written by Zack Harold

Bitten 

by the 

Business 

Bug

LANDMARK PEST MANAGEMENT
 

9

Rebecca Fyffe first worked at ABC Humane 

Wildlife Control & Prevention Inc., a pest 

control business in suburban Chicago, 

Illinois, for a college summer job. She 

was on a different career path when she 

got a call from her old employer. The president of ABC 

needed to take a medical sabbatical, and the company 

wanted Fyffe to take over in his absence. Fyffe had 

studied public policy, pre-law, and epidemiology in 

addition to university-level research on pesticides. Not 

content with just keeping the seat warm, Fyffe began 

making improvements to the company’s operations 

during her year at the helm. “Because of that I was 

made CEO,” she says. That was in 2001. Fyffe was just 

25 years old, the youngest pest control company CEO in 

the nation and one of only a few women in a business 

dominated by men.

She continued to look for ways to grow the company. 

At the time, ABC focused its efforts solely on nuisance 

wildlife control. Fyffe saw a lucrative opportunity in 

urban bird management. She had long been concerned 

about pigeons. Growing up, one of her young cousins 

contracted encephalitis from pigeon droppings, which 

led to epilepsy, blindness, and eventually death. Fyffe 

studied the birds and how to mitigate their threat, 

which brought her to the conclusion that improvements 

could be made in urban pigeon control. She found more 

effective solutions were needed to make the mitigation 

material more durable for city use. Fyffe knew she could 

do better, but to get the new venture off the ground, 

ABC needed to borrow money to invest in training, 

equipment, and insurance. The company was hesitant to 

take on the financial risk, so Fyffe offered an alternative 

solution: allow her to launch a new company that would 

specialize in pigeon management. She would run that 

company in addition to her duties at ABC. 

She launched Landmark Pest Management in 2010 

with four employees. Fyffe still needed to borrow money, 

which would be more difficult now that she didn’t have 

an established business standing behind her. Thanks 

to workshops hosted by the SBA-supported Women’s 

Business Development Center, Fyffe applied for an SBAbacked 7(a) loan through Chase Bank. A conventional 

loan would have allowed her to mortgage the warehouse 

facility she needed, but nothing more.

“We would have maxed out our ability to borrow," Fyffe 

says. "That would not have worked for our business.” 

Because of SBA backing, Chase was willing to offer Fyffe a 

larger line of credit, which allowed her to get the warehouse 

as well as the uniforms, tools, and materials she needed. 

“We couldn’t have done it without the SBA,” she says.

Landmark established its reputation from its first 

contract, installing netting on a bridge project in Chicago. 

This bridge became the Chicago Transit Authority’s 

showpiece for bird control. Within two years, Landmark 

was one of the main companies providing bird deterrent 

systems in Chicago. Fyffe used the money she made to 

purchase ABC and merge the two companies in 2012.

LANDMARK PEST MANAGEMENT LANDMARK PEST MANAGEMENT

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
10

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

SBA Resource 

Partners

No matter your industry, location, or experience, if you have a dream, the 

SBA is here to help you realize it. Our SBA Resource Partners extend our reach, 

offering free or low-cost mentoring, counseling, and training to help you startup and thrive at all stages of the business life cycle.

Join the ranks of other business owners who have experienced higher revenues 

and increased growth thanks to SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer 

business mentors. These business executives share real-world knowledge for no 

cost and to fit your busy schedule. SCORE mentors are available as often as you 

need, in person, via email or over video chat. Visit sba.gov/score to start working 

on your business goals.

SCORE

Realize your dream of business ownership and then remain competitive in an 

ever-changing global economy with assistance from your local SBDC. Access 

free or low-cost one-on-one counseling and training on topics like marketing, 

regulatory compliance, technology development, and international trade. 

Connect with an SBDC adviser at sba.gov/sbdc.

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS

Women entrepreneurs receive essential business training from this national 

network of community-based centers. Each center tailors its services to help 

you navigate the challenges women often face when starting or growing their 

business. For your nearest Women’s Business Center, visit sba.gov/women.

WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTERS

Veteran and military entrepreneurs receive business training, counseling and 

mentoring, and referrals to other SBA Resource Partners at a Veterans Business 

Outreach Center, sba.gov/vboc. These are also the places to receive procurement 

guidance, which can help your business better compete for government contracts. 

VBOCs also serve active duty service members, National Guard or Reserve 

members, veterans of any era, and military spouses.

VETERANS BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS

The company has grown to 85 

employees with 50 trucks on the 

road every day, working alongside 

the biggest construction firms 

in the country. Still, Fyffe 

challenges herself by finding 

ways to expand the company. In 

addition to its work in Illinois, 

Landmark does business in 

Michigan, Indiana, and Missouri. 

Fyffe is considering expansion to 

California and New York.

Landmark has continued to use 

its science-based methodology 

and proprietary technology 

to expand its offerings. The 

company is a leader in bedbug 

science, pioneering a special 

DNA test to detect infestations 

with a relatively small sample. 

Fyffe’s team is also testing a new 

nontoxic fungi spore that could 

be used to kill the pests. The 

company’s fastest growing sector 

is food production applications. 

Inspectors shut down factories 

if they find a pest, even if the 

animal has already been caught in 

a trap. Fyffe’s company developed 

a trap that is equipped with 

sensors that allow Landmark to 

dispatch technicians as soon as a 

pest is captured. Although Fyffe 

has used conventional loans for 

these expansions, she credits her 

first SBA-backed loan and her 

Women’s Business Development 

Center guidance with teaching 

her how to craft a growth plan 

and pitch ideas to lenders.

“We might not have been able 

to access that without the SBA,” 

she says.

We couldn’t 

have done it 

without the 

SBA.”

Rebecca Fyffe

Founder

Landmark Pest Management

There are more than 

300 SCORE chapters

980 Small Business Development Centers

100 Women’s Business Centers

20 Veterans Business Outreach Centers
 11

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

SBA’s Resource Partners are independent organizations that are funded through SBA 

cooperative agreements or grants.

SCORE

Visit sba.gov/score to start 

working on your business goals.

score-mn.org

District Director Rick Barkley

Central MN-St. Cloud

(320) 240-1332

centralminnesota.score.org

Minneapolis

(952) 938-4570

minneapolis.score.org

Southeast MN–Rochester

(507) 200-0760

seminnesota.score.org

South Central–Owatonna

(507) 455-3215 x124

southcentralminnesota.score.org

South Metro–Burnsville

(952) 890-7020

southmetro.score.org

St. Paul

(651) 632-8937

stpaul.score.org

Arthur and Sandra Johnson, 

owners of 21 Short Stop in Georgia, 

received assistance from their 

local Small Business Development 

Center and SCORE chapter. 

Our Local SBA 

Resource Partners
12

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Small 

Business 

Development 

Centers

Northwest Region

Bemidji

(218) 755-4255

nwsbdc.org

Northeast Region

Duluth

(218) 726-7298

ced.d.umn.edu

West Central Region

Moorhead

(218) 299-3037

westcentralmnsbdc.com

North Central Region

Brainerd

(218) 855-8140

clcmn.edu/small-businessdevelopment-center

Central Region

St. Cloud

(320) 308-4842

stcloudstate.edu/sbdc

Southwest Region

Marshall

(507) 537-7386

sbdcassistance.com

South Central Region

Mankato

(507) 389-8875

myminnesotabusiness.com

Southeast Region

Rochester

(507) 285-7536

rochestersbdc.com

Twin Cities Metro

Minneapolis

(651) 962-4500

stthomas.edu/sbdc

Lead Center St. Paul

(877) 653-8333

mn.gov/deed/business/help/sbdc

O'Connor Belting, a Delaware 

family-owned business, 

expanded with the help of an 

SBA-guaranteed 7(a) loan.

Veterans Business 

Outreach Center

Veteran entrepreneurs or small business owners can receive business 

training, counseling and mentoring, and referrals to other SBA Resource 

Partners at a Veterans Business Outreach Center, sba.gov/vboc. This is also 

the place to receive procurement guidance, which can help your business 

better compete for government contracts.

Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp.

(414) 395-4560

wwbic.com/veterans

Women’s 

Business Centers

For your nearest Women’s Business Center, 

visit sba.gov/women.

Entrepreneur Fund

Women’s Business Alliance

entrepreneurfund.org/womensbusiness-alliance

Duluth (218) 623-5730

Little Falls (218) 735-6033

WomenVenture

Serving the Twin Cities metro area

(612) 224-9540

womenventure.org
 13

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Advocacy

When you need a voice within the federal 

government for your interests as a small 

business owner, the SBA’s regional advocates 

are here to assist. The advocates analyze the 

effects of proposed regulations and consider 

alternatives that minimize the economic 

burden on small businesses, governmental 

jurisdictions, and nonprofits. Find your 

regional advocate at sba.gov/advocacy.

Your advocate helps with these small 

business issues:

» if your business could be negatively 

affected by regulations proposed by the 

government

» if you have contracting issues with a 

federal agency

» when you need economic and small 

business statistics

The SBA’s Office of Advocacy also 

independently represents small business and 

advances its concerns before Congress, the 

White House, federal agencies, federal courts, 

and state policy makers.

Ombudsman

Entrepreneurs who have an issue with an 

existing federal regulation or policy can 

receive assistance from the SBA’s national 

ombudsman.

The ombudsman’s office helps you:

» resolve regulatory disputes with federal 

agencies

Your 

Advocates

» reduce unfair penalties and fines

» seek remedies when rules are 

inconsistently applied

» recover payment for services done by 

government contractors

Make your voice heard by participating in a 

Regional Regulatory Enforcement Fairness 

Roundtable or a public hearing hosted by the 

SBA’s national ombudsman. These events 

are posted periodically on the ombudsman 

website, sba.gov/ombudsman.

To submit a comment or complaint through 

the online form, visit sba.gov/ombudsman/

comments. Your concerns will be directed to 

the appropriate federal agency for review. The 

SBA will collaborate with you and the agency 

to help resolve the issue.

To report how a proposed federal 

regulation could unfairly affect you, 

find your regional SBA advocate at 

sba.gov/advocacy.

To submit a comment about how 

your business has been hurt by an 

existing regulation, visit 

The SBA’s offices of advocacy and ombudsman are sba.gov/ombudsman/comments

independent voices for small business within the 

federal government.
14

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

The Startup Logistics

Even if you’re running a home-based business, you will have to comply 

with many local, state, and federal regulations. Do not ignore regulatory 

details. You may avoid some red tape in the beginning, but your lack 

of compliance could become an obstacle as your business grows. 

Taking the time to research the applicable regulations is as important 

as knowing your market. Carefully investigate the laws affecting your 

industry. Being out of compliance could leave you unprotected legally, 

lead to expensive penalties, and jeopardize your business.

Market Research

Need to do research on your clients and location? View consumer 

and business data for your area using the Census Business 

Builder: Small Business Edition, https://cbb.census.gov/sbe. 

Filter your search by business type and location to view data on 

your potential customers, including consumer spending, and a 

summary of existing businesses, available as a map and a report. 

Business databases are also available at the James J. Hill Center, 

visit jjhill.org/research.

Business License & Zoning

Licenses are typically administered by a variety of state and local 

departments. It is important to consider zoning regulations when 

choosing a site for your business. Contact the local business 

license office where you plan to locate your business. You may not 

be permitted to conduct business out of your home or engage in 

industrial activity in a retail district.

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development

mn.gov/deed/business/starting-business/legal-regulatory

Minnesota Sales and Use Tax Permits

www.revenue.state.mn.us/businesses

Minnesota Department of Commerce - Franchises

mn.gov/commerce/industries/securities/franchises/

Name Registration

Register your business name with the county clerk where your 

business is located. If you’re a corporation, also register with the state.

www.sos.state.mn.us

COURTESY OF THE SBA

How to Start a Business 

in Minnesota

Thinking of starting a business? Here are the nuts & bolts.

Katie Steller opened Steller 

Hair Co. in Minneapolis after 

receiving mentoring and 

other business development 

assistance from her local 

Women’s Business Center, 

WomenVenture, an SBA 

Resource Partner. At age 11, 

Katie was diagnosed with 

an autoimmune disease 

and her serious health 

challenge caused her hair 

to start falling out. Seeing 

Katie’s distress, her mom 

decided to take her to a salon 

where she received her first 

professional haircut. Sitting 

in the stylist’s chair, Katie 

was no longer defined by her 

illness; she felt like a person 

again. This experience 

sparked her desire to help 

others feel the same way. 

Katie was chosen as the 

SBA 2018 Minnesota Young 

Entrepreneur.
 15

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Taxes

As a business owner, you should know your federal tax responsibilities 

and make some basic business decisions to comply with certain tax 

requirements. The IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center, 

go.usa.gov/xPxYR, offers information on a variety of topics including: 

obtaining an Employer Identification Number, paying and filing 

income tax, virtual workshops, forms, and publications.

Whether you are a new or an experienced business owner, 

there are new tax law changes that may affect your business. As 

the IRS works to implement the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed 

into law December 2017, you can access the latest information 

on irs.gov/tax-reform to better understand the new tax law 

implications and how they affect your bottom line.

» IRS Tax Assistance Centers

(844)545-5640 to schedule an appointment

Bloomington

1550 American Blvd. East, suite 700

(763) 347-7509

Duluth

515 W. First St.

(218) 626-1624

Mankato

1921 Excel Drive

(507) 513-6990

St. Cloud

1010 W. Saint Germain St.

(320) 251-9261

St. Paul

430 N. Wabasha St.

(651) 312-8082

» State Taxes

Minnesota Department of Revenue

revenue.state.mn.us

Social Security

If you have any employees, including officers of a corporation 

but not the sole proprietor or partners, you must make periodic 

payments, and/or file quarterly reports about payroll taxes and other 

mandatory deductions. You can contact the IRS or the Social Security 

Administration for information, assistance and forms, socialsecurity.

gov/employer or (800) 772-1213. You can file W-2s online or verify job 

seekers through the Social Security Number Verification Service.

Employment Eligibility Verification

The Federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 requires 

employers to verify employment eligibility of new employees. 

The law obligates an employer to process Employment Eligibility 

Verification Form I-9. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Service offers information and assistance through uscis.gov/i-9-

central. For forms, call (800) 870-3676, for the employer hotline, 

call (888) 464-4218 or e-mail I-9central@dhs.gov.

E-Verify, operated by the Department of Homeland Security in 

partnership with the Social Security Administration, electronically 

verifies the Social Security number and employment eligibility 

information reported on Form I-9. It’s the quickest way for 

employers to determine the employment eligibility of new hires. 

Visit e-verify.gov, call (888) 464-4218 or email e-verify@dhs.gov.

Health & Safety

All businesses with employees are required to comply with state 

and federal regulations regarding the protection of employees, 

visit dol.gov for information. The Occupational Safety and Health 

An O’Fallon Casting Inc. employee at 

work in O’Fallon, MO. Owner Vince 

Gimeno grew his business thanks to 

COURTESY OF THE SBA

expert SBA business counseling.
16

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Administration provides information on the specific health and 

safety standards used by the U.S. Department of Labor, (800) 321-

6742 or visit osha.gov.

» Minnesota Department of Public Safety

dps.mn.gov/Pages/default.aspx

» Minnesota Department of Health

health.state.mn.us/index.html

» Minnesota Unemployment

uimn.org/uimn

» Workers Compensation in Minnesota

dli.mn.gov/business/workers-compensation-businesses

» Minnesota OSHA

dli.mn.gov/business/safety-and-health-work

» Department of Labor

Main Office – St. Paul

443 Lafayette Road North

(651) 284-5005 or (800) 342-5354

Bemidji (Vocational Rehabilitation)

616 America Ave. Northwest, suite 300

(218) 308-2080 or (888) 234-1116

Duluth (Minnesota OSHA and Workers' Compensation)

525 Lake Ave. South, suite 330

(218) 733-7810

Mankato (Minnesota OSHA and Vocational Rehabilitation)

12 Civic Center Plaza, suite 1650

(507) 304-6262, (507) 304-6267 or (877) 470-6742

Rochester (Minnesota OSHA and Vocational Rehabilitation)

Atrium Professional Building

401 16th St. Southeast

(651) 284-5050, (507) 206-2374 or (877) 470-6742

St. Cloud (Minnesota OSHA and Vocational Rehabilitation)

3400 First St. North, suite 405

(651) 284-5050, (320) 258-2050 or (877) 470-6742

Employee Insurance

Check with your state laws to see if you are required to provide 

unemployment or workers’ compensation insurance for your 

employees. For health insurance options, call the Small Business 

Health Options Program at (800) 706-7893 or visit healthcare.

gov/small-businesses/employers.

» Minnesota Commerce Department

mn.gov/commerce/industries/insurance/businesses

Environmental Regulations

State assistance is available for small businesses that must 

comply with environmental regulations under the Clean Air Act. 

State Small Business Environmental Assistance programs provide 

free, confidential assistance to help small business owners 

understand and comply with complex environmental regulations 

and permitting requirements. These state programs can help 

businesses reduce emissions at the source, often reducing 

regulatory burden and saving you money. To learn more about 

these free services, visit nationalsbeap.org/states/list.

Free and confidential services from the Minnesota Small 

Business Environmental Assistance Program help businesses 

comply with environmental rules, reduce wastes and emissions, 

and reduce regulatory obligations.

(651) 282-6143 or (800) 657-3938

smallbizhelp.pca@state.mn.us

pca.state.mn.us/smallbizhelp

Disability Compliance

For assistance with the Americans with Disabilities Act call (800) 

669-3362 or visit ada.gov.

Child Support

Employers are essential to the success of the child support 

program and are responsible for collecting 75 percent of support 

nationwide through payroll deductions. The Office of Child 

Support Enforcement at Health and Human Services offers 

employers step-by-step instructions for processing income 

withholding orders for child support. “A Guide to an Employer’s 

Role in the Child Support Program” is available at the Office of 

Child Support Enforcement’s website at acf.hhs.gov/programs/

css > employer responsibilities. You can also find information 

about other employer responsibilities and tools that can make 

meeting those responsibilities easier, such as electronic income 

withholding orders and the Child Support Portal. Send questions 

to employerservices@acf.hhs.gov.

Intellectual Property

Patents, trademarks, and copyrights are types of intellectual 

property that serve to protect creations and innovations. 

Intellectual property may be valuable assets for small businesses 

and entrepreneurs, and are important to consider in the 

development of any business plan.

Patents and Trademarks

For information and resources about U.S. patents and federally 

registered trademarks: Visit uspto.gov or call the U.S. Patent and 

Trademark Office Help Center at (800) 786-9199. Information and 

resources are available at the Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional Office 

in Detroit, Michigan, serving Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, 

Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin, uspto.gov/detroit.

A patent for an invention is the grant of a property right to an 

inventor, issued by the patent office. The right conferred by the 

patent grant is the right to exclude others from making, using, 

offering for sale, or selling the invention in the United States or 

importing the invention.

There are three types of patents:

• Utility patents may be granted to anyone who invents or 

discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or 

composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement.

• Design patents may be granted to anyone who invents a new, 

original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture.

• Plant patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers 

and asexually reproduces any distinct and new variety of plant, 
 17

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

• other than a tuber propagated plant or a plant found in an 

uncultivated state. For information visit uspto.gov/inventors.

A trademark or service mark includes any word, name, 

symbol, device, or any combination used or intended to be used 

to identify and distinguish the goods/services of one seller or 

provider from those of others, and to indicate the source of the 

goods/services.

Trademarks and service marks may be registered at both 

the state and federal level with the latter at the U.S. Patent and 

Trademark Office. Federally registered trademarks may conflict 

with and supersede those registered only at the state level. For 

information visit uspto.gov/trademarks. 

State Trademarks

Registering your trademark or service mark with the Minnesota 

Secretary of State’s office does not copyright your mark, it only 

registers it to ensure it is officially recognized with the state of 

Minnesota. Trademark registrations are only accepted by mail or 

in-person at its public counter.

www.sos.state.mn.us > how to register trademarks and 

service marks

Copyrights

Copyrights protect original works of authorship, including 

literary, dramatic, musical and artistic, and certain other 

intellectual works. Copyrights do not protect facts, ideas, and 

systems, although it may protect the way these are expressed. 

For general information contact:

» U.S. Copyright Office

U.S. Library of Congress

James Madison Memorial Building

101 Independence Ave. Southeast Washington, DC

(202) 707-3000 or toll free (877) 476-0778

copyright.gov

Chambers of 

Commerces

For a listing of Minnesota chambers, visit officialusa.com/

stateguides/chambers/minnesota.html.

Minnesota Black Chamber

minnesotabcc.org

Minnesota Hmong Chamber

hmongchamber.com

Latino Chamber

latinochambermn.com

Metro IBA

buylocaltwincities.com

Minnesota American Indian Chamber

maicc.org

Minnesota Indian Business Alliance

mniba.org

Quorum - Minnesota LGBTQ Chamber

twincitiesquorum.com

COURTESY OF THE SBA

Adriana Medina, owner of Fuerte 

Fitness, in Seattle, WA, received business 

counseling from a SCORE mentor and a 

Women’s Business Center adviser.
18

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Economic 

Development

For state assistance with business expansion, international 

trade, workforce and community development, visit Minnesota 

Department of Employment and Economic Development at www.

mn.gov/deed.

Entrepreneurs can receive free, confidential business counseling 

from the Open for Business programs, mccdmn.org/open-tobusiness, available throughout the Twin Cities metro area.

Low-income small business owners can receive free assistance 

in nonlitigation business law from LegalCORPS. Find clinic 

locations and information on setting up a 30-minute consultation 

time at legalcorps.org. Business owners who qualify can receive 

longer one-on-one representation.

International 

Trade

Minnesota U.S. Export Assistance Center

Carlos Sosa

(612) 348-1642

carlos.sosa@sba.gov

sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/eac

Minnesota Trade Office

mn.gov/deed/business/exporting

Minnesota Commerce Department

mn.gov/commerce/about

U.S. Commercial Service

export.gov/minnesota

Export-Import Bank of the United States

Minneapolis Regional Office

(612) 348-1213

exim.gov

COURTESY OF THE SBA

Reeves Clippard used the business 

knowledge he acquired in the SBA 

Emerging Leaders program to grow A/R 

Solar in Seattle, WA.
 19

Write your 

Business Plan

Traditional Business Plan

• This type of plan is very detailed, takes more time 

to write, and is comprehensive. 

• Lenders and investors commonly request this plan.

Lean Startup Plan

• This type of plan is high-level focus, fast to write, 

and contains key elements only. 

• Some lenders and investors may ask for more 

information.

Which business 

plan format is 

right for you?

Business plans help you run your business

A good business plan guides you through each stage of starting and managing 

your business. You’ll use your business plan as a roadmap for how to structure, 

run, and grow your new business. It’s a way to think through the key elements of 

your business.

Business plans can help you get funding or bring on new business partners. 

Investors want to feel confident they’ll see a return on their investment. Your 

business plan is the tool you’ll use to convince people that working with you— 

or investing in your company—is a smart choice.

Pick a business plan format that works for you

• There’s no right or wrong way to write a business plan. What’s important is 

that your plan meets your needs.

• Most business plans fall into one of two common categories: traditional or lean 

startup.

• Traditional business plans are more common, use a standard structure, and 

encourage you to go into detail in each section. They tend to require more 

work upfront and can be dozens of pages long.

• Lean startup business plans are less common but still use a standard structure. They focus on summarizing only the most important points of 

the key elements of your plan. They can take as little as one hour to make 

and are typically only one page.

Your business plan is the foundation of your business. Learn how to write a 

business plan quickly and efficiently with a business plan template.

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
20

You might prefer a traditional business plan format if you’re very 

detail oriented, want a comprehensive plan, or plan to request 

financing from traditional sources.

When you write your business plan, you don’t have to stick to the 

exact business plan outline. Instead, use the sections that make the 

most sense for your business and your needs. Traditional business 

plans use some combination of these nine sections.

Executive Summary

Briefly tell your reader what your company is and why it will be successful. Include your mission statement, your product or service, and 

basic information about your company’s leadership team, employees, and location. You should also include financial information and 

high-level growth plans if you plan to ask for financing.

Company Description

Use your company description to provide detailed information about 

your company. Go into detail about the problems your business 

solves. Be specific, and list out the consumers, organization, or businesses your company plans to serve.

Explain the competitive advantages that will make your business 

a success. Are there experts on your team? Have you found the perfect location for your store? Your company description is the place to 

boast about your strengths.

Market Analysis

You'll need a good understanding of your industry outlook and target 

market. Competitive research will show you what other businesses are 

doing and what their strengths are. In your market research, look for 

trends and themes. What do successful competitors do? Why does it 

work? Can you do it better? Now's the time to answer these questions.

Organization and Management

Tell your reader how your company will be structured and who 

will run it.

Describe the legal structure of your business. State whether 

you have or intend to incorporate your business as a C or an 

S corporation, form a general or limited partnership, or if you're 

a sole proprietor or LLC.

Use an organizational chart to lay out who's in charge of what in 

your company. Show how each person's unique experience will contribute to the success of your venture. Consider including resumes or 

CVs of key members of your team.

Service or Product Line

Describe what you sell or what service you offer. Explain how it benefits your customers and what the product lifecycle looks like. Share 

your plans for intellectual property, like copyright or patent filings. If 

you're doing research and development for your service or product, 

explain it in detail.

Marketing and Sales

There's no single way to approach a marketing strategy. Your strategy should evolve and change to fit your unique needs.

Your goal in this section is to describe how you'll attract and retain 

customers. You'll also describe how a sale will actually happen. 

You'll refer to this section later when you make financial projections, 

so make sure to thoroughly describe your complete marketing and 

sales strategies.

Funding Request

If you're asking for funding, this is where you'll outline your funding 

requirements. Your goal is to clearly explain how much funding you’ll 

need over the next five years and what you'll use it for.

Specify whether you want debt or equity, the terms you'd like 

applied, and the length of time your request will cover. Give a 

detailed description of how you'll use your funds. Specify if you need 

funds to buy equipment or materials, pay salaries, or cover specific 

bills until revenue increases. Always include a description of your 

future strategic financial plans, like paying off debt or selling your 

business.

Financial Projections

Supplement your funding request with financial projections. Your 

goal is to convince the reader that your business is stable and will be 

a financial success.

If your business is already established, include income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements for the last three 

to five years. If you have other collateral you could put against a loan, 

make sure to list it now.

Provide a prospective financial outlook for the next five years. 

Include forecasted income statements, balance sheets, cash flow 

statements, and capital expenditure budgets. For the first year, be 

even more specific and use quarterly—or even monthly —projections. Make sure to clearly explain your projections, and match them 

to your funding requests.

This is a great place to use graphs and charts to tell the financial 

story of your business. 

Appendix

Use your appendix to provide supporting documents or other materials 

that were specially requested. Common items to include are credit histories, resumes, product pictures, letters of reference, licenses, permits, 

patents, legal documents, and other contracts.

• Executive summary

• Company description

• Market analysis

• Organization and 

management

• Service or product line

• Marketing and sales

• Funding request

• Financial projections

• Appendix

TRADITIONAL 

BUSINESS PLAN FORMAT

TRADITIONAL BUSINESS PLAN CHECKLIST 

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
 21

Want to see 

an example 

of a business 

plan? 

View examples of both 

business plan formats at 

sba.gov/business-guide/

plan/write-your-businessplan-template

If you fail to plan, you 

are planning to fail.”

Benjamin Franklin

• Key partnerships

• Key activities

• Key resources

• Value proposition

• Customer relationships

• Customer segments

• Channels

• Cost structure

• Revenue streams

You might prefer a lean startup format if you want to explain or start your business quickly, 

your business is relatively simple, or you plan to regularly change and refine your business plan.

Lean startup formats are charts that use only a handful of elements to describe your 

company’s value proposition, infrastructure, customers, and finances. They’re useful for 

visualizing tradeoffs and fundamental facts about your company.

There are many versions of lean startup templates, but one of the oldest and most well known 

is the Business Model Canvas, developed by Alex Osterwalder. You can search the web to find free 

templates of the Business Model Canvas, or other versions, to build your business plan.

We’ll discuss the nine components of the Business Model Canvas version here.

Key Partnerships

Note the other businesses or services you’ll work with to run your business. Think about 

suppliers, manufacturers, subcontractors and similar strategic partners.

Key Activities

List the ways your business will gain a competitive advantage. Highlight things like selling 

direct to consumers or using technology to tap into the sharing economy.

Key Resources

List any resource you’ll leverage to create value for your customer. Your most important 

assets could include staff, capital, or intellectual property. Don’t forget to leverage business 

resources that might be available to women, veterans, Native Americans, 

and HUBZone–certified businesses.

Value Proposition

Make a clear and compelling statement about the unique value your company brings 

to the market.

Customer Relationships

Describe how customers will interact with your business. Is it automated or personal? 

In person or online? Think through the customer experience from start to finish.

Customer Segments

Be specific when you name your target market. Your business won’t be for everybody, 

so it’s important to have a clear sense of who your business will serve.

Channels

List the most important ways you’ll talk to your customers. Most businesses use a mix 

of channels and optimize them over time.

Cost Structure

Will your company focus on reducing cost or maximizing value? Define your strategy, 

then list the most significant costs you’ll face pursuing it.

Revenue Streams

Explain how your company will actually make money. Some examples are direct sales, memberships fees, and selling advertising space. If your company has multiple revenue streams, 

list them all.

LEAN STARTUP PLAN FORMAT

LEAN STARTUP PLAN 

CHECKLIST 

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
22

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Find free short 

courses and 

learning tools 

to start and 

grow your small 

business at sba.

gov/learning. The 

SBA’s free Online 

Learning Center is a great 

resource for every entrepreneur, 

especially rural business owners 

looking for easy access to vital 

business training.

Courses include:

• writing your business plan

• small business legal requirements

• small business financing options

• digital and traditional marketing to 

win customers

• disaster recovery

• cyber security and crime prevention

Online 

Resources for 

Entrepreneurs

Business executives looking for their next educational opportunity will find it in the SBA’s 

Emerging Leaders program.

Participants in the intense seven-month Emerging Leaders entrepreneurship program 

are selected through a competitive process. The program fosters a learning environment 

that accelerates the growth of high-potential small businesses, while providing training 

and peer networking sessions. Emerging Leaders graduates have reported gaining more 

than $300 million in new financing and securing over $2.16 billion in government contracts. 

For information about the Emerging Leaders program, visit sba.gov/emergingleaders.

Entrepreneurs receive business 

counseling and assistance at the 

Philadelphia SBA district office in 

King of Prussia.

Programs for 

Entrepreneurs

SBA’s Emerging Leaders program helps grow businesses.
 23

Need entrepreneurship training?

Entrepreneurship training is available through the SBA’s programs 

for veterans, sba.gov/veterans, at military installations around the 

world. These programs are open to active duty service members, 

those transitioning out of service, National Guard and Reserve 

members, veterans of all eras, and military spouses. Connect 

to other entrepreneurs and your local network of SBA Resource 

Partners through these services and programs. 

Veterans Business Outreach Centers, sba.gov/vboc, provide 

business training and counseling to those interested in starting, 

purchasing, or growing 

a small business.

Boots to Business is an entrepreneurial education and training 

program offered by the SBA as part of the Department of Defense’s 

Transition Assistance Program. Service members transitioning out of 

active duty and military spouses are eligible for Boots to Business.

During the course, you explore business ownership and other selfemployment opportunities while learning key business concepts. You 

will walk away with an overview of entrepreneurship and applicable 

business ownership fundamentals, including how to access startup 

capital using SBA resources. Boots to Business is conducted on all 

military installations that host the Transition Assistance Program, 

Programs 

for Veterans

both in and out of the contiguous United States.

Boots to Business: Reboot delivers the Boots to Business 

curriculum to veterans of all eras, members of the National Guard 

and Reserve, and military spouses in their local communities.

Register for either program at https://sbavets.force.com.

If you’re a service-disabled veteran or a spouse, the SBA’s ServiceDisabled Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program provides guidance 

on starting or growing your small business, visit sba.gov/ovbd.

Interested in doing business with the government?

Veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small 

businesses interested in federal contracting opportunities 

can receive training through the Veteran Federal Procurement 

Entrepreneurship Training Program. This program is administered 

by the Veteran Institute for Procurement, which offers a platform 

with three training programs to assist veterans: VIP Start, VIP Grow, 

and VIP International.

» VIP Start is for companies wanting to enter the federal market 

and become ready for procurement. Nearly 200 veteran-owned 

businesses from 29 states plus Washington, DC have graduated 

from the program.

» VIP Grow is the core curriculum which assists companies in 

developing strategies to expand and operate within the federal 

marketplace. More than 700 veteran-owned businesses from 42 

states plus DC and Guam have graduated from this program.

» VIP International is for companies that want to enter or expand 

their federal and commercial contracting opportunities overseas.

Loan Fee Relief

To encourage lending to members of the military community who want 

to start or grow their business, the SBA reduces upfront guarantee fees 

on select loans. That means the cost savings will be passed down to 

you, the eligible veteran or qualifying military member. To learn more, 

contact your local SBA district office or ask your SBA Lender about the 

Veterans Advantage program, sba.gov/loans.

Learn about the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned 

Small Business certification program on page 65.

Have an employee who 

was called to active duty?

Ask your local SBA district office or lender about the 

Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan 

program. If you meet the eligibility requirements, 

you may receive funds that enable your business to 

meet ordinary and necessary operating expenses 

when an essential employee is called up to active 

duty in the military reserve.

Jack Goodison, a veteran, 

grew his business in North 

Kingstown, Rhode Island, 

J. Goodison Co., with the 

help of an SBA-guaranteed 

504 loan. 

Members of the military community can start and 

grow their small business with the help of SBA 

programs.

LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
24

local success story

Brenda 

Nolby

CEO, JAM HOPS GYMNASTICS FACTORY INC.

Ham Lake, MN

Jam Hops Gymnastics Factory Inc. was 

faced with a great problem for any 

small business to have: it was attracting a lot of clients and adding new 

programs fast. CEO Brenda Nolby wanted 

to handle her business’s tremendous 

growth with care, so she turned to the 

SBA to help finance her expansion. With 

the help of SBA-backed loans, Brenda was 

able to open a second location in 2005 and 

another in 2014. Her latest expansion in 

2017 brought all the locations into one 

large state-of-the-art facility.

Brenda, who began working for the 

company in the early 1990s, bought out 

her business partner in 2013 and now 

employs more than 100. The company’s 

success has not come without a struggle. During the Great Recession, student 

enrollment dropped and the company 

was on the verge of bankruptcy. Brenda 

stopped taking a salary, and her business 

partner took on another full-time job. 

Through it all, Jam Hops paid its bills on 

time. Brenda felt such gratitude toward 

her community, she was inspired to start 

a regular giving campaign.

• What challenge did you have? We had so many children wanting to participate in our classes that we had three separate gyms running programs 

in dance, cheer, martial arts, theater, and academic preschool—it was 

challenging. It made more business sense to bring all the locations back 

together under one roof, so I decided to consolidate into one large gym, 

providing recreational and competitive gymnasts in my community with 

a brand new facility. I didn’t qualify for traditional financing, so I turned to 

the SBA, which had guaranteed our loans for our previous expansion.

• What was the SBA solution? I qualified for the SBA 504 Certified 

Development Company loan program, which provides competitive fixedrate mortgage financing through a local lender and a certified development company. The SBA guaranteed about half of our costs. In 2017, 

we built a 43,000-square-foot complex to house all of our programs in 

one location.

• What benefit did this have for you? We now have a beautiful location, 

employ over 100 people, and continue to grow the business as we help the 

children in our community meet and exceed their own goals.
 25

COURTESY OF JAM HOPS GYMNASTICS FACTORY INC.

The SBA guaranteed 

about half of our costs.”

Brenda Nolby

CEO, Jam Hops Gymnastics Factory Inc.
26

FUNDING PROGRAMS

Financing Your Small Business

A Deal 

is Inked

An SBA loan helps these entrepreneurs succeed in the challenging 

printing market.

written by Pam Kasey

COURTESY OF J. EMILIO FLORES
 27

FUNDING PROGRAMS

When Mark Moralez’s employer, the 

owner of Printing Palace in Santa 

Monica, California, told him in 2014 

he’d found a buyer for the business, 

Moralez reacted with shock. “Why?” his boss asked. 

“Do you want to buy it instead?”

The idea surprised Moralez, but it was appealing. 

He’d been in the industry for more than 20 years and 

at Printing Palace for a decade. As general manager, 

he managed nine employees and took care of the 

business as if it were his own; many customers 

assumed he was the owner. He and his husband, 

John Briggs, discussed a possible purchase over 

lunch. “It wasn’t something I was looking to do, I 

was just trying to take control of my own destiny,” 

Moralez says. He was scared, but the couple decided 

to take the leap.

Moralez and Briggs visited their credit union and 

were quickly disappointed. The loan officer wouldn’t 

take the risk. “He decided that printing was a dying 

industry and there was no way he was going to fund 

us,” Moralez said.

In frustration, Moralez posted about the setback 

on Facebook. His social network came to his aid; 

the post got him the attention of an SBA Lender—as 

high up as the bank’s vice president, Mark Morales. 

This SBA Lender decided the couple deserved the 

chance, and Moralez and Briggs soon qualified for 

SBA funding. They received a 7(a) loan of $1.1 million 

toward the $1.4 million purchase, enabling Moralez 

and Briggs to buy Printing Palace in 2015.

It was a challenging time to invest in printing. 

“There were probably 20 printers in our area 10 years 

ago, and there are probably four now,” Moralez says. 

“The industry has changed a lot, even in the past 

three years. What used to be 20 to 30 percent of our 

business is now 50 to 60 percent, and that’s ondemand, digital, quick, turned around in a day.” The 

couple has met the challenge, giving up equipment 

they owned for five new digital printers they lease. 

They also added an architectural plan printer in 

response to frequent customer requests. “It’s not a 

huge moneymaker, but it meets demand and it’s a 

profitable unit,” Moralez says.

What sets Printing Palace apart in a changing 

industry is the shop’s commitment to customer 

service. “Everybody wants to do online printing,” he 

says. “What keeps us going, and we’re doing well, 

is that we cater to people who are frustrated with 

that—or who just want to come in and feel things 

and talk to somebody who’s knowledgeable about 

the product.” Printing Palace’s website touts its 

print-industry veterans who take pride in delivering 

jobs on time. Moralez and Briggs have earned high 

reviews online.

Moralez sought certification early on as an LGBTowned business. He serves as president of his local 

chapter of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian 

Mark Moralez believes that what sets Printing 

Palace apart in a changing industry is his talented 

work force and their customer service.

COURTESY OF J. EMILIO FLORES COURTESY OF J. EMILIO FLORES
28

FUNDING PROGRAMS

SBA-backed 

Loans

For small business owners and entrepreneurs 

who cannot get traditional forms of credit, an 

SBA-guaranteed loan can fill that need. The SBA 

guarantees loans made by lending institutions to 

small businesses that would not otherwise be able 

to obtain financing. If you are eligible and cannot 

obtain conventional financing with reasonable rates 

and terms, the SBA guarantee reduces a lender’s 

risk of loss in the event of a default on the loan. The 

guarantee is conditional on the lender following 

SBA program requirements. Just like with any other 

loan, you make your loan payments directly to your 

SBA Lender in accordance with your terms.

Lender Match

Visit your local SBA office for a lender referral, or 

use Lender Match, sba.gov/lendermatch. The 

SBA’s online tool connects entrepreneurs with SBA 

Lenders interested in making small business loans 

in your area.

Chamber of Commerce, giving Printing 

Palace prominence in a loyal market. 

“We’ve also done some charity work for 

Human Rights Campaign and Equality 

California, we’ve donated money and 

free printing. Those causes are near and 

dear to our hearts.”

At a time when print shops routinely 

struggle and fail, Printing Palace has 

secured its place. “Revenues have 

stayed steady,” Moralez says. “But we’ve 

streamlined everything, so we’re a lot 

more efficient and profitable than we 

were. In an industry that peaked 10 years 

ago and has slowly been in decline, the 

fact that we can stay where we are and 

make it profitable is a strong indication 

of how well we’re doing.”

The pressure is real. “Now everybody 

is relying on us, and the weight falls on 

my shoulders,” Moralez says. “It’s more 

work than I’ve ever done in my life, 

but it’s been a good thing. I’m glad we 

did it.”

For those seeking business financing, 

Moralez has this advice: do your research 

and find an SBA Lender who wants to 

work with you. “Then, go for it,” he says. 

“If it’s something you want to do and you 

have the skill to do it, you just have to 

jump in with both feet.”

If it’s 

something 

you want to 

do and you 

have the skill 

to do it, you 

just have to 

jump in with 

both feet.”

Mark Moralez

Owner

Printing Palace
 29

INTEREST RATE: prime + 6 percent

TERMS: up to 25 years for real estate, 10 years for equipment and 

working capital

GUARANTEE: 75 to 90 percent

Microloan Program

Eligible businesses can startup and grow with working 

capital or funds for supplies, equipment, furniture and fixtures. 

Borrow from $500 to $50,000 and access free business counseling 

from microlenders.

INTEREST RATE: loans less than $10,000, lender cost + 8.5 percent; 

loans $10,000 and greater, lender cost + 7.75 percent

TERMS: lender negotiated, no early payoff penalty

504 Certified Development Company

Loan Program

If you do not qualify for traditional financing, but would like to 

purchase/renovate real estate or buy heavy equipment for your 

business, ask about the 504 loan program. It provides competitive 

fixed-rate mortgage financing through a lender and a Certified 

Development Company.

MAX LOAN AMOUNT (up to 40 percent of the total project): up to 

$5 million; $5.5 million for manufacturing or energy public policy 

projects

INTEREST RATE: below market fixed rates for 10, 20 or 25 year terms

TERMS: 20 or 25 years for real estate or long term equipment, 

10 years for general machinery and equipment

GUARANTEE: the lender provides a senior loan for 50 percent of 

the project cost (with no SBA guarantee); the CDC finances up to 40 

percent in a junior lien position (supported by the SBA guarantee)

SPECIAL CONDITION: a minimum borrower contribution, or down 

payment, is required, amounts vary by project but are usually 

10 percent

Need 

Financing?

The 7(a) Loan, the SBA’s Largest 

Financing Program 

If you’re unable to get conventional financing and you meet the 

eligibility requirements, you can use a 7(a) loan to buy real estate, 

equipment, or inventory for your small business. It may also be 

used for working capital, to refinance business debt or purchase a 

small business.

MAX LOAN AMOUNT: $5 million

INTEREST RATE: generally prime + a reasonable rate capped at 

2.75 percent

TERMS: loan term varies according to the purpose of the loan, 

generally up to 25 years for real estate, 10 years for other fixed 

assets and working capital

GUARANTEE: 50 to 90 percent

CAPlines

Meet your revolving capital needs with lines of credit. CAPLines can 

be used for contract financing, seasonal lines of credit, builders line 

of credit, or for general working capital lines.

SBA Express Loan

Featuring a simplified process, these loans are delivered by 

experienced lenders who are authorized to make the credit decision 

for the SBA. These can be term loans or revolving lines of credit.

MAX LOAN AMOUNT: $350,000

INTEREST RATE: for loans less than $50,000, prime + 6.5 percent; 

for loans of $50,000 and greater, prime + 4.75 percent

TERMS: loan term varies according to the purpose of the loan, 

generally up to 25 years for real estate and 10 years for other fixed 

assets and working capital.

GUARANTEE: 50 percent

Community Advantage Program

Financing for women, veterans, low-income borrowers, and minority 

entrepreneurs just starting up or in business for a few years. Receive 

free business counseling as you work with a community-based 

financial institution.

Visit your local SBA office or lender to learn about 

these funding options.

FUNDING PROGRAMS
30

FUNDING PROGRAMS

1 What do you need funding for?

What you need, when you need it!

Do you need help with your business plan or loan package?

Now that you have your business plan and 

loan package ready, contact an SBA Lender 

to see if you qualify! There are two options...

If so, SBA Resource Partners can help! Ask for a local list.

• Start or purchase a business

• Purchase, renovate or expand 

facilities

• Purchase inventory, 

equipment or machinery

• Revolving credit/working 

capital for day-to-day 

expenses

• Export a product or service

SBA’s SBIC Program could 

be a great option for you.

I need investors! I’m bidding on a

contract that requires

me to be bonded.

I need to research and

develop a business idea

for commercialization.

You may need the SBIR

 or STTR Program.

Ask for information on

SBA’s Surety Bond Program.

OPEN

CDC BANK

Check out Lender Match

(www.sba.gov/lendermatch) to 

search national SBA Lenders who 

may specialize in your industry 

or type of project.

Visit an active SBA Lender in

your area. Ask your nearest

SBA District Office for a list of

local SBA Lenders.

Be prepared to discuss:

• Size and purpose of your loan

• Size and age of your business

• Your credit history

• Collateral

• Financial projections

• Your technical assistance/

mentoring needs

Financing 101

A. B.

2

3
 31

FUNDING PROGRAMS

Small businesses can enter and excel in the 

international marketplace using State Trade 

Expansion Program grants and training. Visit 

sba.gov/internationaltrade to find out if 

your state is participating.

You can:

• learn how to export

• participate in foreign trade missions and 

trade shows

• obtain services to support foreign market 

entry

• translate websites to attract foreign buyers

• design international marketing products 

or campaigns

Financing for International Growth

The International Trade Loan can position 

you to enter or expand into international 

markets. It can also help you better compete 

if your business has been adversely affected 

by unfair trade practices.

Max loan amount: $5 million

Interest rate: generally prime + a reasonable rate capped at 2.75 percent

Terms: up to 25 years for real estate, up to 10 

years for equipment

Guarantee: up to 90 percent

Ask your SBA Lender about the Export 

Express Loan for enhancing your export 

development.

Max loan amount: $500,000

Interest rate: typically not to exceed prime 

+ 6.5 percent

Terms: up to 25 years for real estate, up to 

10 years for equipment, up to seven years 

for lines of credit

Guarantee: up to 90 percent

Exporters looking to meet their short-term 

capital needs can use the Export Working 

Capital Program. Use this loan to purchase 

inventory to make the products you export 

or to finance receivables. You can apply for 

lines of credit prior to finalizing an export 

sale or contract.

Max loan amount: $5 million

Interest rate: negotiated between lender 

and business, fixed or variable rate

Terms: typically one year, cannot exceed 

three years

Guarantee: up to 90 percent

Benefits of

Exporting

Nearly 96 percent of consumers 

live outside the U.S., and twothirds of the world’s purchasing 

power is in foreign countries. If 

you’re a small business owner, 

here’s how to work with the SBA 

for your trade needs.

STEP 1 GET COUNSELING

STEP 3 GET FUNDING

Expert Advice on Exporting

If you need assistance with international trade regulations, the SBA can be your 

advocate in foreign markets. Call toll free (855) 722-4877 or email your contact 

information and trade issue to international@sba.gov.

Find an SBA professional in one of the 21 U.S. Export Assistance Centers, 

sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/eac, located in most major metro areas. The 

centers are also staffed by the U.S. Department of Commerce and, in some locations, the Export-Import Bank of the United States and other public and private 

organizations. Also, visit your local Small Business Development Center (see page 8) 

for exporting assistance from professional business counselors.

STEP 2 FIND BUYERS

Assistance with 

Exporting

Businesses that export are less dependent on any one market. 

Exporting also broadens the market and stabilizes sales for those 

who make seasonal products.
32

Investment 

Capital

If you own a U.S. small 

business, you could 

receive capital from a 

Small Business Investment 

Company that is regulated 

by the SBA. Investment 

companies with financing expertise in certain 

industry sectors receive 

SBA-guaranteed loans, 

which means the federal 

government is responsible 

in case of default. These 

investment companies use 

the SBA-guaranteed capital 

and private funds to invest 

in qualifying small businesses. Small businesses 

then receive a loan, equity 

(a share of ownership an 

investment company gets 

in a business), or a combination of both.

Mature, profitable 

businesses with sufficient 

cash flow to pay interest 

are more likely to receive 

an investment from an 

SBIC. Each one has its own 

investment profile in terms 

of targeted industry, geography, company maturity, 

the types and size of 

financing they provide.

Search the SBIC directory by visiting sba.gov 

and clicking on Funding 

Program and then 

Investment Capital.

Looking for investors? You might find leads in our Small Business Investment Company online directory.

FUNDING PROGRAMS
 33

R&D Opportunities for 

Next Gen Entrepreneurs

Do you work in one of these areas?

» advanced materials

» agTech

» artificial intelligence

» biomedical

» cybersecurity

» energy

» first response

» national security

» space exploration

The Small Business Innovation Research and the Small Business 

Technology Transfer programs, also called America’s Seed Fund, 

provide more than $2.5 billion in early stage capital through more 

than 4,000 new awards annually.

How it works

Every year, 11 participating federal agencies announce topical areas 

that address their R&D needs. Eligible businesses submit proposals 

through a competitive process, and if successful, enter a three phase 

awards program.

» Phase I, the proof-of-concept stage, typically lasts from 6-12 

months, often providing $100,000-$225,000.

» Phase II, the full R&D period, lasts about 24 months and typically 

provides $600,000-$1.5 million.

» Phase III, the commercialization stage, where you seek public or 

private funds for your venture.

How else does your startup benefit? The funding agency does not 

take an equity position or ownership of your business. The federal 

government also has a protection period in which it does not 

disclose your reports and data.

Visit sbir.gov to find funding opportunities and helpful program 

tutorials, as well as past award winners, such as Qualcomm, iRobot, 

Illumina, and Symantec.

Participating agencies:

» Department of Agriculture

» Department of Commerce

» National Institute of Standards and Technology

» National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

» Department of Defense

» Department of Education

» Department of Energy

» Department of Health and Human Services

» Department of Homeland Security

» Department of Transportation

» Environmental Protection Agency

» NASA

» National Science Foundation

If you are engaged in high-risk research and development, your small business may be eligible 

to compete for funding to develop your tech and get it to market. OUSA CHEA/UNSPLASH

ALEXANDRE DEBIÈVE/UNSPLASH

FUNDING PROGRAMS
34

FACEBOOK BLUEPRINT

We’re Builders

at Heart

Building a successful business is no easy feat. You’re responsible for managing financing, cashflow, 

hiring, payroll, taxes—all of which are areas that are challenging enough on their own before you take 

into account the efforts required to find and retain profitable customers.

Whether your business is creating products or offering services, 

you’ll need to build your brand and find a way to reach your most 

valuable customers and prospects. 

Like you, we’re builders at heart. At Facebook, we’ve built a 

company that connects billions of people around the world. Our 

teams are constantly iterating, solving problems and working 

together to empower people to build community and connect to 

one another in meaningful ways. 

We’ve also built powerful tools that help millions of small 

businesses to expand their reach, find new customers, and 

subsequently drive transactions and build lasting

relationships with them. 

For example, Lloyd Taco, a food truck and restaurant company 

based in Buffalo, New York, built their business from scratch 

using a Facebook Business Page (and Page tools) as their go-to 

platform for engaging with the community. The actions they took 

on their page included announcing the truck’s whereabouts, 

managing promotions and communicating directly with 

customers. As of mid-2018, the company reported:

• 37% of new customers learned about Lloyd Taco from Facebook

• 42,000 people reached per week, on average

• 15 hours saved per week by prescheduling Facebook

post publishing

While it’s easier than ever before to make your small business 

brand big by leveraging mobile technology and social media, we 

know it can be daunting for entrepreneurs and owners who are 

not experienced digital marketers. 

That is why we created Facebook Blueprint—a global education 

program that offers free, self-paced courses (online and video). 

It will help you master the tools and create effective marketing 

on Facebook and Instagram. From Creating a Facebook Business 

Page to Audience Targeting to Campaign Measurement, there’s a 

course for everyone whether you’re a beginner or advanced.

ADVERTISEMENT
 35

FACEBOOK BLUEPRINT

3 Tips

for Building Your

Brand Online

Create a place for people to “meet your business” online

You can create your Facebook Business Page in minutes. It’s 

simple, free, and looks great on both desktop and mobile. 

Be sure to select the Page template and action buttons (e.g. Shop 

Now, Send a Message, Write a Recommendation) that make the 

most sense for your business.

Build an active and engaged audience for your business

Grow your audience by inviting people who may be 

interested in what you have to offer to like your Business 

Page. Your audience will likely consist of a wide variety of 

people — friends or family who are fans of your product/

content, potential customers, current customers and former 

customers. Posting on your Business Page is a great way to let 

your customers and fans know what your business is up to. 

Keep customers interested and engaged with product or service 

updates, special promotions, event notifications and more.

Manage many aspects of your business from your Page

In addition to posting, there are many more ways for you 

to use your Page to manage your business:

• Encourage customers to take specific actions - Drive 

more transactions with Page features tailored for 

your business type. For example, you can schedule 

appointments or take reservations, drive people to your 

website’s shop or donate page, or provide a link for your 

app or game to encourage people to download.

• Offer great customer service - People can communicate 

with your business through Messenger—it’s a familiar 

and convenient way to answer questions or help out a 

customer. You can even create and save responses to 

common inquiries to cut down on response time. 

• Post an open job - Reach qualified job candidates

where they’re already spending their time—on 

Facebook. You can post job opportunities on your 

Business Page for free.

• Share on offer - Create coupons and discounts right 

from your Page to let people know about specials and 

deals—it can help you re-engage existing customers and 

attract new ones.

• Promote an event - If you’re hosting an event for your 

business, you can use Facebook Events to spread the 

word. Share key details (time, location, etc.), increase 

attendance and sell tickets.

• Sell things on Marketplace - Connect your products 

and services to your local community by listing things to 

Facebook Marketplace. You can target buyers on the go 

with mobile-friendly listings.

https://fb.me/start-your-learning-here

Download and print your free ‘Grow 

Your Business’ digital infographic which 

provides a list of recommended online 

courses for 6 marketing challenges 

commonly faced by businesses.

Want to grow your

business but don’t

know where to start?

You’re building a business, which means you’re also building your brand. These days, the first place 

people look when learning more about a business is online, and having a Facebook Business Page

gives you a chance to make important information about your business easily accessible.

Here are 3 tips to set up your Facebook Business Page (and to make the most of Page tools) so you can be 

on your way to reaching your business goals.

ADVERTISEMENT

This is a paid advertisement. The inclusion of this paid 

advertisement in the SBA Small Business Resource Guide does 

not indicate SBA’s endorsement of the company, its owner, or its 

advertised products or services.

ADVERTISEMENT
36

FUNDING PROGRAMS

SBA Lenders

Our participating SBA Lenders serve all of Minnesota unless otherwise noted.

ADA

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

ADAMS

United Farmers State Bank

unitedfsb.com

ADRIAN

Adrian State Bank

adrianstatebank.com

AITKIN

Members Cooperative 

Credit Union

membersccu.org

Neighborhood National Bank

neighborhood.bank

Security State Bank

ssbmn.com

AKELEY

First National Bank North

fnbnorth.com

ALBANY

Central Minnesota Credit Union

mycmcu.org

Stearns Bank

stearnsbank.com

ALBERT LEA

Farmers State Bank

fsbmn.bank

Home Federal Savings Bank

justcallhome.com

Security Bank Minnesota

securitybankmn.com

ALBERTVILLE

Financial Security Bank

financialsecuritybank.com

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

ALDEN

Security Bank Minnesota

securitybankmn.com

ALEXANDRIA

Affinity Plus Federal Credit 

Union

affinityplus.org

American National Bank

anbmn.com

Bell Bank

bellbanks.com

Neighborhood National Bank

neighborhood.bank

Viking Bank

vikingbankmn.com

AMBOY

Community Bank

cbfg.net

ANDOVER

Minnco Credit Union

minnco.com

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

SharePoint Credit Union

sharepointcu.com

ANNANDALE

Star Bank

starbank.net

ANOKA

Anoka Hennepin Credit Union

ahcu.coop

First Minnesota Bank

firstmnbank.com

APPLE VALLEY

First Resource Bank

myfrbank.com

MidCountry Bank

midcountrybank.com

Sterling State Bank

sterlingstatebank.com

Think Mutual Bank

thinkbank.com

APPLETON

Farmers and Merchants 

State Bank of Appleton

farmers-merchants.com

ARGYLE

United Valley Bank

uvbank.net

ASHBY

First State Bank of Ashby

fsbashby.com

ASKOV

Northview Bank

northviewbank.com

ATWATER

Harvest Bank

harvestbankmn.com

AURORA

Northern State Bank

nsbashland.com

AUSTIN

Farmers and Merchants 

State Bank

fmbankmn.com

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

Home Federal Savings Bank

justcallhome.com

Sterling State Bank

sterlingstatebank.com

AVON

American Heritage 

National Bank

logbank.com

Central Minnesota Credit Union

mycmcu.org

BACKUS

First National Bank North

fnbnorth.com

BADGER

Border State Bank

borderstatebank.com

BAGLEY

Bank Forward

bankforward.com

First National Bank

fnbezbanking.com

RiverWood Bank

riverwoodbank.com

BARNUM

Northview Bank

northviewbank.com

BARRETT

Star Bank

starbank.net

BATTLE LAKE

First National Bank

fnbhenning.com
 37

FUNDING PROGRAMS

BAXTER

American National Bank

anbmn.com

Deerwood Bank

deerwoodbank.com

First National Bank North

fnbnorth.com

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

Members Cooperative 

Credit Union

membersccu.org

Mid-Minnesota Federal 

Credit Union

mmfcu.org

RiverWood Bank

riverwoodbank.com

BAUDETTE

Border State Bank

borderstatebank.com

RiverWood Bank

riverwoodbank.com

BAYPORT

First State Bank and Trust

fsbt.com

BECKER

Sherburne State Bank

sherburnestatebank.com

BELGRADE

Central Minnesota Credit Union

mycmcu.org

North American State Bank

nasbank.com

BELLCHESTER

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

BEMIDJI

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

Bank Forward

bankforward.com

Deerwood Bank

deerwoodbank.com

First National Bank of Bemidji

fnbbemidji.com

RiverWood Bank

riverwoodbank.com

Security Bank USA

securitybankusa.com

TruStar Federal Credit Union

trustarfcu.com

Ultima Bank

ultimabank.com

BENSON

First Security Bank

firstsecuritybanks.com

RiverWood Bank

riverwoodbank.com

BERTHA

Star Bank

starbank.net

BIG LAKE

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

RiverWood Bank

riverwoodbank.com

BIGFORK

First State Bank of Bigfork

fsbbigfork.com

BIRD ISLAND

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

BIWABIK

American Bank

ambnk.com

BLAINE

21st Century Bank

21stcb.com

Boundary Waters Bank

mybwbank.com

CorTrust Bank

cortrustbank.com

Financial One Credit Union

financialonecu.com

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

Spire Credit Union

myspire.com

Village Bank

villagebankonline.bank

BLACKDUCK

Deerwood Bank

deerwoodbank.com

BLOOMING PRAIRIE

Farmers and Merchants 

State Bank

fmbankmn.com

BLOOMINGTON

Bridgewater Bank

bridgewaterbankmn.com

Choice Financial

choicefinancialgroup.com

Firefly Credit Union

fireflycu.org

Highland Bank

highland.bank

MidCountry Bank

midcountrybank.com

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

RBCU

rbcu.org

SharePoint Credit Union

sharepointcu.com

Unity Bank

ubmn.unitybanking.com

Western Bank

western-bank.com

BLOOMKEST

Concorde Bank

concordebanks.com

BLUE EARTH

First Bank Blue Earth

firstbankblueearth.com

BLUFFTON

Wadena State Bank

wadenastatebank.com

BOWLUS

Pine Country Bank

pinecountrybank.com

BRAHAM

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

BRAINERD

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

Deerwood Bank

deerwoodbank.com

Mid-Minnesota Federal 

Credit Union

mmfcu.org

Neighborhood National Bank

neighborhood.bank

Randall State Bank

randallstatebank.com

BRECKENRIDGE

Bell Bank

bellbanks.com

BREEZY POINT

Pine River State Bank

pineriverstatebank.com

BROOKLYN PARK

CorTrust Bank

cortrustbank.com

Firefly Credit Union

fireflycu.org

BROOTEN

Bonanza Valley State Bank

onlinebanking.bvsb.net

BROWERVILLE

American Heritage 

National Bank

logbank.com

BROWNSDALE

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com
38

FUNDING PROGRAMS

BROWNTON

Security Bank & Trust

security-banks.com

BUFFALO

Bankwest

bankwestmn.com

First Minnesota Bank

firstmnbank.com

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

MidCountry Bank

midcountrybank.com

BUFFALO LAKE

CenBank

cenbank.com

BUHL

First National Bank of Buhl

fnbob.com

BURNSVILLE

Firefly Credit Union

fireflycu.org

SharePoint Credit Union

sharepointcu.com

BYRON

First Alliance Credit Union

firstalliancecu.com

First Security Bank

fsbbyron.com

CALEDONIA

ESB Banking & Insurance

esbbanking.com

CAMBRIDGE

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

Cambridge State Bank

cambridgestatebank.com

Minnco Credit Union

minnco.com

CANBY

Co-op Credit Union

co-opcreditunion.com

First Security Bank

firstsecuritybanks.com

CANNON FALLS

Community Resource Bank

community-resourcebank.

com

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

CASS LAKE

Western Bank

wbduluth.com

CASTLE ROCK

Castle Rock Bank

castlerockbank.net

CHAMPLIN

Anoka Hennepin Credit Union

ahcu.coop

First Minnesota Bank

firstmnbank.com

Maple Bank

maple-bank.com

CHANDLER

State Bank of Chandler

statebankofchandler.bank

CHANHASSEN

Charter Bank

charterbank.bank

Firefly Credit Union

fireflycu.org

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

CHASKA

BankVista

bankvista.com

Charter Bank

charterbank.bank

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

Security Bank & Trust

security-banks.com

CHATFIELD

F&M Community Bank

fmcommunity.com

CHISAGO LAKES

Security State Bank of Marine

themarinebank.com

CHISHOLM

American Bank

ambnk.com

CIRCLE PINES

Anoka Hennepin Credit Union

ahcu.coop

CLARA CITY

Citizens Alliance Bank

citizensalliancebank.com

CLARISSA

Unity Bank

ubmn.unitybanking.com

CLEARBROOK

Border State Bank

borderstatebank.com

CLEARWATER

American Heritage 

National Bank

logbank.com

CLEVELAND

HomeTown Bank

htbmn.com

CLINTON

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

CLOQUET

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

Members Cooperative 

Credit Union

membersccu.org

North Shore Bank

northshore.bank

Woodlands National Bank

woodlandsnationalbank.com

COBORNS

Neighborhood National Bank

neighborhood.bank

COHASSET

Woodland Bank

woodlandbank.com

COKATO

First National Bank of Cokato

fnbcokato.com

Kensington Bank

kensington.bank

COLD SPRING

Central Minnesota Credit Union

mycmcu.org

Granite Community Bank

granitecommunitybank.com

COLERAINE

First National Bank 

of Coleraine

colerainebank.com

COLOGNE

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

Security Bank & Trust

security-banks.com

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS

Financial One Credit Union

financialonecu.com

COMFREY

Choice Financial

choicefinancialgroup.com

COOK

American Bank

ambnk.com
 39

FUNDING PROGRAMS

COON RAPIDS

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

Anoka Hennepin Credit Union

ahcu.coop

Border State Bank

borderstatebank.com

Financial One Credit Union

financialonecu.com

Northeast Bank

nebankmn.com

Spire Credit Union

myspire.com

CORCORAN

Farmers State Bank of Hamel

fsboh.com

COSMOS

Home State Bank

hsbofmn.com

COTTONWOOD

United Southwest Bank

unitedswbank.com

COURTLAND

Alliance Bank

alliancebanks.com

CROMWELL

Northview Bank

northviewbank.com

CROOKSTON

Northern Sky Bank

northernskybank.com

CROSBY

Mid-Minnesota Federal 

Credit Union

mmfcu.org

CROSSLAKE

First National Bank North

fnbnorth.com

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

RiverBank

riverwoodbank.com

Unity Bank

ubmn.unitybanking.com

DEER CREEK

Wadena State Bank

wadenastatebank.com

DEER RIVER

Northview Bank

northviewbank.com

Woodland Bank

woodlandbank.com

DEERWOOD

Deerwood Bank

deerwoodbank.com

DELANO

CorTrust Bank

cortrustbank.com

Minnesota Lakes Bank

mnlakesbank.com

DENT

United Community Bank

ucbankmn.com

DETROIT LAKES

American National Bank

anbmn.com

Bell Bank

bellbanks.com

First Security Bank

firstsecuritybanks.com

DILWORTH

Bell Bank

bellbanks.com

Northwestern Bank

nwbanks.com

DULUTH

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

Alerus Financial

alerus.com

Entrepreneur Fund Inc.

entrepreneurfund.org

Members Cooperative 

Credit Union

membersccu.org

North Shore Bank

northshore.bank

Northwestern Bank

nwbanks.com

Republic Bank

bankrepublic.com

Western Bank

wbduluth.com

DUNDAS

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

EAGAN

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

Choice Financial

choicefinancialgroup.com

City & County Credit Union

cccu.com

justcallhome.com

Prime Security

primesecurity.com

Spire Credit Union

myspire.com

Think Mutual Bank

thinkbank.com

EAGLE BEND

Star Bank

starbank.net

EAST BETHEL

Village Bank

villagebankonline.bank

EAST GRAND FORKS

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

ECHO

Citizens Alliance Bank

citizensalliancebank.com

EDEN PRAIRIE

Alerus Financial

alerus.com

Flagship Bank

flagshipbanks.com

Spire Credit Union

myspire.com

Star Bank

starbank.net

EDEN VALLEY

Farmers and Merchants Bank

fmpierz.com

EDINA

Alerus Financial

alerus.com

Crown Bank

crown-bank.com

Fidelity Bank

fidelitybankmn.com

First Minnesota Bank

firstmnbank.com

Gateway Bank

gateway-banking.com

Minnesota Bank & Trust

mnbankandtrust.com

RBCU

rbcu.org

Think Mutual Bank

thinkbank.com

Tradition Capital Bank

tradition.bank

Unity Bank

ubmn.unitybanking.com

EITZEN

ESB Banking & Insurance

esbbanking.com

EMILY

Pine River State Bank

pineriverstatebank.com

EMMONS

Security Bank Minnesota

securitybankmn.com
40

ELBOW LAKE

Eagle Bank

eaglebankmn.com

Star Bank

starbank.net

ELK RIVER

American National Bank

anbmn.com

Bank of Elk River

thebankofelkriver.com

Spire Credit Union

myspire.com

ELKO NEW MARKET

New Market Bank

newmarketbank.com

ELROSA

North American State Bank

nasbank.com

ELY

Boundary Waters Bank

mybwbank.com

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

ELYSIAN

Elysian Bank

elysianbank.net

ERSKINE

American State Bank

asbgrygla.com

ESKO

Republic Bank

bankrepublic.com

EVANSVILLE

First Security Bank

firstsecuritybanks.com

EVELETH

Entrepreneur Fund Inc.

entrepreneurfund.org

Miners National Bank

mnbeveleth.com

EXCELSIOR

Alerus Financial

alerus.com

FAIRFAX

First National Bank of Fairfax

fnbfx.com

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

FAIRMONT

Bank Midwest

bankmidwest.com

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

Profinium Financial Inc.

profinium.com

FALCON HEIGHTS

Spire Federal Credit Union

myspire.com

FARIBAULT

1st United Bank

1stunited.com

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

Reliance Bank

reliancebankmn.com

State Bank of Faribault

tsbf.com

FARMINGTON

Castle Rock Bank

castlerockbank.net

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

Roundbank

roundbank.com

FERGUS FALLS

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

American National Bank

anbmn.com

Bell Bank

bellbanks.com

Security State Bank of 

Fergus Falls

ssbfergus.com

FLOODWOOD

Northview Bank

northviewbank.com

FOLEY

Falcon National Bank

falconnational.com

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

FOREST LAKE

Anoka Hennepin Credit Union

ahcu.coop

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

Lake Area Bank

lakeareabank.com

Security State Bank of Marine

themarinebank.com

FOSSTON

First National Bank

fnbezbanking.com

Ultima Bank

ultimabank.com

FRANKLIN

Franklin State Bank

franklinstatebank.com

FRAZEE

United Community Bank

ucbankmn.com

FREEBORN

Farmers State Bank

fsbmn.bank

FREEPORT

Central Minnesota Credit Union

mycmcu.org

Freeport State Bank

freeportstatebank.com

FRIDLEY

Firefly Credit Union

fireflycu.org

FULDA

First National Bank

firstnationalbanks.bank

GARRISON

Deerwood Bank

deerwoodbank.com

Security State Bank

ssbmn.com

GAYLORD

First National Bank

fnbmn.co

ProGrowth Bank

progrowth.com

GILBERT

First National Bank of Gilbert

gilbertbank.com

GLENCOE

First Minnesota Bank

firstmnbank.com 

MidCountry Bank

midcountrybank.com

Security Bank & Trust

security-banks.com

GLENWOOD

Eagle Bank

eaglebankmn.com

Glenwood State Bank

glenwoodstate.bank

GOLDEN VALLEY

BNC National Bank

bncbank.com

Choice Financial

choicefinancialgroup.com

TruStone Financial

trustonefinancial.org

GOODHUE

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

FUNDING PROGRAMS
 41

FUNDING PROGRAMS

GRACEVILLE

Star Bank

starbank.net

GRAND RAPIDS

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

American Bank

ambnk.com

Deerwood Bank

deerwoodbank.com

Northview Bank

northviewbank.com

Woodland Bank

woodlandbank.com

GRAND MARAIS

Entrepreneur Fund Inc.

entrepreneurfund.org

Grand Marais State Bank

grandmaraisstatebank.com

Security State Bank

ssbmn.com

GRAND MEADOW

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

GRAND RAPIDS

American Bank

ambnk.com

Entrepreneur Fund Inc.

entrepreneurfund.org

Grand Rapids State Bank

grsb.com

Members Cooperative 

Credit Union

membersccu.org

GRANITE FALLS

Citizens Alliance Bank

citizensalliancebank.com

Granite Falls Bank

granitefallsbank.com

GREENBUSH

Border State Bank

borderstatebank.com

GREENWOOD

Bridgewater Bank

bridgewaterbankmn.com

GREY EAGLE

Central Minnesota Credit Union

mycmcu.org

GROVE CITY

First State Bank of Grove City

bankofgrovecity.com

GRYGLA

American State Bank

asbgrygla.com

HACKENSACK

First National Bank North

fnbnorth.com

HALLOCK

United Valley Bank

uvbank.net

HALSTAD

Red River State Bank

redriverbank.com

HAM LAKE

21st Century Bank

21stcb.com

Falcon National Bank

falconnational.com

HAMEL

Farmers State Bank of Hamel

fsboh.com

HANCOCK

Community Development Bank

comdevbank.com

HANLEY FALLS

United Southwest Bank

unitedswbank.com

HANOVER

Bankwest

bankwestmn.com

HANSKA

Alliance Bank

alliancebanks.com

HARTLAND

Farmers State Bank

fsbmn.bank

HASTINGS

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

First National Bank

firstnationalbanks.bank

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

MidCountry Bank

midcountrybank.com

North American Banking Co.

nabankco.com

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

HAWLEY

Bell Bank

bellbanks.com

Valley Premier Bank

valleypremierbank.com

HAYFIELD

Citizens State Bank of Hayfield

csbankmn.com

HECTOR

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

HENDERSON

First State Bank

fsblecenter.com

HomeTown Bank

htbmn.com

HENDRUM

Northwestern Bank

nwbanks.com

HERMAN

Kensington Bank

kensington.bank

HERMANTOWN

North Shore Bank

northshore.bank

HIBBING

American Bank

ambnk.com

Entrepreneur Fund Inc.

entrepreneurfund.org

Republic Bank

bankrepublic.com

HILL CITY

Woodland Bank

woodlandbank.com

HINCKLEY

Northview Bank

northviewbank.com

Woodlands National Bank

woodlandsnationalbank.com

HOFFMAN

Farmers State Bank of Hoffman

fsbhoffman.net

HOLDINGFORD

Central Minnesota Credit Union

mycmcu.org

HOLMEN

Coulee Bank

couleebank.net

HOPKINS

Spire Credit Union

myspire.com

HOWARD LAKE

Citizens Alliance Bank

citizensalliancebank.com

HUGO

Lake Area Bank

lakeareabank.com

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com
42

FUNDING PROGRAMS

HUTCHINSON

Citizens Bank and Trust

cbhutch.com

Home State Bank

hsbofmn.com

First Minnesota Bank

firstmnbank.com

MidCountry Bank

midcountrybank.com

Southpoint Federal 

Credit Union

southpointfinancial.com

INTERNATIONAL FALLS

Border State Bank

borderstatebank.com

TruStar Federal Credit Union

trustarfcu.com

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS

Deerwood Bank

deerwoodbank.com

Heartland Credit Union

heartlandcu.com

MidCountry Bank

midcountrybank.com

ISANTI

Minnco Credit Union

minnco.com

Falcon National Bank

falconnational.com

Flagship Bank

flagshipbanks.com

Members Cooperative 

Credit Union

membersccu.org

JACKSON

Bank Midwest

bankmidwest.com

United Prairie Bank

unitedprairiebank.com

JANESVILLE

Janesville State Bank

janesvillestatebank.com

JORDAN

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

Riverland Bank

riverlandbank.com

KANDIYOHI

Harvest Bank

harvestbankmn.com

KARLSTAD

Prime Security

primesecurity.com

KASSON

Home Federal Savings Bank

justcallhome.com

KENSINGTON

Kensington Bank

kensington.bank

KERKHOVEN

Financial Security Bank

financialsecuritybank.com

KERRICK

Northview Bank

northviewbank.com

KIESTER

First State Bank of Kiester

fsbkiester.com

KIMBALL

Harvest Bank

harvestbankmn.com

LA CRESCENT

ESB Banking & Insurance

esbbanking.com

Home Federal Savings Bank

justcallhome.com

LA CROSSE

Coulee Bank

couleebank.net

LAKE BENTON

First Security Bank

firstsecuritybanks.com

LAKE CITY

Alliance Bank

alliancebanks.com

LAKE CRYSTAL

MinnStar Bank 

National Association

minnstarbank.com

LAKE ELMO

City & County Credit Union

cccu.com

Lake Elmo Bank

lakeelmobank.com

LAFAYETTE

Citizens Bank Minnesota

citizensmn.bank

LAKE LILLIAN

Citizens Alliance Bank

citizensalliancebank.com

LAKEFIELD

First National Bank

firstnationalbanks.bank

LAKE PARK

State Bank of Lake Park

statebankoflakepark.com

LAKEVILLE

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

Citizens Bank Minnesota

citizensmn.bank

Firefly Credit Union

fireflycu.org

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

Lakeview Bank

lakeview-bank.com

New Market Bank

newmarketbank.com

Sterling State Bank

sterlingstatebank.com

LAMBERTON

First Security Bank

firstsecuritybanks.com

LANCASTER

Border State Bank

borderstatebank.com

United Valley Bank

uvbank.net

LAPRAIRIE

First National Bank 

of Coleraine

colerainebank.com

LA SALLE

Citizens Bank Minnesota

citizensmn.bank

LE CENTER

First National Bank 

of Le Center

fnblecenter.com

First State Bank

fsblecenter.com

LEROY

First National Bank

firstnationalbanks.bank

First State Bank Minnesota

fsbminnesota.com

LE SUEUR

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

HomeTown Bank

htbmn.com

LEWISVILLE

Pioneer Bank

bankwithpioneer.com

LILYDALE

21st Century Bank

21stcb.com
 43

FUNDING PROGRAMS

LINDSTROM

Lake Area Bank

lakeareabank.com

LINO LAKES

First Resource Bank

myfrbank.com

SMW Federal Credit Union

smwfcu.com

LITCHFIELD

Center National Bank

centernationalbank.com

Home State Bank

hsbofmn.com

MidCountry Bank

midcountrybank.com

LITTLE FALLS

Central Minnesota 

Credit Union

mycmcu.org

Pine Country Bank

pinecountrybank.com

LITTLE FORK

TruStar Federal Credit Union

trustarfcu.com

LONG LAKE

Lake Community Bank

lcbankmn.com

LONG PRAIRIE

American Heritage 

National Bank

logbank.com

Central Minnesota 

Credit Union

mycmcu.org

Mid-Central Federal 

Savings Bank

midcentralbank.com

Minnesota National Bank

mn-bank.com

LONGVILLE

First National Bank North

fnbnorth.com

LONSDALE

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

LORETTO

21st Century Bank

21stcb.com

LUVERNE

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

LYLE

Sterling State Bank

sterlingstatebank.com

MADELIA

Alliance Bank

alliancebanks.com

MADISON

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

United Prairie Bank

unitedprairiebank.com

MAHNOMEN

United Valley Bank

uvbank.net

MAHTOMEDI

First State Bank 

and Trust

fsbt.com

MANKATO

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

BankVista

bankvista.com

Community Bank

cbfg.net

First National Bank

fnbmn.com

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

MinnStar Bank 

National Association

minnstarbank.com

Pioneer Bank

bankwithpioneer.com

Profinium Financial Inc.

profinium.com

ProGrowth Bank

progrowth.com

United Prairie Bank

unitedprairiebank.com

MAPLE GROVE

Eagle Community Bank

eaglecommunitybank.com

Highland Bank

highland.bank

Firefly Credit Union

fireflycu.org

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

Spire Credit Union

myspire.com

MAPLE LAKE

Star Bank

starbank.net

MAPLETON

Pioneer Bank

bankwithpioneer.com

MAPLEWOOD

City & County Credit Union

cccu.com

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

SMW Federal Credit Union

smwfcu.com

Western Bank

western-bank.com

MARINE ON SAINT CROIX

Security State Bank 

of Marine

themarinebank.com

MARSHALL

United Southwest Bank

unitedswbank.com

MAYER

First Minnesota Bank

firstmnbank.com

Security Bank & Trust

security-banks.com

MAYNARD

Citizens Alliance Bank

citizensalliancebank.com

MCGREGOR

Grand Timber Bank

grandtimberbank.com

Members Cooperative 

Credit Union

membersccu.org

MCINTOSH

First National Bank 

of McIntosh

fnbmcintosh.com

MELROSE

Central Minnesota 

Credit Union

mycmcu.org

MENAHGA

TruStar Federal Credit Union

trustarfcu.com

MENDOTA HEIGHTS

Deerwood Bank

deerwoodbank.com

Gateway Bank

gateway-banking.com

MIDDLE RIVER

Border State Bank

borderstatebank.com

MILACA

First National Bank of Milaca

fnbmilaca.com

MILLER HILL

Republic Bank

bankrepublic.com
44

FUNDING PROGRAMS

MINNEAPOLIS

21st Century Bank

21stcb.com

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

Alerus Financial

alerus.com

Bell Bank

bellbanks.com

Bridgewater Bank

bridgewaterbankmn.com

CIT Group

cit.com

Community 

Reinvestment Fund

crfusa.com

Crown Bank

crown-bank.com

Firefly Credit Union

fireflycu.org

Hiway Federal Credit Union

hiway.org

Meda

meda.net

MidCountry Bank

midcountrybank.com

North American Banking Co.

nabankco.com

Northeast Bank

nebankmn.com

RBCU

rbcu.org

Riverland Bank

riverlandbank.com

Spire Credit Union

myspire.com

Sunrise Banks

sunrisebanks.com

Union Bank and Trust Co.

ubtmn.com

Western Bank

western-bank.com

Woodlands National Bank

woodlandsnationalbank.com

MINNETONKA

Alerus Financial

alerus.com

First Minnesota Bank

firstmnbank.com

First Minnetonka City Bank

fmcbank.com

Flagship Bank

flagshipbanks.com

Highland Bank

highland.bank

MidCountry Bank

midcountrybank.com

Minnesota Bank & Trust

mnbankandtrust.com

MONTROSE

Citizens State Bank

bankwaverly.com

MONTEVIDEO

Co-op Credit Union

co-opcreditunion.com

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

MONTGOMERY

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

MONTICELLO

First Minnesota Bank

firstmnbank.com

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

RiverBank

riverwoodbank.com

Sherburne State Bank

sherburnestatebank.com

MOORHEAD

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

Bell Bank

bellbanks.com

Central Minnesota 

Credit Union

mycmcu.org

Northwestern Bank

nwbanks.com

Valley Premier Bank

valleypremierbank.com

MOOSE LAKE

First National Bank 

of Moose Lake

firstmooselake.com

Members Cooperative 

Credit Union

membersccu.org

MORA

Spire Credit Union

myspire.com

Neighborhood National Bank

neighborhood.bank

MORGAN

F&M Bank

fmb-ebank.com

MORRIS

RiverBank

riverwoodbank.com

MORRISTOWN

Lake Country 

Community Bank

lccbank.com

MOTLEY

Unity Bank

ubmn.unitybanking.com

MOUND

First Minnesota Bank

firstmnbank.com

Minnesota Lakes Bank

mnlakesbank.com

MOUNDS VIEW

Western Bank

western-bank.com

MOUNTAIN IRON

1st National Bank of Buhl

fnbob.com

American Bank

ambnk.com

MOUNTAIN LAKE

United Prairie Bank

unitedprairiebank.com

MURDOCK

Citizens Alliance Bank

citizensalliancebank.com

NASHWAUK

American Bank

ambnk.com

NAVARRE

Regions Bank

regions.com

NERSTRAND

Lake Country 

Community Bank

lccbank.com

NEVIS

TruStar Federal Credit Union

trustarfcu.com

NEW AUBURN

Security Bank & Trust

security-banks.com

NEW BRIGHTON

Northeast Bank

nebankmn.com

NEW GERMANY

Security Bank & Trust

security-banks.com

NEW HOPE

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

NEW LONDON

Lake Region Bank

lakeregion.com

United Minnesota Bank

umbnl.com

NEW PRAGUE

Heartland Credit Union

heartlandcu.com

Roundbank

roundbank.com
 45

FUNDING PROGRAMS

NEW ULM

Alliance Bank

alliancebanks.com

Citizens Bank Minnesota

citizensmn.bank

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

Southpoint Federal 

Credit Union

southpointfinancial.com

United Prairie

unitedprairiebank.com

NEW YORK MILLS

Central Minnesota 

Credit Union

mycmcu.org

Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

fmbanknym.com

NICOLLET

ProGrowth Bank

progrowth.com

NISSWA

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

NORTH BRANCH

Members Cooperative 

Credit Union

membersccu.org

Minnco Credit Union

minnco.com

Neighborhood National Bank

neighborhood.bank

Stearns Bank

stearnsbank.com

NORTHFIELD

Community Resource Bank

community-resource

bank.com

First National Bank 

of Northfield

firstnationalnorthfield.com

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

NORTH MANKATO

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

Pioneer Bank

bankwithpioneer.com

Southpoint Federal 

Credit Union

southpointfinancial.com

NORTH OAKS

BankCherokee

bankcherokee.com

Flagship Bank

flagshipbanks.com

Tradition Capital Bank

tradition.bank

NORTHOME

Deerwood Bank

deerwoodbank.com

NORWOOD YOUNG AMERICA

Citizens State Bank 

Norwood Young America

citizensstatebanknya.com

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

NOWTHEN

Pine River State Bank

pineriverstatebank.com

OAKDALE

Alerus Financial

alerus.com

Hiway Federal Credit Union

hiway.org

Lake Elmo Bank

lakeelmobank.com

Platinum Bank

platinumbankmn.com

Western Bank

western-bank.com

OAK PARK HEIGHTS

First State Bank and Trust

fsbt.com

OGEMA

Community 

Development Bank

comdevbank.com

OKLEE

Security State Bank of Oklee

ssboklee.com

OLIVIA

HomeTown Bank

htbmn.com

ONALASKA

Coulee Bank

couleebank.net

ONAMIA

Woodlands National Bank

woodlandsnationalbank.com

ORMSBY

Ormsby State Bank

ormsbystatebank.com

ORONO

Bridgewater Bank

bridgewaterbankmn.com

ORR

American Bank

ambnk.com

OSAKIS

First National Bank of Osakis

fnbosakis.com

OSLO

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

OSSEO

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

OTSEGO

Bank of Elk River

thebankofelkriver.com

OTTERTAIL

First National Bank

fnbhenning.com

OWATONNA

Community Bank Owatonna

cbowatonna.com

Home Federal Savings Bank

justcallhome.com

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

Profinium Financial Inc.

profinium.com

United Prairie Bank

unitedprairiebank.com

PARK RAPIDS

Citizens National Bank 

of Park Rapids

cnbbank.com

Northview Bank

northviewbank.com

Northwoods Bank 

of Minnesota

northwoodsbank.com

TruStar Federal Credit Union

trustarfcu.com

PAYNESVILLE

Central Minnesota 

Credit Union

mycmcu.org

Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

fmpierz.com

PELICAN RAPIDS

Bell Bank

bellbanks.com

Minnesota National Bank

mn-bank.com

PENCOCK

Heritage Bank

heritagebankna.com

PEQUOT LAKES

American National Bank

anbmn.com
46

FUNDING PROGRAMS

First National Bank North

fnbnorth.com

Mid-Minnesota Federal 

Credit Union

mmfcu.org

PERHAM

Central Minnesota 

Credit Union

mycmcu.org

United Community Bank

ucbankmn.com

PIERZ

Farmers and Merchants 

State Bank

fmpierz.com

Unity Bank

ubmn.unitybanking.com

PILLAGER

Pine River State Bank

pineriverstatebank.com

PINE CITY

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

Stearns Bank

stearnsbank.com

PINE ISLAND

Pine Island Bank

pineislandbank.bank

PINE RIVER

Pine River State Bank

pineriverstatebank.com

PIPESTONE

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

First State Bank Southwest

firststatebanksw.com

PLAINVIEW

Foresight Bank

foresightbank.com

Peoples State Bank 

of Plainview

peoplesstatebank.com

PLATO

Security Bank & Trust

security-banks.com

PLUMMER

Ultima Bank

ultimabank.com

PLYMOUTH

Center National Bank

centernationalbank.com

First National Bank

firstnationalbanks.bank

Platinum Bank

platinumbankmn.com

TruStone Financial

trustonefinancial.org

PRESTON

F&M Community Bank

fmcommunity.com

PRINCETON

Sherburne State Bank

sherburnestatebank.com

Spire Credit Union

myspire.com

PRIOR LAKE

New Market Bank

newmarketbank.com

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

RACINE

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

RAMSEY

Flagship Bank

flagshipbanks.com

Village Bank

villagebankonline.bank

RANDALL

Randall State Bank

randallstatebank.com

RAYMOND

Heritage Bank

heritagebankna.com

RED WING

Alliance Bank

alliancebanks.com

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

REDWOOD FALLS

HomeTown Bank

htbmn.com

REMER

First National Bank North

fnbnorth.com

RENVILLE

First Security Bank

firstsecuritybanks.com

RICE

Pine Country Bank

pinecountrybank.com

RICHFIELD

RBCU

rbcu.org

RICHMOND

Falcon National Bank

falconnational.com

ROCHESTER

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

Coulee Bank

couleebank.net

First Alliance Credit Union

firstalliancecu.com

Foresight Bank

foresightbank.com

Home Federal Savings Bank

justcallhome.com

Olmsted National Bank

bankononb.com

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

Sterling State Bank

sterlingstatebank.com

Think Mutual Bank

thinkbank.com

ROCKFORD

Bankwest

bankwestmn.com

ROGERS

21st Century Bank

21stcb.com

ROSEAU

Border State Bank

borderstatebank.com

Citizens State Bank 

of Roseau

citizensros.com

ROSEMOUNT

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

ROSEVILLE

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

Choice Financial

choicefinancial

group.com

Community Resource Bank

community-resourcebank.com

Hiway Federal Credit Union

hiway.org

North American Banking Co.

nabankco.com

North Star Bank

northstarbank.com

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

Spire Credit Union

myspire.com
 47

ROYALTON

Pine Country Bank

pinecountrybank.com

RUSH CITY

Unity Bank

ubmn.unitybanking.com

RUSHFORD

Rushford State Bank

rushfordstatebank.com

SANDSTONE

Members Cooperative 

Credit Union

membersccu.org

Northview Bank

northviewbank.com

SARGEANT

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

SARTELL

BankVista

bankvista.com

Deerwood Bank

deerwoodbank.com

SAUK CENTRE

Central Minnesota 

Credit Union

mycmcu.org

Minnesota National Bank

mn-bank.com

SAUK RAPIDS

Farmers and Merchants Bank

fmpierz.com

SAVAGE

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

Sterling State Bank

sterlingstatebank.com

SCANDIA

Security State Bank of Marine

themarinebank.com

SHAKOPEE

Firefly Credit Union

fireflycu.org

HomeTown Bank

htbmn.com

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

Prime Security

primesecurity.com

Western Bank

western-bank.com

SHERBURN

Bank Midwest

bankmidwest.com

SHOREVIEW

City & County Credit Union

cccu.com

Lake Area Bank

lakeareabank.com

North American Banking Co.

nabankco.com

SHOREWOOD

Alerus Financial

alerus.com

SILVER BAY

Lake Bank

thelakebank.com

SLAYTON

First National Bank

firstnationalbanks.bank

SLEEPY EYE

First Security Bank

firstsecuritybanks.com

Southpoint Federal 

Credit Union

southpointfinancial.com

SPICER

Heritage Bank

heritagebankna.com

United Prairie Bank

unitedprairiebank.com

CONSTRUCTION ARTIST

MEDICAL ACCOUNTANT

MUSICIAN BEE KEEPER

PILOT WELDER

FITNESS INSTRUCTOR TAXI DRIVER

Member FDIC

Here for ‘olive’ your

business banking needs.

SVP-SBA Manager 

(651) 523-7893 

Chris Albrecht
48

FUNDING PROGRAMS

SPRING VALLEY

First National Bank

firstnationalbanks.bank

First State Bank Minnesota

fsbminnesota.com

Home Federal Savings Bank

justcallhome.com

SPRINGFIELD

F&M Bank

fmb-ebank.com

Southpoint Federal 

Credit Union

southpoint

financial.com

ST. ANDREWS

Community Bank

cbfg.net

ST. AUGUSTA

Harvest Bank

harvestbankmn.com

ST. BONIFACIUS

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

ST. CLOUD

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

American Heritage 

National Bank

logbank.com

American National Bank

anbmn.com

Falcon National Bank

falconnational.com

Kensington Bank

kensington.bank

MidCountry Bank

midcountrybank.com

Sentry Bank

mysentrybank.com

Stearns Bank

stearnsbank.com

ST. CROIX

First Resource Bank

myfrbank.com

ST. FRANCIS

Anoka Hennepin Credit Union

ahcu.coop

Village Bank

villagebankonline.bank

ST. JAMES

First National Bank

fnbstjames.com

Pioneer Bank

bankwithpioneer.com

ST. JOSEPH

Central Minnesota 

Credit Union

mycmcu.org

Sentry Bank

mysentrybank.com

ST. LOUIS PARK

Citizens Independent Bank

bankcib.com

SharePoint Credit Union

sharepointcu.com

ST. MARTIN

St. Martin National Bank

stmartinnationalbank.com

ST. MICHAEL

Highland Bank

highland.bank

Community 

Development Bank

comdevbank.com

ST. PAUL

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

Alliance Bank

alliancebanks.com

BankCherokee

bankcherokee.com

City & County 

Credit Union

cccu.com

Community 

Reinvestment Fund

crfusa.com

Coulee Bank

couleebank.net

Deerwood Bank

deerwoodbank.com

Drake Bank

drake-bank.com

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

Highland Bank

highland.bank

Hiway Federal 

Credit Union

hiway.org

Meda

meda.net

Spire Credit Union

myspire.com

Sunrise Banks

sunrisebanks.com

Think Mutual Bank

thinkbank.com

Western Bank

western-bank.com

ST. PETER

First National Bank

fnbmn.com

HomeTown Bank

htbmn.com

Nicollet County Bank

nicolletcountybank.com

Southpoint Federal 

Credit Union

southpointfinancial.com

ST. STEPHEN

Sentry Bank

mysentrybank.com

STAPLES

Mid-Central Federal 

Savings Bank

midcentralbank.com

Unity Bank

unitybanking.com

STARBUCK

Eagle Bank

eaglebankmn.com

STEWART

First Minnesota Bank

firstmnbank.com

STEWARDVILLE

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

STILLWATER

First Resource Bank

myfrbank.com

First State Bank and Trust

fsbt.com

Lake Area Bank

lakeareabank.com

Lake Elmo Bank

lakeelmobank.com

STORDEN

First Security Bank

firstsecuritybanks.com

STURGEON LAKE

Woodlands National Bank

woodlandsnationalbank.com

SUNBURG

Lake Region Bank

lakeregion.com

SWANVILLE

First State Bank of Swanville

fsbswanville.com

THIEF RIVER FALLS

Northern State Bank

nsbtrf.com

TOWER

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

TRUMAN

Profinium Financial Inc.

profinium.com

TWIN VALLEY

United Valley Bank

uvbank.net
 49

TWO HARBORS

Lake Bank

thelakebank.com

ULEN

Northwestern Bank

nwbanks.com

VERNDALE

Star Bank

starbank.net

VERNON CENTER

Community Bank

cbfg.net

VESTA

United Southwest Bank

unitedswbank.com

VICTORIA

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

VILLARD

Eagle Bank

eaglebankmn.com

Glenwood State Bank

glenwoodstate.bank

VIRGINIA

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

Northern State Bank 

of Virginia

nsbov.com

WACONIA

HomeTown Bank

htbmn.com

KleinBank

kleinbank.com

MidCountry Bank

midcountrybank.com

Security Bank & Trust

security-banks.com

WADENA

Central Minnesota 

Credit Union

mycmcu.org

Mid-Central Federal 

Savings Bank

midcentralbank.com

Wadena State Bank

wadenastatebank.com

WAITE PARK

Deerwood Bank

deerwoodbank.com

WALDORF

Roundbank

roundbank.com

WALKER

American National Bank

anbmn.com

Bank Forward

bankforward.com

First National Bank North

fnbnorth.com

WARREN

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

WASECA

Roundbank

roundbank.com

United Prairie Bank

unitedprairiebank.com

WATERTOWN

Citizens Alliance Bank

citizensalliancebank.com

WATERVILLE

Frandsen Bank & Trust

frandsenbank.com

WAVERLY

Citizens State Bank

bankwaverly.com
50

FUNDING PROGRAMS

WAYZATA

Flagship Bank Minnesota

flagshipbanks.com

WELCOME

Welcome State Bank

welcomestatebank.com

WENDELL

Eagle Bank

eaglebankmn.com

WESTBROOK

Bank Midwest

bankmidwest.com

WHEATON

Star Bank

starbank.net

WHITE BEAR LAKE

Lake Area Bank

lakeareabank.com

MidCountry Bank

midcountrybank.com

North Star Bank

northstarbank.com

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

WHITE ROCK

First Farmers & Merchants 

State Bank

ffmbank.com

WIMBLEDON

Bank Forward

bankforward.com

WILLMAR

Co-op Credit Union

co-opcreditunion.com

Concorde Bank

concordebanks.com

Heritage Bank

heritagebankna.com

Home State Bank

hsbofmn.com

Lake Region Bank

lakeregion.com

North American State Bank

nasbank.com

WILLOW

Northview Bank

northviewbank.com

WILMONT

United Prairie Bank

unitedprairiebank.com

WINDOM

Bank Midwest

bankmidwest.com

United Prairie Bank

unitedprairiebank.com

WINGER

Ultima Bank

ultimabank.com

WINNEBAGO

First Financial Bank

1stbago.com

WINONA

Affinity Plus Federal 

Credit Union

affinityplus.org

Home Federal Savings Bank

justcallhome.com

WNB Financial

wnbfinancial.com

WINSTED

Security Bank & Trust Co.

security-banks.com

WINTHROP

MidCountry Bank

midcountrybank.com

WOODBURY

Bell Bank

bellbanks.com

Boundary Waters Bank

mybwbank.com

City & County Credit Union

cccu.com

CorTrust Bank

cortrustbank.com

North American Banking Co.

nabankco.com

Spire Credit Union

myspire.com

Premier Banks

premierbanks.com

WORTHINGTON

United Prairie Bank

unitedprairiebank.com

First State Bank of Wyoming

fsbwyoming.com

ZIMMERMAN

Bank of Elk River

thebankofelkriver.com

Woodlands National Bank

woodlandsnationalbank.com

ZUMBROTA

Bank of Zumbrota

bankofzumbrota.bank

STATEWIDE LENDERS

Associated Bank

associatedbank.com

Bank of the West

bankofthewest.com

Bremer Bank

bremer.com

Live Oak Bank

liveoakbank.com

Old National Bank

oldnational.com

Merchants Bank

merchantsbank.com

MidWestOne Bank

midwestone.com

Minnwest Bank

minnwestbank.com

US Bank

usbank.com

Wells Fargo

wellsfargo.com/biz

504 Corporation

504corporation.com

Central Minnesota 

Development Corp.

cmdcbusinessloans.com

Minnesota Business 

Finance Corp.

mbfc.org

Spedco

spedco.com

TCM Certified 

Development Co.

504lending.com

Participating 

Certified

Development 

Companies

504 Corp.

504corporation.com

Central Minnesota 

Development Corp.

cmdcbusinessloans.com

Minnesota Business 

Finance Corp.

mbfc.org

Spedco

spedco.com

TCM Certified 

Development Co.

504lending.com

Community 

Advantage 

Lenders

African Development Center

1931 S. Fifth St.

Minneapolis

518 Litchfeld Ave. Southwest

Willmar

(877) 232-4775

info@adcminnesota.org

adcminnesota.org

First Children’s Finance

111 Third Ave. South, suite 220

Minneapolis

(866) 562-6801

firstchildrensfinance.org
 51

Initiative Foundation

405 First St. Southeast

Little Falls

501 W. St. Germain St., 

suite 101

St Cloud

(877) 632-9255

info@ifound.org

ifound.org

Metropolitan Economic 

Development Association

1256 Penn Ave. North, 

suite 4800

Minneapolis

(612) 332-6332

info@meda.net

meda.net

Neighborhood 

Development Center

663 University Ave. West, 

suite 200

St Paul

(651) 291-2480

ndc-mn.org

The Northland Foundation

202 W. Superior St., suite 610

Duluth

(218) 723-4040 

or (800) 433-4045

info@northlandfdn.org

northlandfdn.org

Participating 

Microlenders

African Development Center

Serving Anoka, Beltrami, 

Blue Earth, Carver, Chisago, 

Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, 

Olmsted, Ramsey, Scott, 

Sherburne, Stearns, and 

Washington counties

(612) 333-4772

adcminnesota.org

Entrepreneur Fund Inc.

Serving Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, 

Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, 

Cass, Pine, Crow Wing, and 

St. Louis counties

(218) 623-5747

entrepreneurfund.org

Hmong American 

Partnership

Serving Anoka, 

Dakota, Hennepin, 

Ramsey, Scott, and 

Washington counties

(651) 495-1557

hmong.org

Neighborhood 

Development Center

Serving Hennepin and 

Ramsey counties

(651) 291-2480

ndc-mn.org

Northwest Minnesota 

Foundation

Serving Beltrami, Clearwater, 

Hubbard, Kittson, Lake of the 

Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, 

Norman, Pennington, Polk, 

Red Lake, and 

Roseau counties

(218) 759-2057

nwmf.org

Southern Minnesota 

Initiative Foundation

Serving Blue Earth, Brown, 

Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, 

Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, 

LeSueur, Martin, Mower, 

Nicollett, Olmsted, Rice, 

Sibley, Steele, Wabasha, 

Waseca, Watonwan, and 

Winona counties

(507) 455-3215

smifoundation.org

Southwest Initiative 

Foundation

Serving Big Stone, Carver, 

Chippewa, Cottonwood, 

Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui 

Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, 

Meeker, Murray, Nobles, 

Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, 

Rock, Stearns, Swift, Wright, 

and Yellow Medicine counties

(320) 587-4848

swifoundation.com

WomenVenture

Serving Anoka, Chisago, 

Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, 

Ramsey, Scott, Steele, 

Washington, and 

Wright counties

(612) 224-9540

womenventure.org

We have all heard the phrase “content is king.” 

Creating rich, engaging, and inspiring content 

differentiates your brand in the marketplace. But 

who has time to focus on anything other than 

running their business?

Narrative works with you to develop the tools to 

tell your story across all media platforms. Powerful 

and authentic storytelling helps you stand out. It 

inspires action. It creates an emotional impact 

and forges enduring relationships. It separates you 

from the competition.

We have all heard the phrase “content is king.” 

Creating rich, engaging, and inspiring content 

differentiates your brand in the marketplace. But 

who has time to focus on anything other than 

running their business?

Narrative works with you to develop the tools to 

tell your story across all media platforms. Powerful 

and authentic storytelling helps you stand out. It 

inspires action. It creates an emotional impact 

and forges enduring relationships. It separates you 

from the competition.

Let us 

help give 

voice to 

your story. Let us 

help give 

voice to 

your story.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

Brand Voice

Articles

Blogs

Website Content

Brochures

Photography

Videos

and more

SCOPE OF SERVICES

Brand Voice

Articles

Blogs

Website Content

Brochures

Photography

Videos

and more

To schedule a meeting or to learn more, contact 

Buddy Butler at buddy@newsouthmediainc.com or 

call 304.615.9884.

To schedule a meeting or to learn more, contact 

Buddy Butler at buddy@newsouthmediainc.com 

or call 304.615.9884.
52

FUNDING PROGRAMS DISASTER ASSISTANCE

After the 

Flood

A South Carolina fabric business rebounds bigger and 

better with the help of an SBA disaster loan.

written by Carlee Lammers

FOREST LAKE DRAPERY AND UPHOLSTERY FABRIC CENTER FOREST LAKE DRAPERY AND UPHOLSTERY FABRIC CENTER

COURTESY OF FOREST LAKE DRAPERY AND UPHOLSTERY FABRIC CENTER

After floodwaters devastated his family business, Michael 

Marsha visited the SBA and received something not many 

others could give him: security. Marsha is the owner and 

president of Forest Lake Drapery and Upholstery Fabric Center 

Inc. in Columbia, South Carolina. The fabric store started 

in 1964 as an offshoot of L.A. Marsha Textile Co., a closeout fabric store 

owned by his father and grandfather. Marsha took over the family business 

in 1990 and worked to grow it into something bigger. “I grew it slow," he 

says. "I didn’t borrow money. I just took the 

cashflow over the years and grew it into a big, 

big company. I didn’t really have a banker at 

all. I didn’t really need one." 

When catastrophic flooding hit South 

Carolina in October 2015, water destroyed 

Marsha’s entire fabric inventory and nearly 

destroyed the lower level of his store, wrecking 

structural havoc, tearing out sheetrock and 

destroying the carpeting. The damages came 

to about $1.4 million. Crews spent hours 

cleaning after the floods receded. All that was 

left of Marsha's business was a shell. 

He had to act fast. Marsha bought a space 

two doors down from his store. Marsha kept his 

inventory in the upper level of his original store 

and cut the fabric in his new space. Lenders 

made offers to help him rebuild, but Marsha 

wanted better terms. He was speaking to state 

officials about the flood when he met some SBA 

disaster assistance specialists.

Marsha recalled how he felt at the time: “I 

couldn’t crawl back into business, I needed to 

sprint back into business."

He received a low-interest, fixed-rate SBA 
 53

DISASTER ASSISTANCE FUNDING PROGRAMS

Working Together

The SBA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other 

organizations work together to provide assistance to those affected 

by a disaster. Once immediate safety and security needs are met, 

the SBA helps get you and your community back to where you were 

before the disaster. The SBA provides loans to businesses of all sizes, 

nonprofits, homeowners, and renters to cover rebuilding costs not 

covered by insurance or other forms of assistance.

Small businesses and nonprofits are also eligible to apply for economic 

injury losses, even if they suffered no physical damages. These direct 

loans come with low-interest rates and long terms. Property owners can 

also secure additional SBA funds to help protect their business or home 

against a disaster. Visit sba.gov/disaster.

disaster loan for $735,000, which Marsha used 

to rebuild the property, replace inventory, and 

install storm shields to protect the property 

from future floods.

Forest Lake Fabrics reopened a year later and 

saw back-to-back months of record sales. He 

rebuilt even stronger and was excelling. SBA 

assistance didn’t stop with construction. Marsha 

still regularly consults with his local SBA district 

office staff for help with online marketing. 

“Not only does SBA disaster assistance lend you 

money, but local staff help me find out ways to 

make money to make sure I’m in a profitable 

situation to pay them back,” he says. “It’s 

security.”

Now, three years after the flood, Marsha is 

doing so well, the SBA recently presented him 

with the Phoenix Award for Outstanding Small 

Business in Disaster Recovery. “The SBA bent 

over backward to help me get back in business,” 

Marsha says. “I couldn’t have asked for a better 

situation. I really couldn’t.”

The SBA bent 

over backward 

to help me get 

back in business. 

I couldn’t have 

asked for a 

better situation. 

I really 

couldn’t.”

Michael Marsha 

Owner/President

Forest Lake Drapery and Upholstery 

Fabric Center

FOREST LAKE DRAPERY AND UPHOLSTERY FABRIC CENTER FOREST LAKE DRAPERY AND UPHOLSTERY FABRIC CENTER
54

FUNDING PROGRAMS DISASTER ASSISTANCE

T hree Brothers Bakery is no stranger to difficult 

times. The business got its start in Chrzanow, 

Poland in the early 1800s as Morris Jucker’s 

Bakery. Jucker’s twin boys, Sigmund and Sol, 

started out in the business in 1932 when a 

baker’s strike meant only family members could work the 

ovens—this started a lifetime of camraderie and partnership 

between the brothers. They worked together through the 

outbreak of World War II and the invasion of Poland, enduring 

internment in a Nazi concentration camp when they were 

“We Would Have Been 

Out of Business Twice”

SBA disaster assistance helps a Houston bakery recover after disaster.

Written by Carlee Lammers

19. After their liberation, Sigmund and Sol Jucker joined their 

younger brother, Max, and immigrated to America. Living in 

Houston, Texas, the three brothers returned to their family 

roots and established their bakery in 1949, near one of the city’s 

bayous on Braeswood Boulevard. Today, the three locations of 

the kosher Eastern European bakery are owned by Sigmund's 

son Bobby Jucker and his wife, Janice.

The family has continued to weather storms. Hurricane Ike 

in 2008 brought 12 inches of rain, destroying the bakery roof. 

Hurricane Harvey in 2017 poured four and a half feet of water COURTESY OF KATRINA KIDDER
 55

DISASTER ASSISTANCE FUNDING PROGRAMS

Disaster 

Declarations

Who to contact after a disaster 

is declared by the President

Register with FEMA at 

disasterassistance.gov, call (800) 621-3362,

TTY: 800-462-7585, or visit a Disaster Recovery Center. 

Locations can be found at fema.gov/drc.

Businesses are automatically referred to the SBA. Most 

homeowners and renters will be referred by FEMA to the SBA 

to apply for disaster loan assistance. You must complete 

the SBA application to be considered for assistance. If the 

agency cannot help you with a loan for all your needs, the 

SBA will, in most cases, refer you back to FEMA.

Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program

Businesses affected by a Presidential disaster declaration 

are eligible to receive expedited bridge loan financing 

through an SBA Express lender. The bridge loan funds may 

be used for disaster-related purposes while the business 

waits for long-term financing through the SBA’s direct 

disaster loan program.

Loan Amount: $25,000

Terms: up to 7 years

Guarantee: 50 percent

Who to contact after a disaster is declared by the SBA

Contact the SBA directly to apply for a 

disaster loan. Businesses of all sizes, 

nonprofits, homeowners and renters are 

eligible to apply:

• online at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/

• visit a federal/state Disaster Recovery Center in your area

• call our customer service center at 

(800) 659-2955 (TTY: 800-877-8339) and 

ask for an application package to be 

mailed to you 

FEMA grant assistance for homeowners or renters is not 

available under an SBA declaration.

Information needed to get started:

• address of damaged residence or business and contact info

• insurance information, including type of insurance, 

policy numbers, amount received

• household and/or business income

• routing and bank account numbers

• description of disaster-caused damage and losses

into the building. Photos of the bakery’s submerged parking 

lot went viral on social media.

After each disaster, the family had some money for 

recovery, but not nearly enough. There was so much to 

purchase, so much to repair. Each time, Three Brothers 

turned to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s disaster 

assistance program for help.

The SBA was a saving grace for the Juckers, providing 

money and resources they wouldn’t otherwise have access to. 

“If it weren’t for the SBA, we would've been out of business—

twice," Janice Jucker says. "There was no way we would have 

had the cash to recover."

Houston is recovering, but there’s still work to be done. 

“People are buying sofas and socks," Janice Juckers says, "But 

they are not yet buying as many cakes and other baked goods." 

She remains optimistic for a full recovery. The Juckers are 

also leading an effort to craft legislation that would encourage 

consumers to shop in areas affected by a disaster—to help 

rebuild broken economies.

With help from their local SBA district office, the bakery is 

rebranding, working on a new website, and investing in new 

marketing strategies. “Everything the SBA does—everything 

they do—is good," she says.

COURTESY OF THREE BROTHERS BACKERY COURTESY OF THREE BROTHERS BACKERY
56

Keep in mind

An SBA disaster loan is a 

direct loan from the government. Other organizations may reduce or not 

award you a grant if you 

have received an SBA loan 

or other assistance. Be sure 

to check with other organizations to see how an 

SBA loan might affect your 

eligibility for their program.

In general, recovery 

expenses covered by 

insurance, FEMA or other 

forms of assistance may 

reduce the amount provided by your SBA disaster loan.

Verification & Processing

An SBA loss verifier will estimate the total loss to your property damaged by the 

disaster. A loan officer determines your creditworthiness and eligibility after reviewing any insurance or other recovery funds. The SBA can approve and disburse a loan 

while your insurance recovery is pending. You will be advised in writing of all loan 

decisions.

• Terms may go up to 30 years. The SBA sets terms based on each borrower’s ability 

to repay, no early payoff fees or penalties.

• Rates are low, based on the type of loan and if you have credit available elsewhere.

For Physical Damages

A business of any size and any nonprofit may borrow up to $2 million to repair or 

replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, 

and other business assets.

• A homeowner may borrow up to $200,000 to repair/replace primary residence 

damage.

• A homeowner or renter may borrow up to $40,000 to repair/replace damage to 

personal property, including vehicle losses.

For Economic Injury

The SBA also offers economic injury disaster loans for up to $2 million to help meet 

working capital needs caused by a disaster.

• Who are eligible: small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses, and most nonprofits.

• Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

Closing & Funds Disbursement

Approval decision and disbursement of loan funds is dependent on receipt of your 

documentation.

Be sure to sign your closing documents. This can be done by mail or with an SBA 

representative at a closing center, if one is open in your area.

The SBA disburses loan funds as recovery work is completed, items are replaced, 

and/or as funds are needed. The SBA will typically make an initial disbursement of up 

to $25,000, if all requirements are met, within five days of receiving your signed loan 

closing documents. Your case manager will schedule subsequent disbursements 

of the full loan amount. Your case manager will work with you to help you meet all 

loan conditions. Your loan may be adjusted after closing according to your changing 

circumstances, such as unexpected repair costs or additional insurance proceeds.

How an SBA 

Disaster Loan Works

The SBA provides loans to businesses of all sizes, nonprofits, homeowners and renters 

to cover rebuilding costs not covered by insurance or other forms of assistance.

FUNDING PROGRAMS DISASTER ASSISTANCE
 57

How to Prepare 

Your Business 

for an Emergency

The financial cost of rebuilding a business after a disaster can

be overwhelming. However, with a business continuity plan in 

place, you will be able to rebound and reopen quickly. You’ll be 

in a better position to contribute to the economic recovery of 

your community.

Establish a protocol to communicate with employees outside of the office

to ensure they and their families are safe. Test the procedures regularly.

Keep your plan and all related documents in a digital format or in an accessible, protected, off-site location.

Review your insurance coverage

• Contact your insurance agent to find out if your coverage is right for your business; make sure you understand the policy limits and deductibles.

• Ask about business interruption insurance, which compensates you for lost 

income and covers operating expenses if your company has to temporarily 

shut down after a disaster.

Establish a solid supply chain

If your vendors and suppliers are local and the disaster is widespread, you will all 

be in the same situation—struggling to recover. Set yourself up to be able to get 

key supplies from companies outside your area, if possible.

• Create a contact list of important contractors and vendors you plan to use in 

an emergency.

• Make sure you know your suppliers’ recovery plans.

Plan for an alternative location

• Do some research in advance of the disaster for several alternative places to 

relocate your company in case a disaster forces you to close your business for 

an extended time.

Contact a local real estate agent to get a list of available office space. You could 

make an agreement with a neighboring business to share office space. You could 

also make plans for employees to telecommute until your office reopens.

The Ready Business program, 

ready.gov/business, gives 

step-by-step guidance on how 

to prepare your business for 

a disaster. The series includes 

preparedness toolkits for 

earthquakes, hurricanes, 

inland flooding, power 

outages, and severe winds/

tornadoes. Spanish materials 

are available.

DISASTER ASSISTANCE FUNDING PROGRAMS
58

Surety Bonds

Surety bonds help small 

businesses win construction, 

supply and service contracts 

by providing the customer with 

a guarantee the work will be 

completed. Many contracts 

require surety bonds, which are 

offered by surety companies. 

The SBA guarantee provides an 

incentive for surety companies 

to work with small businesses 

that would normally not be 

able to obtain the bond. Eligible 

small businesses can receive 

the bonding assistance necessary to compete for contracting 

and subcontracting jobs using 

the Surety Bond Guarantee 

Program. This program is aimed 

at small businesses that lack the 

financial resources or performance track record necessary to 

secure bonding through regular 

commercial channels.

Small businesses that often 

come to the SBA for surety 

bonds:

• Startups and firms in business less than three years

• Businesses with credit issues

or internally prepared financial 

statements

• Subcontract trades with a 

desire to establish their own 

bonding as a prime contractor

• Those wishing to increase

their current bonding limits

Surety bonds help small businesses win construction, supply, and service contracts.

FUNDING PROGRAMS
 59

FUNDING PROGRAMS

Questions? 

Do you want to discuss the advantages of the SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee program 

or need to locate an SBA authorized agent? Contact a bonding specialist:

Tamara E. Murray

Denver, CO

(303) 927-3479

Kevin Valdes

Seattle, WA

(206) 553-7277

Jennifer C. Bledsoe

Washington, DC

(202) 205-6153

For Public and Private Prime 

Contracts and all Subcontracts

For Federal Contracts

The SBA guarantees: bid, payment, performance, and 

ancillary bonds issued by surety companies

Cost of contract: up to $6.5 million

SBA reimburses surety companies in case of default 

90 percent of losses sustained for veteran and servicedisabled veteran, minority, 8(a), and HUBZone-certified 

small businesses; all projects up to $100,000 

80 percent for all other small businesses.

The SBA guarantees: bid, payment, performance, 

and ancillary bonds issued by surety companies—

if a guarantee would be in the best interest of 

the government

Cost of contract: up to $10 million

SBA reimburses surety companies in case of default 

90 percent of losses sustained for veteran and servicedisabled veteran, minority, 8(a), and HUBZone-certified 

small businesses; all projects up to $100,000 

80 percent for all other small businesses.

Typically, small businesses provide financial statements and other documentation when applying for 

surety bond guarantees. This process is streamlined under the SBA’s QuickApp program, which is 

for contracts below $400,000. The streamlined application reduces the normal paperwork to a simple 

two-page application, and the small business does not need to file any financials with the SBA.

The SBA partners with 35 surety companies and hundreds of bonding agents. Online 

applications submitted through SBA authorized agents are approved in less than two days for 

regular applications and within hours for QuickApps. Find authorized agents at sba.gov/osg.

SBA’s QuickApp Program
60

CONTRACTING

Doing Business with the Government

Staying Power

Evans Capacitor Co. of Rhode Island was chosen as the SBA’s 2018 National Small Business 

Subcontractor of the Year for its customer care.

written by Jess Walker

COURTESY OF EVANS CAPACIITOR CO.
 61

CONTRACTING

Powering some of America’s 

greatest defense and aerospace 

technologies is a small product 

from a small business located 

in the smallest state. Evans 

Capacitor Co. of Rhode Island is a leading 

manufacturer of high energy density 

capacitors, battery-like components that can 

release stored electrical energy quickly—

crucial in applications such as laser or 

radar systems.

“The best and most rewarding feeling is 

when we have visitors to our plant, be they 

customers, politicians, or even from the SBA, 

who look around and are truly astonished by 

what we do right here in East Providence,” 

says Charles Dewey, cofounder and CEO of 

Evans Capacitor. “They are always smiling and 

surprised when they see our great employees 

actually building these devices by hand.”

In 1996, Dewey and his cousin and 

cofounder Dave Evans spun Evans Capacitor 

out of an old family business. Dewey handled 

the business model and finances, and Evans 

spearheaded engineering and development. 

Evans’s hybrid capacitor invention, which 

combined electrolytic with electrochemi-

cal technology, had come to him in a dream. 

He made that dream into a reality, but the 

market for it was not immediately robust. A 

licensing deal with medical device producer 

Wilson Greatbatch Technologies incorporated 

the invention into capacitors for implant-

able defibrillators, jump-starting the young 

company.

Evans Capacitor has been a subcontractor 

since its beginning, with most products sold 

commercially to defense contractors. Its client 

base now extends into commercial aviation 

and the oil and gas industry. “Dave Evans and I 

decided early on that we would work on what we 

knew,” says Dewey. “He invented a lot of stuff, 

but only some things were business-viable. We 

stuck to what worked and built a niche.”

Evans Capacitor prides itself on its 

responsiveness to customers. When a client 

once needed a smaller product, the company 

repackaged its round capacitor into a square, 

which provided more energy using the 

same footprint. Another client’s comments 

about overheating resulted in a capacitor 

that reduced resistance by half, effectively 

doubling the power while decreasing the need 

for cooling. “Listening to our customers is 

critical so we know which direction to focus 

our efforts,” says Colin McClennan, vice 

president and general manager. It’s a practice 

that pays off in relationships and recognition: 

Longtime customer Lockheed Martin 

Evans Capacitor built its business by being a 

subcontractor that sells its products to defense 

contractors. The company is expanding into 

commercial aviation and the oil and gas industry. COURTESY OF EVANS CAPACIITOR CO. COURTESY OF EVANS CAPACIITOR CO.
62

nominated Evans Capacitor for the 2018 

National Small Business Subcontractor 

of the Year, which the company went on 

to win. 

The State Trade Expansion Program, 

administered by the SBA’s Office 

of International Trade, has helped 

Evans Capacitor smooth the peaks 

and valleys of production through 

expansion of its customer base. A 

national export initiative, the STEP 

grant awards matching funds to states 

and territory governments to help 

small businesses enter and thrive in 

international markets.

For the past two years, Evans 

Capacitor has used Rhode Island STEP 

funding to send representatives to 

global exhibits, create trade show 

materials, and revamp its website for 

international audiences. The company 

has been represented as far away as 

India, Spain, and the United Kingdom. 

“We’ve done programs with [STEP 

assistance] we likely wouldn’t have 

done otherwise,” says McClennan. “I 

expect we’ll continue using it.”

Running a small business can be 

hard, but the close-knit environment 

makes it worthwhile. When McClennan 

joined the company in 2000, he thought 

he’d live in Rhode Island for a year or so 

before moving back to Ohio. Eighteen 

years later, he still finds every day at 

the 47-employee plant engaging and 

ever-changing. “You’re able to have 

such an impact in a small business,” he 

says, “as opposed to working in a large 

corporation where the impact of your 

efforts might be much more diluted.”

Dewey is happy for other entrepreneurs to learn from Evans Capacitor’s 

experience. “We hope the SBA uses us 

as a model, especially to other small 

businesses looking to get into subcontracting and defense work,” he says. “It 

is a daunting undertaking for a commercial company, but it’s been our lives 

since day one, so maybe we can help.” 

For other small businesses, no matter 

the industry, Dewey recommends they 

hone in on their niches. “Don’t stray, 

stay focused, and be the best you can 

be. As Dave says, ‘You have to play the 

hand you’re dealt.’ But you can learn to 

play it well.”

Identify your product or service number at naics.com.

Search the FedBizOpps database (fbo.gov) or web.sba.gov/

subnet to see if any federal agencies are looking for your product 

or service.

Attend an SBA district office workshop on contracting. Visit 

sba.gov/localassistance to find your local office.

Talk to a local Small Business Development Center counselor 

(see page 8) or visit a Procurement Technical Assistance Program 

adviser. Find your closest center at aptac-us.org.

Obtain a free DUNS number at fedgov.dnb.com/webform.

Register with the System for Award Management (sam.gov) 

to start doing business with the government.

See if you’re eligible for a contracting program and start the 

certification process. All required documents must be uploaded 

to certify.sba.gov before submitting an offer on a contract set 

aside for a specific program.

How to 

do business 

with the 

government

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

CONTRACTING
 63

CONTRACTING

Does the government buy the 

product or service that you sell?

Are you capable of fulfilling 

a government contract (e.g., 

time, staffing, and materials)? 

Do you have an accounting 

system that produces financial 

statements, such as profit and 

loss statements, balance sheets, 

and cash flow projections?

Do you know where to find 

contracting opportunities?

Are you credit worthy?

Do you already have 

federal/state/local government 

contracting experience? 

Do you have the following:

 ∙ A DUNS number?

 ∙ The NAICS codes and size standards

 for your industry?

 ∙ SAM registration?

Continue to question 2.

Start with your local SBA District 

Office. If you can't identify at least 

three federal agencies that might 

buy what you sell, contracting might 

not be right for you.

∙ Is the majority owner(s) a U.S. citizen?

∙ Does your company have a place of 

 business in the U.S.?

∙ Is your business organized for profit? 

Government contracting may ∙ Does your business generate revenue?

not be for you at this time.

x

?

x Ask an SBA Business Opportunity 

Specialist for help.

Your local SBA District Office can 

help you gauge ramp-up time and 

other factors that contribute to 

government contracting success.

?

x Before you get into government 

contracting, make sure your 

accounting system is compatible 

with the government’s requirements.

x If you don't yet have contracting 

experience, you won't reap the full 

benefit of opportunities like the 

8(a) Business Development Program. 

You can only participate in the 

8(a) program once in a nine-year 

period, so make sure it's the right 

time for you.

✓

✓ Continue to question 3.

✓ Continue to question 4.

✓ Continue to question 5.

✓ Continue to question 6.

Do you have cash on hand to 

purchase working inventory, if needed? 

x Talk to an SBA Lender about 

getting a line of credit or a loan to 

do business with the government.

✓ Continue to question 7.

✓ Continue to question 8.

✓ Continue to question 9.

Government Contracting

Is it for you?

Government contracting can be a valuable tool to grow your small business, but it isn’t for 

everyone. Complete the following readiness assessment to help you decide whether your 

company can successfully compete for government contracts.

? Talk to an SBA Lender 

about how to build credit.

x Visit an SBA Resource Partner 

for tips on repairing your credit.

x This is a requirement for 

participation in some government 

contracting programs.

It sounds like you may be a good fit for government contracting! 

Visit your local SBA District Oice or sba.gov/contracting for more information.

✓ Continue below.

x These are requirements for 

participation in government 

contracting programs.

Confirm your answer to all 

of the following:

Government Contracting OPEN

Is it right for you? Government contracting can be a valuable tool to grow your small business, but 

it isn't for everyone. Complete the following readiness assessment to help you decide whether your 

company can successfully compete for government contracts. 
64

CONTRACTING

SBA Contracting 

Programs

Your business could earn profit and gain valuable work experience by 

providing goods or services to the government.

The federal government sets aside 

contracts for small business, and these 

certification programs are designed to help 

you compete for and win federal contracts. 

Visit sba.gov/contracting to learn more 

about set-asides and whether one or more 

of these government contracting programs 

is right for your business.

All Small Mentor-Protege 

Program

Looking for an opportunity to partner with 

a more experienced firm for mentorship? 

You may find that effort rewarded in the 

All Small Mentor-Protege Program, sba.

gov/allsmallmpp. At the same time 

you’re gaining invaluable direction and 

experience, you and your mentor can 

compete for government contracts, further 

growing your business.

To qualify for this program:

» Proteges must have a mentor prior to 

applying for the program. Visit your 

local SBA office for guidance. Ask about 

the SBA’s Resource Partners and the 

Procurement Technical Assistance 

Program for help in connecting you with a 

mentor business.

» You must be certified as a small business 

within your NAICS industry classification 

and have experience in that field.

» Mentors and proteges must be organized 

for profit or as an agricultural cooperative.

» Mentors cannot own more than 40 

percent equity in the protege’s business.

» An SBA determination of affiliation must 

not exist between the mentor and the 

protege. All Small-approved partnerships 

receive an exclusion of affiliation for 

contracting purposes.

8(a) Business Development 

Program

If you’re an entrepreneur who is socially 

and economically disadvantaged, 

you can get business training and 

government contracting assistance 

through the 8(a) Business Development 

Program, sba.gov/8a. The program 

includes free business development 

education, training workshops, and 

match-making opportunities with federal 

buyers. Firms owned by Alaska Native 

Corporations, Indian tribes, Native 

Hawaiian organizations, and Community 

Development Corporations are also eligible 

for 8(a) business development assistance.

To be eligible for the 8(a) program, 

your small business must meet the 

following criteria:

» qualify as a small business which is 

unconditionally owned and controlled by 

one or more socially and economically 

disadvantaged people of good character

» be controlled by a U.S. citizen who lives in 

the United States

» demonstrate a track record of work and that 

you have potential for continued success

Socially disadvantaged: those who have 

been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice 

or cultural bias without regard to their 

individual qualities because of their identity 

as members of certain groups. The following 

groups of people are assumed to be socially 

disadvantaged: Black Americans, Native 

Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, 

Hispanic Americans, Asian Pacific Americans, 

and Subcontinent Asian Americans. A person 

who is not a member of one of these groups 

must establish that it is more likely than not 

that they have suffered disadvantage.

Economically disadvantaged: those whose 

ability to compete in the marketplace 

has been impaired because the person 

has not had as much capital and credit 

opportunities compared to others in the 

same or similar line of business who are not 

socially disadvantaged.
 65

CONTRACTING

The benefits:

» 8(a) businesses are assigned an SBA 

professional to help coordinate your 

business development assistance.

» You could be awarded an 8(a) solesource contract up to $4 million for 

goods and services; $7 million for 

manufacturing, exceptions apply.

What is an 8(a) sole-source contract? A 

direct awarding of a contract to an 

8(a) small business that can provide the 

needed services.

HUBZones

Businesses located in Historically 

Underutilized Business Zones, HUBZones, 

sba.gov/hubzone, must be certified to gain 

special access to federal contracts. To qualify 

for the program, a small business must:

» be at least 51 percent owned and 

controlled by a U.S. citizen(s), a 

Community Development Corporation, 

an agricultural cooperative, or an Indian 

tribe

» be located within a HUBZone, which 

includes Indian reservations and 

military facilities closed by the Base 

Realignment and Closure Act. Enter your 

address in our interactive map to see if 

your business is located in a HUBZone, 

maps.certify.sba.gov/hubzone/map.

» have at least 35 percent of your 

employees residing in a HUBZone

Service-Disabled 

Veterans

If you’re a service-disabled veteran looking 

to enter the federal marketplace, you 

may be eligible for this small business 

certification. To determine your eligibility, 

contact a veterans business development 

An O'Fallon Casting Inc. employee at 

work in O'Fallon, MO. Owner Vince 

Gimeno grew his business thanks to 

expert SBA business counseling.

officer at your local SBA office, or the SBA’s 

Office of Veterans Business Development at 

sba.gov/ovbd. After you have set up to do 

business with the government in sam.gov, 

update your status as a service-disabled 

veteran business.

Keep in mind

The SBA does not officially certify this 

designation, so when a contract awarded 

based on this eligibility is protested, the 

SBA will determine if your business meets 

the eligibility status, ownership and 

control requirements.

By the 

Numbers

The U.S. government is the largest single 

purchaser of goods and services in the 

world. Every year it awards more than 

$500 billion 

in contracts.

Of those prime contracts, 

the federal government 

must set aside 23 percent 

for small businesses. 

This includes:

• 5 percent for small 

disadvantaged businesses

• 5 percent for women-owned 

small businesses

• 3 percent for HUBZonecertified small businesses

• 3 percent for service-disabled 

veteran-owned small businesses
66

CONTRACTING

Women-Owned Small Business 

Certification

If you're a woman proprietor looking to sell to the federal 

government, you may be eligible for the Women-Owned Small 

Business certification, sba.gov/wosb. 

Here’s how to get certified:

• Your business must be at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more 

women who are U.S. citizens. The ownership must be direct and unconditional.

• A woman must hold the highest officer position and have managerial experience 

required to run the business.

• One or more women must manage the daily business operations on a full-time 

basis and conduct long-term decision making and planning.

To qualify as an economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business, your 

company must meet these criteria and the business owner and/or manager must 

meet certain income and asset requirements.

• Register with the System for Award Management (sam.gov) to start doing business with the government.

• Update your status as a woman-owned small business in sam.gov.

• Search the FedBizOpps database (fbo.gov) for your new business opportunity.

Self-certify as a woman-owned small business or an economically disadvantaged 

woman-owned small business for free, or obtain certification from one of the SBA’s 

approved third-party certifiers (which costs a fee):

• El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

• National Women Business Owners Corporation

• U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce

• Women’s Business Enterprise National Council

All required documents must be uploaded to certify.sba.gov prior to submitting 

an offer on a contract set aside for the program.

1. Make sure you’re eligible

2. Register

4. Update your status

5. Search the database

3. Certify

Procurement 

Technical 

Assistance Centers

Businesses that want to sell products 

or services to federal, state, or local 

governments receive one-on-one counseling 

and training at Procurement Technical 

Assistance Centers, free or low cost.

How can a procurement 

assistance center help you?

» A center adviser can help you 

determine if your business is ready 

for government contracting.

» An adviser can help you register in 

the System for Award Management 

(sam.gov).

» Your adviser will help you see if you 

are eligible for any small business 

certifications and programs.

Federal contracting can be complex, 

but you don’t have to do it alone. Visit 

sba.gov/localassistance to find your 

local SBA office or an SBA Resource 

Partner near you (see page 8).

PTAC Program Director

Christina Nebel-Dickerson, CCAS

(651) 201-2629

christina.nebel-dickerson@state.mn.us

Northern Minnesota Area Manager

Arlette Abrahamson, CPP

(218) 449-4395

arlette.abrahamson@state.mn.us

Twin Cities Metro Area Manager

Bob Crowther, CFCM, PMP

(651) 201-2626

robert.crowther@state.mn.us

South Metro/

East Central Area Manager

John Kilian, ACAS

(952) 440-8958

john.kilian@state.mn.us

Twin Cities Metro Area Manager

Mark A. Cooper, CAS

(651) 201-2628

mark.cooper@state.mn.us

Southern Minnesota Area Manager

Pat Dotter, ACAS

patricia.dotter@state.mn.us

(507) 549-3193
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