Local Organizations to Support Your Business

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central & Northern PA provides startup funding and business support services to tech-based startups and small manufacturers located in PA. As an on-going initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and funded by the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority, the Program invests not only in the marketable innovations but also in business mentoring and support initiatives such as our Transformation Business Services Network and the BF TechCelerator Business Startup Boot Camps.

Small Business Administration – Philadelphia District Office

The SBA Philadelphia District office provides help with SBA services including funding programs, counseling, federal contracting certifications, and disaster recovery. The District office can also connect businesses to local partner organizations, lenders, and other community groups that help small businesses succeed. The Philadelphia District Office services 40 counties in eastern Pennsylvania.

Lancaster Public Library - Business & Reference Center

The Business and Reference Center at Lancaster Public Library (BRC) is a one-stop source for authoritative and up-to-date business and nonprofit information. Our Reference Librarians can help patrons navigate our licensed databases, specialized websites, and authoritative reference books and periodicals to find information for both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors.

City of Lancaster

The City of Lancaster is a small and diverse city located in the center of Lancaster County. The city boasts a strong downtown core with many locally owned retailers, restaurants, and professional services. The city is made up of neighborhoods with mixed use cores. The municipality tracks local businesses through a business registry and licensing; has a range of services and zoning requirements for local businesses; and provides financing and tax incentives to businesses.

Aspire WorksLabs

Aspire WorkLabs is a coworking space that aims to build an ecosystem that nurtures creativity, collaboration, and social impact. Aspire WorkLabs supports entrepreneurs and businesses by providing cutting edge workspaces, offering business showcase nights, and mentoring and education from industry experts who range from IP law to banking and healthcare.

Berks Arts

Berks Arts administers funding, in the form of grants from the PA Council on the Arts, for creative businesses located in central Pennsylvania. Berks Arts is located in Berks County and provides arts education, puts supports arts focused fests and events, and help support and grow a thriving arts community.

Franklin & Marshall College – Entrepreneurship Initiative

In the spirit of living up to Benjamin Franklin’s legacy of creating solutions in the service of the public good, Franklin & Marshall College Entrepreneurial Center offers students the opportunity to have a positive, lasting impact in the world around us. The course work includes courses, extracurricular activities, social entrepreneurship certificate program, and summer research program, which are available to enrolled F&M students.

Reimagining Our Community

A cross-sector collaboration of organizations, businesses, and community members in Lancaster County with a vision to: Strengthen trust among resource providers and BIPOC-owned small businesses; build equitable access to capital for BIPOC-owned small businesses; and, strengthen community for BIPOC-owned small businesses.

PennTAP

The Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PennTAP) at Penn State is a federal, state, and University partnership to stimulate statewide economic development. PennTAP’s statewide network of expert technical advisors focuses on helping Pennsylvania businesses through three primary areas of service: Energy and operational assessments, energy grants and rebates, and university engagement. PennTAP does this through a statewide network of expert technical advisors who help organizations maximize their competitiveness through in-person and virtual consultations, unbiased technical advice, online educational resources, and connections to Penn State experts, resources, and programs.

The Candy Factory

The Candy Factory is a coworking space located in the City of Lancaster that creates a space for entrepreneurs and small businesses to gather, imagine, create, and thrive. In addition to coworking space memberships and day passes, the Candy Factory offers members childcare with Jelly Bellies, media and studio rentals, meeting room rentals, and an event venue.

EDC of Lancaster County PA

EDC works with large and small businesses in a number of ways to promote the economic well-being in Lancaster County. The EDC supports looking for physical locations in Lancaster County and seeking funding. The EDC works with businesses who are starting up, expanding their presence, or relocating to Lancaster County.

Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania

TCCP offers memberships to technology companies and experts from diverse industries and backgrounds with a goal for members to learn, collaborate, and innovate. TCCP works to raise the profile of the tech industry in Central Pennsylvania and increase technology focused economic development. TCCP does this through events and trainings.

Community First Fund

Community First Fund is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides funding to small businesses. Community Firsts approach to creating vibrant communities includes increasing development of affordable housing units, enhancing access to food and healthcare resources, creating educational opportunities for all, and providing the funding for job-creating businesses to start up and grow. Community First is driven to make a change by transforming lives, businesses and communities – one transaction at a time.

ASSETS

ASSETS is a 501(c)(3) and a community development financial institution (CDFI) that is transforming communities through entrepreneurship. We provide programming and services to Women and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) entrepreneurs in a safe and welcoming space to learn, collaborate, and grow together. As a CDFI, our primary function is to provide equitable access to capital by expanding economic opportunity for underserved people. Historically, women and BIPOC entrepreneurs have faced barriers to accessing social and financial capital. At ASSETS we work to level the playing field by providing educational opportunities and innovative solutions.

Lancaster City Alliance

The Lancaster City Alliance partners with businesses, local communities, arts, education, non-profits, and government entities to help ensure that the City of Lancaster is safe, clean, and vibrant for all. The City Alliance does this through managing the Downtown Investment District, supporting large and small economic investment in the city, convening brick and mortar retailers, and managing tax incentives and grant programs.

Hempfield Technology

Hempfield Technology was started in 2015 in East Hempfield, Pennsylvania. Over the years, the company has successfully on-boarded dozens of customers while adding to the menu of services. We are actively growing and scaling to ensure we are prepared for anything the industry and the economic market have to bring.

Mantec

MANTEC draws upon an outstanding group of qualified solution providers that assist us in supporting manufacturing businesses with a wide variety of services. MANTEC helps clients address areas of manufacturing performance that are critical to their short-term and long-term success by providing direct services or connecting businesses with service providers at a subsidized cost.

SCORE of Lancaster-Lebanon

SCORE believes that anyone can start and manage a successful small business. SCORE offers small business owners: mentors who work alongside entrepreneurs to realize their small business ownership dreams and roundtables, events, and classes to support small businesses specific business needs.

Small Business Development Center - Kutztown University

The Kutztown Small Business Development Center offers existing businesses and early-stage entrepreneurs access to no cost, confidential consulting services, and learning opportunities. We provide services at our outreach offices in Kutztown, Reading, Harrisburg, Exton, Lancaster, and York.

Horst Insurance

Horst Insurance has served residents and businesses within the Southcentral and Southeastern regions of Pennsylvania for more than 100 years. As independent insurance brokers, we can build policies and solutions that protect what our clients value most, including their families, homes, businesses, employees, boats, pets, vehicles, and every other personal or business insurance need.

As independent insurance brokers, we cultivate relationships with a carefully selected group of well-known regional, national, and global insurers. These relationships often benefit our clients by offering customized plans for commercial or business insurance, risk management and reduction, employee group benefits, workers’ compensation, property insurance, personal insurance, auto and fleet insurance, and other insurance solutions.

Lancaster Chamber

The Lancaster Chamber is a membership based organization who advocates for businesses through public policy, provides trainings and courses in workforce development and business solutions, and puts on events. The Chamber connects businesses with each other and pushes for collective excellence within the business community.

PA Council on the Arts

The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts supports a range of arts and cultural activities and organizations via a number of programs and opportunities, including: grant, the PCA's Folk and Traditional Arts program, the Governor's Awards for the Arts, the PCA's Preserving Diverse Cultures program, professional development and consulting opportunities, and Poetry Out Loud.

All Star Code Lancaster

All Star Code is a high school program for young men of color and is focused on Computer Science and technology. The program introduces soft skills and exposes participants to the tech startup culture through an immersive experience inside entrepreneurial, educational and corporate spaces. The program offers a six-week Summer Intensive course, alumni services, and increases awareness on coding and tech opportunities for young men of color.

York Launchbox

York LaunchBox is a program of Penn State and centralizes no-cost services to help entrepreneurs avoid the common mistakes startups often face and to enable entrepreneurs to focus their time on de-risking and growing their businesses. York LaunchBox does this by providing expertise and guidance to idea stage and startup businesses through one-on-one consultations and group trainings.

Belco Community Credit Union

Belco Community Credit Union is a full-service financial institution offering checking, savings, loan, investment, and small business products and services. Belco currently has 75,000 members and $935 million in assets, 15 branches, numerous ATM/ITM locations, and 24-hour account access through mobile, online, and telephone banking.