Loan Resources

• The Small Business and Technology Center’s Capital Opportunities for Small Businesses provides financial resources available to  businesses in North Carolina.
• The Self-Help Commercial Lending targets loan products to companies and nonprofits whose financing needs are not met by traditional lenders.
• The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers numerous financing programs to assist small businesses.
• The North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center runs the Microenterprise Loan Program and the Rural Venture Fund offering a variety of financing options for business start-ups and expansions in rural North Carolina.
• First Flight Venture Center (FFVC)  The FFVC is a technology incubator whose mission is to increase the number of technology companies originating in or relocating to North Carolina.

Grant Resources

The following grants are administered by the North Carolina Board of Science and Technology:

• The North Carolina Green Business Fund provides competitive grants to help NC small businesses develop the following industries:

Biofuels

Green building

Renewable energy

Environmentally conscious technologies

• The One North Carolina SBIR/STTR Phase I Incentive Program reimburses qualified North Carolina firms for a portion of the costs incurred in preparing and submitting Phase I proposals for the U.S. Government’s Small Business Innovation Research Program and Small Business Technology Transfer Program. 
• The One North Carolina SBIR/STTR Phase I Matching Funds Program is designed to award matching funds to North Carolina firms who have been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research Program or Small Business Technology Transfer Program Phase I award.

Federal grant information can be found at  the following websites:

• Grants.gov is the single access point for over 1,000 grant programs offered by all Federal grant making agencies. 

• The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) gives you access to a database of  federal programs available.

Offering Securities in North Carolina

You may be considering offering corporate stock, shares in a limited partnership or some other security to help fund your start-up. Security offers and sales in North Carolina are subject to the North Carolina Securities Act.

Call the Secretary of State, Securities Division at (919) 733-3924 or (800) 688-4507 for more information.