Supporting women-owned businesses-one at a time

Our Women's Business Center (WBC) specializes in providing services to assist women entrepreneurs. Special efforts are made to assist economically and socially disadvantaged women. We continue our commitment to provide intensive group and one-on-one business training and technical assistance that will assist women to grow their business ideas and acquire or improve their business management skills.

When you become a WBC client, we can provide assistance in:

Business Plan Preparation

This includes group training and one-on-one technical assistance to assess the potential of your market. Our staff will assist in the completion of a marketing plan, three year financial projections, and a full business plan. As a WBC Client, you will have access to our full-service computer lab to research your market(s) and our computerized business plan format to produce, modify, and update your plan.

Training

We offer training in accounting, understanding your financial statements, budgeting, cash flow, marketing, internet use, internet market research, e-commerce, web page development, and more.

Loan Application Assistance

We provide assistance for WBC clients who have completed high quality feasible business plans. Assistance includes access to SBA Loan Pre-Qualification Services, access to our network of over 15 area SBA lenders, plus regional, state, and federal loan funds. We provide direct loans to businesses owned by refugees.

Government Procurement Workshops

These one-day seminars are for women, minority, disabled, or disadvantaged business owners interested in learning how to sell their products or services to state or federal government agencies.

Supporting Women's Access to Training (SWAT)

WBC Clients seeking help to improve their business skills and operation may apply for SWAT assistance (limited enrollment). SWAT assistance is customized and provided at your place of business to reduce the barriers of time and travel while increasing your access to business training and information. It involves regular meetings with Business Development Specialists to assist you in identifying business issues, creating a technical assistance plan to address the issues, and providing technical assistance options and/or business activities that will help you grow your business. Team members may include representatives from SCORE, SBDC, area Community Action Business Development Projects, supporting lenders, and other business resource partners.

Access to technology is provided through our Computer Lending Library. The WBC loan computers, as available, to qualifying clients who have computer skills but cannot afford a computer.

Access to capital for business, loans are provided through our Loan Guarantee Fund. The fund and its network of supporting lenders can provide a loan guarantee for qualifying clients who may be otherwise unable to secure a loan.

Western Dairyland's Women's Business Center award number is SBAHQ-99-W-005 and is partially funded by the US Small Business Administration's Office of Women's Business Ownership (OWBO). The OWBO is established to help women become full partners in economic development through small business ownership. SBA's cooperation does not constitute or imply its endorsement of any opinions, products and/or services. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made if assistance is requested at least two weeks in advance. All SBA programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.