Organizations and Resources to Assist with Business Planning
A number of organizations can assist you with counseling services and resources for
writing an effective business plan. Many offer one-on-one counseling, classroom
training, online instruction, resource documents, and business plan templates. If you are
being assisted by a vocational rehabilitation or small business counselor, you will want
to consult with him/her as well.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
409 3rd St, SW
Washington, D.C. 20416
Toll Free: (800)827-5722
TTY: (704)344-6640
answerdesk@sba.gov
http://www.sba.gov/
Writing a Business Plan
https://www.sba.gov/writing-business-plan
Business Plan Template (Step-by-step guide through the process)
https://www.sba.gov/tools/business-plan/1
Online Courses for Starting Your Business – How To Write a Business Plan (The
course is free, but you need to register for it)
https://www.sba.gov/tools/sba-learning-center/training/how-write-business-plan
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent
agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of
small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and
strengthen the overall economy of our nation. We recognize that small business is
critical to our economic recovery and strength, to building America's future, and to
helping the United States compete in today's global marketplace.
Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC)
8990 Burke Lake Road, 2nd Floor
Burke, VA 22015
Direct: (703)764-9850
Fax: (703)764-1234
info@americassbdc.org
http://americassbdc.org/
The Association of Small Business Development Centers represents America's Small
Business Development Center Network -- the most comprehensive small business
assistance network in the United States and its territories. The mission of the network is
to help new entrepreneurs realize the dream of business ownership, and to assist
existing small businesses to remain competitive in the complex marketplace of an ever-
changing global economy.
Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
http://www.score.org/
Tools and Templates – Business Planning
http://www.score.org/resources/tab-a
Business Plans and Financial Statements Template Gallery
http://www.score.org/resources/business-plans-financial-statements-template-gallery
SCORE is a valuable network of 13,000+ volunteers who offer small business
entrepreneurs confidential business counseling services at no charge. SCORE
volunteers have the knowledge and experience to help any small business owner get
the help they need. Our dedicated volunteers represent over 270,000 years of
experience across 62 industries.
State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency
U.S. Department of Education – Rehabilitation Services Administration
http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/Programs/EROD/org_list.cfm?category_ID=SVR
Rehabilitation Services Administration Technical Assistance Circular: TAC-00-02
July 24, 2000
"Self-Employment, Telecommuting, and Establishing a Small Business as Employment
Outcomes"
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/rsa/tac-2000.html
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program provides a variety of services to
individuals with disabilities, with the ultimate goal to prepare for, enter into, or retain
employment. The VR program is a public program funded through a Federal/State
partnership and administered by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) at the
U.S. Department of Education.
Virginia Commonwealth University – Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
(VCU-RRTC)
WorkSupport
1314 West Main Street
P.O. Box 842011
Richmond, VA 23284-2011
Voice: (804) 828-1851
TTY: (804) 828-2494
Fax: (804) 828-2193
RRTC@vcu.edu
http://www.worksupport.com/
Archive of Start-Up USA Resources
http://www.worksupport.com/resources/listContent.cfm/19
Worksupport is a web portal that provides information and resources gathered by the
many funded projects of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Their main area of
focus is the employment of individuals with disabilities. Self-employment resources
created by the former project, Self-Employment Technical Assistance, Resources, &
Training (START-UP / USA) are also available. START-UP USA was a partnership
between VCU and Griffin-Hammis and Associates, LLC. Congress designated the
cooperative agreement funds to ODEP for the further development of self-employment
as an employment outcome for individuals with disabilities. ODEP's mission is to
provide national leadership by developing and influencing disability-related employment
policy and practice affecting the employment of people with disabilities.
The Abilities Fund
101 East Van Buren
Centerville, IA 52544-1823
Toll Free: (877) 620-5909
Direct: (641)856-2173
Fax: (641)856-3101
http://www.abilitiesfund.org/
Business Planning
http://abilitiesfund.org/the-5-cs-building-blocks-of-business-planning/
The Abilities Fund is the first nationwide nonprofit community developer and financial
institution focused exclusively on expanding entrepreneurial opportunities, including
access to capital, for people with disabilities. We do this by providing a unique
combination of financial products, training, technical assistance services and advisory
supports to individuals with disabilities.
Sample Business Plans
Entrepreneur.com
Business Plans
http://www.entrepreneur.com/businessplan/index.html#
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Business Plans and Profiles Index
http://www.carnegielibrary.org/research/business/bplansindex.html
Washington State Small Business Development Centers
Business Plans
http://www.wsbdc.org/business-plans
Select Books on Business Planning
Covello, J., & Hazelgren, B. (2005). Your first business plan: A simple question and
answer format designed to help you write your own plan. Naperville, IL:
Soucebook, Inc.
Doyel, A. (2000). No more job interviews!: Self-employment strategies for people with
disabilities. Augustine, FL: Training Resource Network.
Griffin, C., & Hammis, D. (NA). Assistance not assessment: Getting at the Heart of
Small Business Feasibility.
http://www.griffinhammis.com/publications/Assistance_not_Assessment.pdf
Griffin, C., & Hammis, D. (2003). Making self-employment work for people with
disabilities. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing Co.
Griffin, C., Hammis, D., Keeton, B., & Sullivan, M. (2014). Making self-employment work
for people with disabilities (2nd Edition). Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing Co.
McKeever, M. (2008). How to write a business plan (10th Edition). Berkeley, CA: Nolo.
Miyares, Urban (2009). Business plans don’t work?
http://www.diversityworld.com/Disability/DN09/DN0910.htm
Taylor, D. (2009). Micro-enterprise – 25-step business plan workbook.
http://racecarwaterboy.homestead.com/index.html
Tiffany, P., & Peterson, S. (2005). Business plans for dummies (2 nd Edition). Hoboken,
N.J.: Wiley Publishing.
Organizations
Job Accommodation Network
West Virginia University
PO Box 6080
Morgantown, WV 26506-6080
Toll Free: (800)526-7234
TTY: (877)781-9403
Fax: (304)293-5407
jan@askjan.org
http://AskJAN.org
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a free consulting service that provides
information about job accommodations, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and
the employability of people with disabilities.
Office of Disability Employment Policy
200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room S-1303
Washington, DC 20210
Toll Free: (866)633-7365
Direct: (202)693-7880
TTY: (877)889-5627
http://www.dol.gov/odep/
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is an agency within the U.S.
Department of Labor. ODEP provides national leadership to increase employment
opportunities for adults and youth with disabilities while striving to eliminate barriers to
employment.
U.S. Social Security Administration
Office of Public Inquiries
Windsor Park Building
6401 Security Blvd.
Baltimore, MD 21235
Toll Free: (800)772-1213
TTY: (800)325-0778
http://www.ssa.gov
We deliver services through a nationwide network of over 1,400 offices that include
regional offices, field offices, card centers, teleservice centers, processing centers,
hearing offices, the Appeals Council, and our State and territorial partners, the Disability
Determination Services. We also have a presence in U.S. embassies around the globe.
For the public, we are the “face of the government.” The rich diversity of our employees
mirrors the public we serve.
Griffin Hammis and Associates, LLC.
http://www.griffinhammis.com/
"Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC is a full service consultancy specializing in developing
communities of economic cooperation and self-employment opportunities for people
with disabilities. Griffin-Hammis serves people with disabilities by providing consultation
in community rehabilitation improvement, job creation and job site training, employer
development, self-employment feasibility and refinement, Social Security benefits
analysis and work incentives, management-leadership mentoring, and civic
entrepreneurship. Our customers are wide ranging and include businesses, community
rehabilitation programs, state and local governments, universities, individuals, and
others from the public and private sectors."
Burton Blatt Institute
Syracuse University
900 S. Crouse Avenue
Crouse-Hinds Hall, Suite 300
Syracuse, New York 13244
Direct: (315) 443-2863
Fax: (315) 443-9725
http://bbi.syr.edu/
Entrepreneurship
http://bbi.syr.edu/innovation/economic/Entrepreneurship/
The Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University reaches around the globe in its
efforts to advance the civic, economic, and social participation of people with
disabilities. BBI builds on the legacy of Burton Blatt, former dean of SU’s School of
Education and a pioneering disability rights scholar, to better the lives of people with
disabilities. BBI has offices in Syracuse, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.
Updated 3/13/15