Women entrepreneurs battle with so many obstacles in the business world, especially when they are just launching new ideas and seeking funding. The Federal Reserve banks of New York and Kansas City’s report claims that women-owned enterprises have fewer employees and earns lower revenues compared to those owned by men in all the development stages. Also, women are more likely to encounter challenges with profitability more than men. https://www.newyorkfed.org/medialibrary/media/smallbusiness/2016/SBCS-Report-WomenOwnedFirms-2016.pdf shows more on that report. To bridge this gap, the City of Kansas has business opportunities, benefits, and grants for women to help them thrive. Read this article to find out more.
Kansas Department of Commerce – The Office of Minority and Women Business Development
The Office works to provide women-owned businesses with certifications and education services to enhance their growth and expansion. The goal is to promote business development by providing timely and accurate information on financing and budgeting, business management, contracting, and procurement. The Office also provides referrals to other resources, including training through seminars and workshops to strengthen women’s entrepreneurial skills. Want to get certified as a women-owned business in Kansas City? Learn more at https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/business-incentives-and-services/mw-development/dmw-certification/.
WE-Lend
WE-Lend program provides funding to women-owned startups and already existing businesses in Kansas City. In addition to funding support, the program offers technical support and coaching on financing and budgeting. How much assistance can the program provide? If you qualify for the WE-Lender, you can receive up to $25,000 depending on the level of your business need. visit http://kansaswbc.com/resources/funding/we_lend for more information.
EDC Loan Corporation
The EDCLC is a resource center that provides women-owned businesses with access to capital through loans to help them smoothly carry out their everyday business operations. The corporation’s primary goal is to ensure that they help women-owned businesses receive and manage funding to promote their success in the neighborhoods. For more details about EDC loan Corporation, please visit https://www.edckc.com/agencies/edc-loan-corporation-edcl/.
The National Association of Women Business Owners, Kansas City Chapter (NAWBO KC)
The NAWBO KC is concerned with supporting women entrepreneurs through educational programs and networking opportunities, designed to develop their skills and connect them with other business experts and resources to facilitate the growth of their businesses. The NAWBO KC also promotes women’s business professional development. Want to become a member? Please note that there are many benefits of participating in NAWBO KC, including professional growth and advocacy. Visit http://nawbokc.org/.
Women-Owned Business Certification in Kansas
If you are a women entrepreneur and you own a business in Kansas City, then you know the disadvantages you face every day in the workspace. How can you avoid facing such advantages? Well, have you thought of going for business certification? It is time. Women-owned business certification is an excellent way of removing the stress and operating smoothly to achieve your success. Certification also makes have access to government contracting opportunities and helps you win more business partners. Contracting and partnerships help you achieve rapid business growth and make your enterprise thrive in the highly competitive market. You should however note that women-owned business certification is not a simple process and is not a guarantee that all enterprises will get the benefits that come with it. Visit https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/women-owned-small-business-federal-contracting-program and get certified.
National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC)
The purpose of NWBOC is to promote unity among businesses owned by women in Kansas City and beyond. The goal is to help facilitate the development of these businesses through networking, funding, and other tools to help them grow and thrive. For more details, please visit https://startupsavant.com/national-women-business-owners-corporation-nwboc.
Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
WBENC provides support to women business owners by promoting diversity and helping female entrepreneurs get the certification. The organization also promotes professional growth among women and helps them achieve their goals. for more details, please visit https://startupsavant.com/womens-business-enterprise-national-council-wbenc.
SBA’s Women’s Business Center
Looking to launch your business idea in Kansas City? The SBA Women Business Center can be a great resource to help you achieve you grow your business dreams. The center is there to provide you with business advice and training services to help you make informed decisions about the future of your enterprise. Counseling can be offered in various languages to ensure that you understand all your business needs. You can access training on topics including, developing a viable business plan, management, financing and budgeting, accounting, bookkeeping, and marketing. you can always have access to these services free of charge. Visit http://www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc for more details.
SBA’s Loans and Government Contracts
The U.S. Small Business Administration continues to offer additional services for women entrepreneurs to thrive in the world of business. These services are designed for women with solid business ideas that they want to turn into a successful venture. For instance, the SBA’s Small Business Loan program provides funding to women-owned small and micro-enterprises to help them expand their businesses. How does the loan program work? if you are seeking financial support, you can always apply for a loan from a traditional bank, but the U.S. Small Business Administration will be your guarantor. If you fail to make a loan repayment, the SBA will repay the funds. Also, did you know the SBA oversees the women-owned small businesses federal grant program? This program provides contracts to women entrepreneurs who have been certified. You can visit https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/strategy/government-contracts/women-minority-owned to learn more about the program.
The Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE)
The purpose of this program is to support women-owned small businesses’ expansion through contracts. Read more at http://kcmo.gov/humanrelations/slbe-workshops/.
KCSourceLINK
The purpose of this resource is to connect women business owners and entrepreneurs with the support they need to make their enterprises thrive. Need help finding your business? Want to know what stages of financing to pursue your enterprise? Please visit https://www.kcsourcelink.com/guides/loans-grants-and-funding/funding-stage-definitions. Want to know if there are grants offered by the government to help you start your business? Visit https://www.kcsourcelink.com/guides/loans-grants-and-funding/the-truth-about-free-government-grants to find out if there are government-free grants to help your business succeed. There are also other types of loans that can help in financing your business activities. Visit https://www.kcsourcelink.com/guides/loans-grants-and-funding/types-of-loans-available to see the available loans you can apply for. Read more at https://www.kcsourcelink.com/guides/loans-grants-and-funding.