National Entrepreneurship Organizations and Resources

Edward Lowe Foundation
The Edward Lowe Foundation champions the entrepreneurial spirit by providing assistance to not-for-profit organizations that work with second-stage business owners. They encourage business owners to get involved with entrepreneurial peer networking organizations and to think about their businesses in new and creative ways.
http://www.lowe.org/index.elf

SCORE, Counselors to America's Small Business
SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to the formation, growth and success of small businesses. SCORE offers entrepreneurs free and confidential small business advice, workshops and business tools.
www.score.org

Small Business Administration (SBA)
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the only independent agency of the federal government with the sole purpose of assisting small businesses to start, grow, and prosper. SBA offers free counseling and technical assistance, pre-business and business planning workshops, and information on starting and managing a small business. Furthermore, it assists hundreds of small businesses each year by providing financial assistance through the 7(a) guarantee and 504 loan programs.
www.sba.gov

The American Small Business Coalition (The ASBC)
The American Small Business Coalition (The ASBC) is a National Organization with members in 27 states and 4 countries. The ASBC provides access to information and relationships for small companies doing business with the United States government and government prime contractors.
http://www.theasbc.org/

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation works with partners to encourage entrepreneurship across America and improve the education of children and youth as well as assist entrepreneurs.
http://www.kauffman.org/

The Lemelson Foundation
The Lemelson Foundation celebrates and supports inventors and entrepreneurs in order to strengthen social and economic life. It uses its resources to recognize and celebrate accomplished inventors, to mentor young people and support their scientific curiosity and innovative spirit, and to research and disseminate information and technologies that enhance lives and elucidate the societal value of invention.
http://www.lemelson.org/home/index.php

The MIT Enterprise Forum
The MIT Enterprise Forum, Inc. builds connections to technology entrepreneurs and to the communities in which they reside. The Enterprise Forum produces a series of educational programs about entrepreneurship through a network of 24 worldwide chapters. Anyone interested in or involved with technology entrepreneurship is welcome to participate and join together to form the Enterprise Forum community.
http://enterpriseforum.mit.edu/

The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) propels women entrepreneurs into economic, social, and political spheres of power worldwide and represents the interests of all women entrepreneurs across all industries.
http://nawbo.org/section_2.cfm

The National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship
The National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship is an initiative of the Public Forum Institute made possible by funding from the Kauffman Foundation. Their Web site provides a list of resources, articles and papers based on entrepreneurship. NDE is a resource for anyone interested in entrepreneurship and public policy.
http://www.publicforuminstitute.org/nde/index.htm

Regional Entrepreneurship Organizations and Resources

Angel Capital Education Foundation (ACEF)
The Angel Capital Education Foundation (ACEF) focuses on education and research in the field of angel investing. They offer information, education, data, and research analysis to investors, entrepreneurs, policy makers, state and local entrepreneurial support professionals, university faculty and students, and others interested in learning more about angel investing.
http://www.angelcapitaleducation.org/

Business Finance Center
The Business Finance Center is a Community Business Partnership program that assists existing and potential small business owners with understanding and managing the financial aspects of their business and provides funding to small businesses.
http://cbponline.org/index.php?pr=Business_Finance_Cntr

CIT Entrepreneur
CIT Entrepreneur invests and leverages available funds for early-stage technology companies with a high potential for technology commercialization, rapid growth and downstream private equity financing. CIT Entrepreneur offers four distinct programs: Gap Fund, Federal Funding Assistance Program and Entrepreneurial Education Program and the Virginia South Technology Acceleration Pilot Program.
http://www.cit.org/programs/entrepreneur.html

Greater Washington Board of Trade
The Greater Washington Board of Trade is the largest regional network of business and nonprofit leaders and the only group representing all industry sectors. Three Small Business Network programs help up-and-coming small firms learn from well-established Board of Trade member companies: the Workshops that Work professional development series, the Small Business Academy training program for small business owners, and the Contracting Connections series lead by regional government contractors.
www.bot.org

Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO)
Maryland Technology Development Corporation has developed nationally recognized programs that facilitate the technology development, transfer, and commercialization process. TEDCO's programs include funding opportunities, business assistance, federal lab opportunities and business incubation.
http://www.marylandtedco.org/index.cfm

Mason Enterprise Center
The Mason Enterprise Center, administered by the School of Public Policy, is a university-based economic development enterprise that focuses the energy, skills and intellectual capital of George Mason University on enterprise creation and expansion. Specializing in the areas of small business services, government contracting, international business, entrepreneurship, technology ventures, and telework initiatives, the Center offers a unique combination of programs, services, and resources. http://www.masonenterprisecenter.org/

MAVA (Mid Atlantic Venture Association)
MAVA, founded in 1986, is an organization of business leaders from the venture capital industry and entrepreneurial business community. MAVA facilitates the flow of capital by creating opportunities for membership interaction through numerous events. MAVA hosts Capital Connection®, the annual venture fair, which highlights premier companies for private equity investment opportunities.
www.mava.org

MIT Enterprise Forum of Washington - Baltimore
The MIT Enterprise Forum is a non-profit, volunteer organization that provides quality events that are open to the public. Its many programs are targeted to local start-ups, high technology businesses, venture capitalists, angels, and the professionals who support them. The local chapter is one of a network of 24 worldwide chapters of the Enterprise Forum, which was created as an outreach educational program of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
http://www.mitef.org/

The Business Alliance of George Mason University
The Business Alliance of George Mason University provides a forum in which business leaders, faculty and students can collaborate, network, and exchange ideas-preparing present and future leaders to overcome the marketplace's challenges. Few of their most popular programs include, Grubstake Breakfast, SmartTalk Speaker Series and Bootcamp for growing companies and entrepreneurs.
http://www.businessalliance.org/test/index.html

The Community Business Partnership
The Community Business Partnership is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. It was formed in response to an identified need for small business technical assistance and financing services, particularly to low-moderate income and disadvantaged individuals, including minorities, women and the disabled. While providing high quality training and counseling to all small businesses, the Partnership seeks to provide a financing alternative to benefit those unable to attract a commercial loan or other traditional source of funds. Community Business Partnership has grown to five distinct programs:
Women's Business Center of Northern Virginia, South Fairfax Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Business Finance Center, Financial Education Center for Women Entrepreneurs and Business Incubation Center.
http://www.cbponline.org/

The Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship
Founded in 1986, the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship is a top-tier entrepreneurial institute recognized around the world as a leader in enterprise creation. Forward looking and community focused, the Center actively encourages a real-world business culture that innovatively bridges the theoretical with the practical. The Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship provides workshops and training programs, as well as advisory services and financial support to the entrepreneurial community.
http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/dingman/

TiE-DC
TiE stands for "The Innovative Ecosystem" and is a not-for-profit global network of entrepreneurs and professionals. TiE -DC is dedicated to supporting the community of entrepreneurs in the Mid-Atlantic region through networking, mentoring, and education. TiE DC regularly host events that are open to entrepreneurs across the region, as well as exclusive events that are by invitation only.
www.tiedc.org