Start a New Business in Vermont

Vermont Commission on Women (VCW) is an independent non-partisan state government commission working to advance rights and opportunities for women and girls in Vermont. VCW:

• acts as advisor and information source for legislative and executive branches and other policy makers on issues affecting women.

• serves as an educational resource by conducting research, producing publications, and coordinating events.

• brings together diverse groups that engage in partnerships to consider issues of interest to women and take action.

• provides information and referrals to the public on matters related to women and families.

The business and entrepreneurship program provides resources, information, support, and training on financing, networking, and general assistance for women and minority-owned businesses.

Vermont Commission on Women
126 State Street
2nd Floor
Montpelier, Vermont 05633
Phone: 802-828-2851 or 800-881-1561

Vermont Commission on Women website

The Vermont Small Business Administration is supported by its district office in Montpelier. They provide services including funding programs, counseling, federal contracting, certifications, and disaster recovery. They can also connect you to partner organizations, lenders, and other community groups that help small businesses succeed.

The Montpelier SBA office serves all 14 counties in Vermont.

87 State Street
Unit 205
Montpelier, Vermont 05601
Phone: 802-828-4422

Vermont Small business Administration SBA website

The Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE) is a non-profit economic empowerment organization whose mission is to strengthen communities and the economy by supporting women to launch and successfully sustain businesses.

The Vermont Women's Business Center operates in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration. They offer consultations, workshops and networking opportunities to help you reach your entrepreneurial goals.

431 Pine Street
Suite 101
Burlington, Vermont 05401
Phone: 802-391-4870

Center for Women and Enterprise CWE Vermont Women’s Business Center website

Mercy Connections builds a solid foundation for success with its inclusive entrepreneurship programs that provide education and access for people traditionally excluded from the business world. Whether you are pursuing a side project, self-employment, or a scalable small business, they are available to help.

Programs provide women+ with a supportive environment to discuss the realities of work and life, build business knowledge, and explore and create opportunities.

Start Up: This course helps women+ gain knowledge and build skills critical to having a successful business.

Small Business Launch Pad: This class is designed for those who are looking for community and support as they start their new business. Launch Pad is a supported, drop in, co-working space for folks actively working to start a new business.

Mercy Makerspace: Crafters and makers are supported in a co-working environment to develop and create products to sell at craft and art fairs.

Mercy Marketplace: This course is for artists and/or crafters who have dreamed of selling their work. In this 13-week vendor training course, participants will apply project management skills to explore how to sell products to the public.

...and much more.

255 South Champlain Street #8
Burlington, Vermont 05401
Phone: 802-846-7063

Mercy Connections website

The Vermont Small Business Development Center provides no-cost business advising and low-cost training, professional expertise, and friendly guidance to thousands of business owners statewide.

Whether you are an experienced business owner, a first-time entrepreneur, or a student with the spark of an idea, they can assist with:

• Start-up Education and Planning

• Financing Guidance

• Sales and Marketing Strategies

• Growth Strategies

• Financial Management

• Risk Management

• Operations Recommendations

• Innovation and Technology Commercialization

• Entrepreneur Education for Collegiate-age Students, High School Students and Faculty

One Main Street
Randolph Center, Vermont 05061
Phone: 802-728-9101

Vermont Small Business Development Center website

The greater Burlington chapter of eWomenNetwork is one chapter of many across the United States. If you are looking to launch, grow, and scale your business you have found the perfect resource.

Burlington, Vermont
Phone: 802-578-5086

eWomenNetwork website

SCORE Vermont, an all-volunteer organization, provides free mentoring to help start or grow your business. Serving the whole state of Vermont, branches are located in Burlington, Montpelier, St. Albans, Middlebury, and Rutland.

SCORE provides women entrepreneurs with a wealth of resources, templates, tools, and free expert mentoring to foster their business growth and development. The Women's Entrepreneur resource hub offers a comprehensive array of tailored materials and guidance to adeptly navigate through entrepreneurial challenges and opportunities.

Along with resources and tools created especially for women entrepreneurs, SCORE offers free and confidential business advice. SCORE mentors, many of them successful women small business owners, are ready to help you achieve your business goals.

60 Main Street
Suite 4
Burlington, Vermont 05401
Phone: 802-764-5899

SCORE Vermont website

Through a series of educational, technical assistance, and networking opportunities, WAgN works to increase the number of women owning and operating profitable farms and ag-related businesses, as well as their profile in leadership positions throughout the agricultural sectors of business, government and community.

From developing and assessing a business idea through the advanced planning and implementation phases, WAgN offers a program to support and encourage these varying levels.

The Women's Ag Network
327 US Route 302
Berlin, Vermont 05641
Phone: 802-476-2003

The Women’s Agricultural Network website

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps small businesses get the funding they need. Funding resources include:

• Loans: Start or expand your business with loans guaranteed by the SBA.

• Investment capital: Find an investor for your business. Investors make both debt and equity investments.

• Disaster assistance: Get help after a disaster with low-interest disaster loans.

• Surety bonds: Protect your work and your client with an SBA-guaranteed surety bond.

• Grants: Look for government grants that help businesses do scientific research and development.

United States Small Business Administration Funding website

ThinkVermont Innovation Grant Program responds to the growth needs of Vermont small businesses with 20 or fewer employees by funding innovative strategies that accelerate small business growth. It is designed to fund projects in areas that have been identified as crucial to the growth needs of Vermont’s small businesses. Grants:

• Provide workforce training and recruitment (not eligible for state or federal funding);

• Establish or enhance a facility (co-working, makerspace, innovations center, etc.);

• Enable or support broadband telecommunication access;

• Leverage federal funding (such as Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR] grants);

• Support growth in Aerospace, Aviation, or Aviation Technology; or

• Provide technical assistance to growing Vermont businesses.

One National Life Drive
Deane C. Davis Building
6th Floor
Montpelier, Vermont 05620
Phone: 802-272-2399

State of Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development ACCD ThinkVermont Innovation Grants website

Community Capital offers financing and other assistance to businesses in Vermont that do not yet meet all the requirements for traditional bank financing, allowing small-business owners and low-income entrepreneurs to start their businesses and flourish. The Vermont Job Start Loan Program helps develop self-employment opportunities for low and moderate-income Vermonters.

Flexible Business Financing: Community Capital offer varying loan rates and terms, seasonal payments, and post-loan support to people who lack credit or collateral to qualify for traditional bank loans.

Pre- and Post-Loan Support: Preparing for a loan, and then using the funds effectively is the foundation for long-term business success. From inquiry through repayment, Community Capital offers business advisory services technical assistance to ensure post-loan success.

105 North Main Street
Barre, Vermont 05641
Phone: 802-479-0167

Community Capital of Vermont website

Unique to the Grossman School of Business, UVM’s Family Business Institute is pioneering family business research and education at the heart of business as a force of good.

Founded in 1998, the Family Business Institute has grown from a locally focused membership organization to a worldwide leader at the vanguard of research and education on sustainability and innovation of enterprising families.

Today, the Family Business Institute supports flagship initiatives and a curriculum that bring together the brightest minds to explore how many of the world’s most iconic mission-driven family businesses and their leaders operate their enterprises sustainably.

Grossman School of Business
55 Colchester Avenue
100 Kalkin Hall
Burlington, Vermont 05405
Phone: 802-656-4015

University of Vermont Grossman School of Business website

Champlain College's Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship offers a unique opportunity for student entrepreneurs to gain assistance building your business. It could be a business you've already started, or the business idea you're thinking about starting.

The center can help you connect with a network of entrepreneurs, lawyers, accountants, and technical experts who have been where you are and can give you perspective on how to build your business, market your product, and expand your dream. You'll receive valuable insight into the strategic, financial, legal, technical, operational, and managerial matters you'll need to know.

251 South Willard Street
Burlington, Vermont 05401
Phone: 802-860-2700

Champlain College Stiller School of Business website

The Enterprise and Business Program at Middlebury College offers interdisciplinary courses in enterprise, business, social entrepreneurship, management, and finance—all taught by successful professors and executives who have real-world experience and a desire to convey their knowledge to students.

Courses are designed for students interested in working toward leadership roles in for-profit, nonprofit, government, and for-benefit enterprises. They complement Middlebury’s liberal arts offerings by showing students how the skills learned in the liberal arts translate to skills used in business and enterprise.

14 Old Chapel Road
Middlebury, Vermont 05753
Phone: 802-443-5000

Middlebury College Enterprise and Business Program website

Vermont's only statewide business publication since 1972.

365 Dorset Street
South Burlington, Vermont 05403
Phone: 802-863-8038

Vermont Business Magazine VermontBiz website