New Bedford Resources for your Small Business

By Sarah

Do you want to start your own business and have no idea how to get it off the ground? Or maybe you’re up and running and you’re ready to grow?

Here at Groundwork we’ve experienced our own startup and growth, and we’ve watched many of our members go through the same process. Over the years we’ve encountered a lot of great resources in our city to help small businesses. We’d like to share some of them here:

Have an idea? Try EforAll Southcoast.

Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) is a non-profit organization focused on accelerating economic and social impact in cities by fostering entrepreneurial growth. Some of their programs include pitch contests and workshops, a 12-week Business Accelerator, and support through mentors, their Alumni network and funding referrals. EforAll South Coast is has an office at Groundwork as well as at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Fall River.

Did you have a good experience starting a business in New Bedford? We’d love to keep adding to this list, so please give us your suggestions in the comments below.

Need Funding? Talk to SEED Corporation

Their main office is in Taunton, but SEED serves the SouthCoast and holds workshops in New Bedford. You can apply for a SBA loan through SEED, and they also run one-day workshops that cover the basics of starting a business.

Want to locate downtown? Talk to the New Bedford Economic Development Council

The folks at the NBEDC are our neighbors in the Quest Center. The Council is comprised of diverse local business leaders committed to growing the local economy. The staff at the EDC focuses on attracting new business investment to New Bedford. They have a great handle on available retail and industrial space in the area, so they’re a great place to get started if you are thinking of starting a business here. They also offer several loan programs.

For workshops & mentorship: Mass Small Business Development Center

The MSBDC is part of a national network of small business development offices. Their New Bedford office is currently located in the Quest Center and they have an additional office in Fall River. The MSBDC can provide you with free and confidential advice about your business. They also offer free legal clinics and a variety of training seminars and workshops.

Need a mentor? Check out SCORE

SCORE is a national non-profit dedicated to small business development. They don’t have an office in New Bedford, but they do have offices in Providence, RI, Cape Cod, and Brockton. SCORE offers workshops as well as a mentorship program, and you can apply for a local mentor on their website.

Need an office or a place to meet clients?

We’re right here. Visit us at Groundwork and learn about our shared workspace, private offices, and meeting rooms available for rental. We also host a full schedule of workshops and social events, so you can work, learn and meet people all in one place.

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Sarah

Co-founder at Groundwork!

Sarah lived all over South America, produced a documentary about Patagonia, and worked in digital marketing for a decade before settling in New Bedford to start Groundwork. She loves running a coworking space because she gets to meet motivated, intelligent, and interesting people.