What To Know About Free Services, Programs For New Haven Entrepreneurs

NEW HAVEN, CT —For entrepreneurs looking to start or scale their small business, the city has myriad resources throughout their entrepreneurial journey from initial consideration to opening and start-up to growth and expansion.

This week, Mayor Justin Elicker, city and local leaders gathered for a news briefing to celebrate National Small Business Week and to highlight those resources.

New Haven has approximately active 700 small businesses, according to the Mayor's office.

The event was also an opportunity to "encourage residents to shop small and shop local."

With a focus on inclusive growth, the City and local partners provide a variety of services. These include:

• The City’s Small Business Resource Center (SBRC), which provides small business counseling, technical assistance, access to capital, and networking opportunities. It also offers “DNA of an Entrepreneur,” a free program that covers all aspects of starting and growing a business—from business planning to marketing to accessing low-interest loans.

• The New Haven Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (NHE3), which provides grants to small business owners, with a particular focus on historically marginalized Black, Brown, and female entrepreneurs. A partnership between the city, the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, and the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, NHE3 has supported nearly 400 small businesses since its inception. In addition, the City’s Leasehold Improvement Program offers funding opportunities for interior enhancements for small businesses.

• Grow New Haven is a free online portal that provides aspiring and current entrepreneurs who grow, cook, make, or sell food with guidance on planning, launching, and growing their food businesses. Launched by the City of New Haven’s Food System Policy Division, in collaboration with Food & Society at the Aspen Institute, Grow New Haven provides guidance on business planning, obtaining permits and licenses, securing funding, sustainable growth, and more. It aims to expand food enterprises and equip all residents with clear, easy-to-navigate, culturally responsive information they need to succeed.

• The City also offers a “Permitting Roundtable” where individuals and businesses can make appointments to meet with representatives from various permitting city departments -- including building, zoning, and health -- to have their permit-related questions answered.

Watch the full event here: