Resource Library

All Resources Resource Links

Resource Links

Helpful Links and Tools

Resources By Topic:

General | News/Media | Inventions/IP | Trademarks/Copyrights | Import/Export | Financing | Business Planning | Government | Market Research | Non-Profit | Legal/Taxes | Human Resources/Payroll | California Businesses | Documents/Forms | Other

General Resources

Checklist for Starting a Business in California – Tips and tricks for starting a business in California.

Business.USA.Gov – Official business tools and resources of the U.S. Government.

SBDCNet – Business information, help, and examples.

SBA Office of Advocacy – An independent voice for small business within the federal government, the watchdog for the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) and the source of small business statistics. 

SBA’s Women’s Business Center – Find the Women’s Business Center, designed to assist women in starting and growing small businesses, nearest you.

Disaster Preparedness Plan – Statistics show that if a small business cannot resume operations within 10 days of a natural disaster, it will most likely close its doors permanently. The information provided in this document will help you make sure you are well prepared for whatever comes your way. 

News/Media Resources

The 100 Most Underrated Small Business Blogs​ –  A list of 100 underrated small business blogs that compile original, unique, and invaluable content on a regular basis, despite being lesser known.

The Wall Street Journal – Start-up information and databases of businesses for sale and venture capital. Wealth in the form of money or assets, taken as a sign of the financial strength of an individual, organization, or nation, and assumed to be available for development or investment.

Inc.com – The online magazine for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

​Entrepreneur.com – Magazine with start-up ideas, resources, and articles.

Entrepreneurship.org – Innovative educational tools and informative resources covering the latest issues and insights affecting entrepreneurs.

About Business – A comprehensive site with articles written by experts in their field including business practices, general business, industry-specific information, and small business.

Inventions and Intellectual Property, Trademarks/Copyrights Resources

PATENT, TRADEMARK & COPYRIGHT DEFINITIONS

  • A PATENT is a PROPERTY RIGHT granted to the inventor of an invention.
  • A TRADEMARK is a WORD, NAME, SYMBOL, or DEVICE, or any combination thereof, adopted and used by a person to identify goods made or sold by him/her to distinguish them from goods made or sold by others. A SERVICEMARK is the SAME AS A TRADEMARK except that it identifies and distinguishes the source of a service rather than a product.
  • A COPYRIGHT is a form of PROTECTION provided to the authors of “original works of authorship” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works, both published and unpublished. The copyright protects the form of expression rather than the subject matter of the writing. Copyrights are registered by the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress.

The Brooks Walker Patent and Trademark Center
The BROOKS WALKER PATENT and TRADEMARK CENTER operates as a self-service program. Resources for conducting a patent or trademark search include: Patents from 1790 to the present, computer searching of patents and trademarks, indexes to historical patents and trademarks, official Gazette of the Patent and Trademark Office from 1872 to present, annual report of the Commissioner of Patents from 1790 to 1872, and all current PTO forms, publications, and regulations. – sanfranciscoptdl.wikidot.com/the-brooks-walker-patent-and-trademark-center

Patent and Trademark Center
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA  94102
PHONE: (415) 557-4400 – sfpl.org

The State of California Secretary of State’s Office
The SECRETARY of STATE’S OFFICE maintains registration and updates of CALIFORNIA TRADEMARKS and SERVICE MARKS. The Trademark Unit also registers other filings such as container brands, laundry marks and the names of farms, ranches, estates or villas.

     Trademarks/Service Marks
     1500 11th Street, Suite 345, Sacramento, CA 95814
     PHONE: (916) 653-4984 – sos.ca.gov/business/ts/

The US Patent & Trademark Office
The U.S. PATENT and TRADEMARK OFFICE is an excellent resource for official patent and trademark information.

     General Information Services Division
     U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
     Crystal Plaza 3, Room 2C02, Washington, DC 20231
     PHONE: (800) 786-9199 – uspto.gov

Library of Congress Copyright Office
COPYRIGHTS are registered by the COPYRIGHT OFFICE of the LIBRARY of CONGRESS.

     Copyright Office
     101 Independence Avenue, SE, Washington DC, 20559
     PHONE: (202) 707-3000 – copyright.gov

Inventing 101 – Free Online Course By Stephen Paul Gnass

How to protect your invention while pitching it. – From protecting your inventions, ideas, and product names to the public domain and fair use rules, you can find everything about intellectual property in articles and information here.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office– Information, research and registration of U.S. patents.

California Secretary of State – The Secretary of State’s office maintains registration and all updates of California state trademarks and service marks.

U.S. Copyright Office – Research and register a copyright.

Import/Export Resources

Six Steps to Begin Exporting – A fact sheet from the SBA Office of International Trade that explains how to begin exporting.

SBA Exporting – SBA provides counseling, training and financing to small businesses looking to increase sales and profit by taking their businesses global. 

Office of International Trade – Many exported and imported products are regulated by federal agencies. If you export or import the following types of products, you may be required to obtain specific licenses and permits or complete additional paperwork.

Export.gov – The primary federal government exporting site to better serve beginning exporters.

Centers for International Trade Development (CITDs) – CITDs are the state’s top source of trade assistance. CITDs offer a variety of free or low-cost programs & services to assist local companies in doing business abroad. These include one-on-one technical assistance and consulting, market research, training and educational programs, trade leads and special events.

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Codes – If you know the SIC code for your business or industry, you can research employment, productivity, import/export, etc., for that industry. SIC codes were established in the 1930s primarily to help measure and compare statistical information.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) – A more detailed classification system that covers the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, NAICS codes allow for closer comparisons than SIC codes. Almost all business research is easier if you know your SIC and NAICS codes (some agencies and publications, including the SEC, still use SIC).

Tradeport – Comprehensive international trade information, trade leads, and company databases. Guides you through the export process.

Financing Resources

Your First Steps Towards Financing – Everything you need to know about getting business loans, courtesy of the Norcal SBDC Lead Center. 

Business Loan Application Checklist – Use this checklist to make sure you have the typical items required for any small business loan application.

Grants.gov – A good site to use when searching for Federal grants funding.

SBA Loan Programs – SBA offers a variety of loan programs for very specific purposes. Take some time to study the programs described on this site to see if you qualify to participate.​

8(a) Business Development Program Suitability Tool – Respond to a series of questions to determine ig the 8(a) program is for you. 

SAFE-BIDCO – State-owned, non-bank financial assistance. Access to federal and state loan programs for small businesses.

BusinessFinance.com – Economic development organizations or corporations have various financing programs.This is a list of economic development organizations in CA.

National Venture Capital Association Member Directory – The NVCA serves as the definitive resource for venture capital data and unites its member firms through a full range of professional services.

California Economic Development Centers – A branch of BusinessFinance.com that allows users to enter details about the financing needed and then returns a list of potential sources.

Small Business Loans – A branch of BusinessFinance.com that allows you to find small business lending resources in the U.S.

SBIR/STTR Funding – Can be used to pay for research and development for innovative companies.

Trends in Venture Capital Funding in the 1990s – A report about who supplies venture capital, who receives it, and how is it changing the U.S. economy, written by Nicole R. Onorato, former intern in the SBA’s Office of Advocacy. 

Business Planning Resources

Start and Manage Your Business – SBA’s website has resources for helping you, including templates for planning a business and advice blogs.

Bplans.com and Center for Business Planning – Sites that have sample plans and writing tips.

CalGOLD – Offers direct internet links and contact information to state, local, regional, and federal permitting authorities for more information. Assists you in finding appropriate permit information for your business.

Business Dictionary.com – It can be hard to understand the associated terms and concepts. With over 20,000 definitions, search this site for a specific term, or choose a general category and read a definition for any word.

SCORE – The Service Corp of Retired Executives offers informational sites along with online expertise in starting and owning a business.

Loans – Finding a loan can be difficult. This Excel workbook gives you options on different locations where you could get a loan that fits best with your business. 

Government Resources

Business Matchmaking – The naton’s premier public-private initiative supporting procurement opportunities for small business in every industry.

Procurement Opportunities for your Small Business – If you have been considering contracting your services to the procurement marketplace, this webinar, hosted by the Northern California SBDC, tells you all you need to know about resources and leads for business matchmaking with federal, state, and local government agencies, how to prepare for a business matchmaking conference, how to get paid, ect.

Practical Guide to Doing Business with the Federal Government – Includes a directory of federal procurement offices in California.

Useful Government Contracting Websites – SBA’s list of small business issues and information via the Internet.

California Department of General Services – Central location for businesses wanting to do business with the State of California. Information about minority certification, etc.

How to Do Business With California State Government – Brochure from the California Department of General Services explaining the four-step process.  

Finding Government Customers – Contracting opportunities listed by the SBA.

Minority Business Development Agency – Web portal dedicated to helping small businesses benefit from minority certifications.

Federal Business Opportunities – The single government point-of-entry (GPE) for Federal government procurement opportunities over $25,000. Government buyers are able to publicize their business opportunities by posting information directly to FedBizOpps via the Internet and commercial vendors seeking Federal markets for their products and services can search, monitor, and retrieve opportunities solicited by the entire Federal contracting community.

Government Agencies

Local Agencies

State of California

Federal Government

PRIVATE COMPANIES

Chambers of Commerce

Local Chambers of Commerce function as a TRADE ASSOCIATION for member businesses and professionals. Included in their services, to members, are business education, promotion, legislative advocacy, referrals, networking opportunities and community events. In addition, Chambers serve as the primary source for community information. This information is subject to change.

BENICIA Chamber of Commerce
601 1st Street, Suite 100, Benicia, CA 94510
PHONE: (707) 745-2120
beniciachamber.com

BLACK Chamber of Commerce of Solano County
836B Southhampton Road, Suite 351, Benicia, CA 94510
PHONE: (707) 421-5721
solanoblackchamber.org

DIXON Chamber of Commerce
220 N. Jefferson Street, Dixon, CA 95620
PHONE: (707) 678-2650
dixonchamber.org

FAIRFIELD-SUISUN Chamber of Commerce
1111 Webster Street, Fairfield, CA 94533
PHONE: (707) 425-4625
ffsc-chamber.com

FILIPINO-AMERICAN Chamber of Commerce of Solano County
PHONE: (707) 745-8473
solanofilamchamber.com

RIO VISTA Chamber of Commerce
6 N. Front St., Rio Vista, CA 94571
PHONE: (707) 374-2700
riovista.org

SOLANO HISPANIC Chamber of Commerce
PHONE: (707) 643-5037
solanohispanicchamber.com

VACAVILLE Chamber of Commerce
300 Main Street, Vacaville, CA 95688
PHONE: (707) 448-6424
vacavillechamber.com

VALLEJO Chamber of Commerce
427 York Street, Vallejo, CA 94590
PHONE: (707) 644-5551
vallejochamber.com

Licenses & Permits

LOCAL BUSINESS LICENSE

In order to OPERATE A BUSINESS within any city located in Solano County, whether it is from a store, factory, office or your home, you must have a VALID BUSINESS LICENSE. The type of license depends on the NATURE OF YOUR BUSINESS and is renewed every six months or annually. Contact the City Clerk’s office if your business is located within city limits and the County Clerk for unincorporated areas.

City of Benicia
PHONE: (707) 746-4225 – https://benicia.hdlgov.com/

City of Dixon
PHONE: (707) 678-7000 – http://www.ci.dixon.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=158

City of Fairfield
PHONE: (707) 428-7509 – http://www.fairfield.ca.gov/gov/depts/cd/business_licenses.asp

City of Rio Vista
PHONE: (707) 374-6451 – http://riovistacity.com/new-business-information/

City of Suisun City
PHONE: (707) 421-7328 – https://www.suisun.com/departments/administrative-services/business-licenses/

City of Vacaville
PHONE: (707) 449-5129 – http://www.ci.vacaville.ca.us/business/business-licenses

City of Vallejo
PHONE: (707) 648-4310 – http://www.ci.vallejo.ca.us/cms/one.aspx?pageId=22460

For unincorporated areas:
Solano County Tax Collectors Office
PHONE: (707) 784-7485 – https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rm/business_licenses.asp

STATE BUSINESS LICENSE

Some occupations such as ACCOUNTANTS, COSMETICIANS, CONSTRUCTION or SPECIALTY CONTRACTORS, ELDERLY CARE FACILITIES, OPTOMETRISTS, REAL ESTATE AGENTS, or PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION companies, etc. may require state licensing through a State of California governmental agency. Find out what licensing board governs your profession by calling the State of California Department of Consumer Affairs at (800) 952-5210 or visiting dca.ca.gov.

Ficticious Business Name

File a FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME only if the business name you have chosen is different from your own LEGAL NAME. For example, if your legal name is John Jones and you have chosen a name that includes your last name (“John Jones House Repair” or “Jones House Repair”), then you do not need to file.

In general, if a business name does not have the LAST NAME of all OWNERS, differs from the incorporation documents, or implies greater ownership, a fictitious name is involved. Adding words such as “and company,” “son/daughter,” or “associates” implies IMPLIES MORE THAN ONE OWNER and is treated like an assumed name. (You should first look up your proposed business name — in as many places as possible — to be sure NO OTHER BUSINESS is using that name. Use of a business name legally owned by another company may be an infringement of the other business owner’s rights. Some examples of places to research would be your local phone directory, chamber of commerce, county clerk, the Internet, State of California Secretary of State Trademark Division, and/or the federal Patent and Trade Mark Office.)

Your fictitious business name statement must be PUBLISHED IN A NEWSPAPER of general circulation in the county where the principal place of business is located. The statement must be published once a week for four successive weeks and an affidavit of publication filed with the County Clerk within 30 days of publication. The forms are available from the COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE.

County Clerk – Solano County
675 Texas Street, Suite 1900, Fairfield, CA 94533
(707) 784-7510
https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/ttcc/county_clerk/fbn/default.asp

Market Research

MARKET RESEARCH & PLANNING

MARKETING plays a crucial role in the SUCCESS of any business. To develop an effective marketing plan, it may be helpful to research and gather various facts on your target customers, competition and industry.

  • Consult US Census Data
    Federal Census Bureau statistics are extremely useful for viewing regional demographic information. In addition, State of California and your local Chamber of Commerce or Economic Development Department has details on population trends, payroll statistics, etc. Use this information in determining the size of your market.census.gov and labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov
  • Connect With Other Business Owners
    The internet contains numerous industry-specific newsgroups, chat rooms, and forums comprised of business owners who share their experiences and are ready to answer your questions. Discussion groups often center on specific business topics such as start-up costs, pricing strategies, sales figures, and marketing methods. Use the below search engines to conduct a key word search for your industry, service and/or product.google.com / dotdash.com / dogpile.com
  • Contact Trade & Professional Organizations
    Trade and Professional Associations exist for every type of business. Trade groups conduct research on trends, customer profiles, marketing methods, pricing strategies and the economy. They also publish member directories useful for tracking down your competition. Trade publications often run articles on recent research reports and publish their own proprietary market data. Many are now featuring e-zines (online magazines) that contain informational articles for your use.Business & Professional Associations – local.com
    Business Topics – businesstown.com
  • Read Newspaper, Magazines, Trade Publications
    Periodicals are an excellent source for industry statistics and competitor information. Business publications such as the Wall Street Journal can give you information on business trends and economic issues that may impact your business. Local newspapers and business journals can provide you with information on your local scene. – findarticles.com

Non-Profit Resources

RESOURCE AGENCIES FOR NON-PROFITS

Solano Community Foundation
744 Empire Street, Suite 240, Fairfield, CA 94533
PHONE: (707) 339-3846
solanocf.org

The Impact Foundry  
2031 K Street, 2nd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95811
PHONE: (916) 569-8555
www.impactfoundry.org

CompassPoint Nonprofit Services
500 12th Street, Suite 320, Oakland, CA 94607
PHONE: (510) 318-3755
compasspoint.org

The Foundation Center – Resource for Searching Grants
312 Sutter Street, Suite 606, San Francisco, CA 94108
PHONE: (415) 397-0902
foundationcenter.org/ask-us/san-francisco

Forming a corporation in California – An outline of the steps you need to follow in order to form a corporation (specifically, a “C corporation”) in California.

FindLaw’s Small Business Law – legal information, guides, sample forms, and other legal resources.

What New Business Owners Need to Know About Federal Taxes – IRS links to basic federal tax information for people who are starting a business, as well as information to assist in making basic business decisions.

California Tax Service Center – Forms and services you need as a California taxpayer.

Nolo – Nolo is the nation’s leading provider of do-it-yourself legal solutions for consumers and small businesses.

Human Resources and Payroll

Hire an Employee in California Checklist – North Coast SBDC’s comprehensive list is applicable to businesses located throughout Northern California.

California Business Resources

California Chamber of Commerce – The California Chamber of Commerce is the largest, broad-based business advocate working at the state and federal levels to influence government actions affecting all California business. This site links to local chambers of commerce.

California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program – Ten initiatives provide a variety of solutions for business development and workforce training needs to strengthen on-the-job performance and business competitiveness.

California Department of Consumer Affairs — Licensing and Permit Information – Information on types of state licenses required and how to obtain them. DCA licenses in more than 100 business and 200 professional categories, including doctors, dentists, contractors, cosmetologists and automotive repair facilities. It includes 40 regulatory entities that establish minimum qualifications and levels of competency for licensure. They also license, register, or certify practitioners, investigate complaints and discipline violators.

California Department of Finance – This web site provides economic forecasts, county profiles and economic indicators for the state’s fiscal matters.

California Electronic Job Listing Service – This California state service is an Internet system for linking employer job lists and job seeker resumes.

California Employer Advisory Council – The CEAC and local Employer Advisory Councils (EAC) are recognized and accepted by employers and government as the premier information resources for the employer perspective on employment and other workforce development issues.

California Employment Development Department – A direct link to job placement and referrals, unemployment insurance, disability insurance, employment and training, labor market information, employment taxes and more.

California Employment Training Panel – ETP is a California State agency that funds training that meets the needs of employers for skilled workers and the need of workers for good, long-term jobs.

California Healthcare Foundation – Everything small business owners and their advisors need to know about offering health insurance. An unbiased resource on cost estimates, tax savings, coverage options, legal rights, and more.

California Labor Market Information –  Information by geographical area, subject or industry including occupational and career information, employment by industry, wages, and industrial classifications.

Sonoma County Economic Development Board Resources – The Sonoma County Economic Development Board (EDB) provides information and referral services to help local businesses to start up, succeed, and grow. Site includes a Business Assistance Guide, Resource Guide, International Resource Guide, Doing Business with the County, Expanding/Relocating in Sonoma County.

Documents/Forms

Financial Templates – This Excel workbook has a 12 month P&L statement, creates a breakeven analysis, a cash flow projection, and a balance sheet from the data you enter into the P&L. It is based on the handouts from our Financial Pre-Venture Workshop.

Living Wage Estimate – This is an excel spreadsheet where you can enter your personal expenses and the spreadsheet will estimate how much you need to make each month to cover your financial oblibations. It can also calculate how much cash flow per hour you need to cover your draw and taxes.

State Small Business Guide – This publication identifies the key sites for small businesses interested in doing business with the state and finding financial resources offered by the state government.

Contracting with the California State University System – Information needed to contract with California State University system.

Business Plan Template – This word document is to help you structure how you want your business to take its correct path to success and organize important key ideas. 

Marketing Outline Plan – Outline will help you understand your customers, create strategies, and anticipate changes. 

SBDC Financial Template – This Excel workbook is a template to help organize thoughts, assumptions, cash flow, and balance sheets.

Lean Canvas Instructions – Perfect tool to assist brainstorming future business models, prioritizing actions, and outlining business concepts. 

Lean Canvas – Document different types of fields your business will face and get an understanding of the different types of challenges or advantages.

 Other Business Resources

Knowthis.com – A meta-site with links to marketing-related topics.

FaxZero – Send faxes for free to anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.

FreeConference – Free conference calls and free online meetings with HD audio, video, and screen share.

​iReuse – Recycling service for businesses to be notified about local, used furniture and supplies for their offices. Great for new or expanding small business, and sometimes free for non-profits. 

Costs of Merchant Processing – An overview of the cost drivers for merchant processing; describes how merchant processors categorize merchants and defines the most common types of fees assessed by merchant processors.

Moving Your Business Online – The Internet can seem like a daunting place when considering moving your business online. This checklist will help you enter the online business world and give you access to customers you may have never been able to target.

EMV Chip Informational Webinar – Learn all about EMV chip technology: what chip technology is, how it works, what the impacts are to merchants who accept payment cards at their businesses, and what these businesses need to do to be prepared.

Strategies for an Economic Downturn – Be proactive in any cash crisis with our no-nonsense checklist to maximize profit and market share anytime, especially when times are tough.

Shopify’s Free Business Resources – Shopify offers free business tools to help you run your business. Currently there are 21 tools to assist small business with creating templates for bills of lading, shipping labels, purchase orders to calculators for business loans, profit margins and advertising campaigns.

U.S. Census Information – Very useful census data available for market research.

U.S. Department of Labor – The Department of Labor provides compliance assistance to small business through “elaws”, an interactive exchange that allows small business owners to ask questions about labor laws.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – The EPA offers small business advice on how to keep the environment clean and how to comply with environmental regulations.

U.S. Federal Trade Commission – The U.S. Federal Trade Commission enforces federal consumer protection laws that prevent fraud, deception and unfair business practices. The FTC offers creative, practical, plain-language business education publications that are a cost-effective and business-friendly way to obtain compliance with the law.

U.S. Small Business Administration – Valuable information on federal programs for small businesses as well as loan program details. A complete listing of SBDC’s throughout the country.