Small Business Resources
This page contains links or other information about different websites, programs, or information that does not necessarily fit into any one industrial category or rule, but it can be useful to the small business.
Tennessee Materials Marketplace
Manufacturing facilities often may have excess materials that while no longer usable by the facility, still have value. Rather than landfilling excess materials, consider the Tennessee Materials Marketplace. The Tennessee Materials Marketplace (TMM) is an initiative produced through the collaboration of Division of Solid Waste Management-Recovered Materials, the Office of Policy and Sustainable Practices, and the United States Business Council for Sustainable Practices. The TMM is an online interactive platform providing a marketplace for the trading, donation, and/or sale of discarded materials by one entity to another. Learn more about the TMM through their brochure.
National Small Business Environmental Assistance Programs
Nearly all states have a Small Business Environmental Assistance Program. Together they are part of a coalition to share information and knowledge. The National Small Business Environmental Assistance Programs website connects to the different state SBEAPs as well as their Compliance Advisory Panels. In addition several states have included materials on different rules or industry sectors that can prove useful to different small businesses.
Sustainability Resources for Industry
The Sustainability Resources for Industry web page from the TDEC Office of Policy and Sustainable Practices has several resources that can assist with sustainability at industry and manufacturing facilities.
Non-environmental Small Business Resources
As small businesses may need assistance in many areas outside of the environmental field, the SBEAP wanted to provide some links to help small businesses find those resources that are outside the environmental area that the SBEAP assists with.
TN Smart Start: This is an interactive website from the Dept. of Economic and Community Development (ECD) Business Enterprise Resource Office (BERO). It helps one design a business or find resources for their business from the very start of an idea to opening the doors.
TOSHA Consultative Services: Similar to the SBEAP, this is a program within the TN Occupational Safety and Health Administration that provides free on-site reviews of safety and health within a workplace.
TN Small Business Advocate: A program located within the TN Comptroller of the Treasury, they can provide mediatory assistance between small businesses and state government as well as providing a host of resources to assist small businesses.
TN District Office of the Small Business Administration: The TN office for the Federal Small Business Administration. This is one of the primary resources for small businesses looking for financial assistance or education on running a small business. The amount of resources they can provide is extensive, whether it be loans/grants, guides, learning, or local assistance.
Small Business Development Centers: One of the resources connected with the SBA is the Small Business Development Center. These centers provide local level assistance to small businesses on a multitude of topics. This link takes you to the locator map for the Small Business Development Center, as well as other resource centers through the drop down list. Just enter your zip code to find who near you can assist.