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This site last updated March 14, 2007

Table of Contents

Business Planning Resources

1. Business Plan outline for a: Startup or for an Established Business
2. E-Commerce: Checklist & Business Plan --- Web Tools & Resources
3. SBA: Small Business Administration Business Startup Guide -- Market Research
4. SCORE: Service Corps of Retired Executives Business Counseling -- Find nearest SCORE Office
5. NBDC: Nebraska Business Development Center Business Startup Guide -- Nebraska offices
6. Business Succession Planning - Owner's Guide - Creighton School of Law, Federal Reserve Bank of KC, NBDC-Wayne
7. Bizfind - Where business owners, buyers, sellers, entrepreneurs and communities find each other
8. EDGE, REAP, NBDC, etc.: Nebraska - Entrepreneurial Training Programs
9. 'eVenturing' - Kauffman Foundation resources for entrepreneurs
10. Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education - elementary thru college as well as community-based
11. 'Working Knowledge' - Entrepreneurship by Harvard Business School
12. SOHO Business Owners' Toolkit by CCH Incorporated
13. Consumers Guide to Small Business Insurance
14. Model Business Forms - from Entrepreneur.com
15. Nebraska Rural Initiative - resources from the 4-campus University of Nebraska system focus on rural Nebraska

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Nebraska Business Guides/Directories

1. Licensed Occupations in Nebraska (& other states)
2. NBDC Business Startup Guide
3. Nebraska Manufacturing & Food Processor web links
4. Directory of Historically Underutilized Businesses in Nebraska - (requires Adobe Reader)
5. NMPF - Nebraska MicroEnterprise Partnership Fund - NMPF Directory
6. Grow Nebraska - promoting Nebraska arts and crafts entrepreneurs
7. Nebraska State Government: Home Page ]  [ State Agencies
8. Nationwide links to State Departments of: Revenue, Labor, Secretaries of States, etc. etc.
9. Business Directory links - compiled by Nebraska Library Commission

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     Laws & Regulations: - Nebraska Business Laws & Regulations:

1. Nebraska Statutes on Selected Business Topics, by Department, Subject
2. Licensed Occupations - by state, occupation, agency
3. Search Licensees & Registered Businesses - Various Nebraska State Agencies
4. Administrative Rules and Regulations of Nebraska State Agencies
5. UCC - Uniform Commercial Code - Nebraska Statutes
6. Municipal Codes: Omaha/North Platte/S.Sioux City/Beatrice/York -- Lincoln
7. City of Lincoln - business permit application forms
8. Non-Resident Contractors: Registration/Bonding/Tax Guide - (requires Adobe Reader)
9. Contractor Registration Act -  (Lancaster, Douglas & Sarpy Counties only)
10. Sales Tax Information for Contractors -- Nebraska Taxation of Contractors Guide
11. Requirements for Licensed Food Service Establishments
12. Consumer Protection Division - Nebraska Attorney General
13. Nebraska State Agencies web sites -- State Government Business Forms (search)
14. Nebraska County Government web sites

Federal Business Laws & Regulations:

1. FORMS.GOV - U.S. Government's official hub for federal forms
2. ADA : Americans w/ Disabilities Act ] [ ADA Accessibility Guidelines
3. DOL (Dept. of Labor) : Employment Laws Assistance for Small Business and Employees
4. OSHA : Office of Small Business Assistance -- Small Business Handbook
5. DOT (Dept. of Transportation) : Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
6. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) : Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse
7. FDA (Food & Drug Administration) : Small Business Guide / Starting a Food Business / Cosmetics Labeling
8. FTC (Federal Trade Commission) : Business Guidelines
9. SEC (Security and Exchange Commission) : Information for Small Businesses
10. FoodSafety (Federal & State Government) : Food Safety agencies
11. Federal Register / searchable -- Full text - all 2006 editions
12. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
13. Federal Web Locator - links to Federal web sites
14. U.S. Gov't Business Portal

Legal Resources:

1. Locate an attorney - Nebraska State Bar Association
2. FindLaw Lawyers Directory
3. Legal Self-Help Business Startup Books, from Attorney Et Al
4. NOLO 'Law for All', sections on small business & employment law
5. BusinessWeek - Small Business Legal Guide
6. Internet Legal Resource Guide (ILRG) Legal Forms Archive

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     Employers & Employees - State of Nebraska - Employer Registrations & Requirements

1. Nebraska Tax ID Number - Application Form - (requires Adobe Reader)
2. Nebraska Income Tax Withholding FAQs -- Circular EN - Nebraska Income Tax Witholding
3. Nebraska Unemployment Insurance -- New Account: Apply online -or- download paper form
4. Nebraska New Hire Reporting -- Reporting Form
5. Nebraska Workers Compensation Court ]  [ Workers Comp. Information
     -- Nebraska Workers Compensation Insurance Plan
6. Federal & State Labor Posters
7. Nebraska Labor Laws
8. Nebraska Labor Market Information - NE Workforce Development
9. New employer agency checklist (phone)

Federal - Employer Registrations & Requirements

1. IRS: Federal 'Employer ID Number' (EIN): On-Line EIN Application & Instructions
2. IRS: Federal employment information for businesses with employees
3. IRS: Employment Tax Forms & Publications
4. IRS: IRS Guidelines on "Employee vs. Independent Contractor?
5. -- Guide to the 20 IRS 'Employee vs Independent Contractor' Questions
6. SSA: Social Security Administration: Guide to Wage Reporting for Employers
7. USCIS: U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services - Employer Information - Omaha -- Nebraska Service Center
8. OSHA: Occupational Safety & Health Administration - Small Business Information
9. DOL: U.S. Department of Labor FAQs & Answers

Other Employment Information

1. Job Openings in Nebraska - Portal to a number of Nebraska job listings
2. Nebraska Career Compass - Workforce Development/Dept. of Labor
3. Nebraska Worker Training Program - Workforce Development/Dept. of Labor
4. Nebraska's Customized Job Training Program - Department of Economic Development
5. Work Opportunity and Welfare-to-Work Federal tax credits - for employers who hire targeted workers
6. Quarterly Employment/Wage Data - Nebraska counties - DOL/Labor Market Information
7. Assistive Technologies Partnership - Employment Services
8. Foreign Business Ownership
9. BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics -- Union affiliation of workers by state
10. BLS: CPI / Consumer Price Index -- PPI / Producer Price Index

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     Public Business Financing Programs

Do you have a business plan yet? - plan development, counseling and training resources

Venture Capital:

1. Invest Nebraska Corporation
2. Midlands Venture Forum

Business Loans/Loan Guarantees:

1. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) - administered by Department of Economic Development
    ----CDBG/Economic Development Loan Program - Application Guidebooks
    ----CDBG-Economic Development loans made by NDED: 1999-2006
    ----CDBG-Economic Development 'Re-Use' Loan Funds available by community as of December 31, 2006

2. SBA - Small Business Administration Loan Programs
    ----SBA-'Preferred/Certified/Express' Nebraska Lenders
    ----NBDC: SBA Loan application counseling
    ----SBA-Nebraska (Omaha office)
    ----SBA-Nebraska Business Training & Events Calendar
    ----SBA business loans made nationwide since 2000 : in Nebraska: 2006 --- 2005 --- 2004 -- 2003  --  2002
    ----NEDCO: SBA 504 Loans - fixed rate loans for fixed asset projects
    ----SBA: Disaster Loans / Current Nebraska Declarations / FEMA Disaster Relief / Other Disaster Asst. Info

Microenterprise direct loans (up to $35,000):

3. REAP: Rural Enterprise Assistance Project: Microenterprise Direct Loans & Online Lending System
4. NMPF: Nebraska MicroEnterprise Partnership Fund: Microenterprise Programs -- Annual Reports: 2006 -- 2005 -- 2004

5. CDR: Community Development Resources, Inc.: Business Loans in Lancaster County
6. Northeast Nebraska Development District: Business Loans in northeast Nebraska

7. USDA: Programs below are limited to counties with less than 50,000 population:
   ----Business & Industry Loan Guarantee Program
   ----Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants
   ----Value-Added Ag-Product Market Development grants
   ----Nebraska Staff - USDA County Offices
   ----Farm Service - Farm Loan Programs

Other Business Financing Programs:

8. New Market Tax Credits & Loan Program - for businesses in targeted rural and urban areas across Nebraska
9. NIFA: Nebraska Investment Finance Authority - Industrial Development Bonds issued since 1986 - IDB FAQs
10. TIF: Tax Increment Financing in Nebraska & TIF Primer: Nat. Asso. of Realtors
     TIF: Annual Report to Legislature - Nebraska communities using TIF
11. LB 840: Local Option Municipal Economic Development Act -- LB840 Guide
12. Nebraska Energy Office: Loans for Energy Savings / Pollution Prevention

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Grant Resources:

    Apply for a DUNS number - required of all Federal grant applicants

1. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance - Directory of Federal Grants
2. Federal 'Grants.gov' - find & apply for competitive Federal grant opportunities
3. Grant writing tools for non-profit organizations
4. Nebraska Foundations - mostly giving to community, family & youth projects
5. Nebraska Community Foundation
6. Nebraska Grant Writers
7. IRS and Nebraska information for non-profit & tax-exempt organizations

8. SBIR - Small Business Innovation Research Program   &    Federal Sci-Tech Resources
9. USDA - Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Grants - for farmers, ranchers, rural small businesses
10. USDA - Value-Added Agricultural Product Market Development Grants (VADG) -- Grantees: 2005 - 2004 - 2003 - 2002
11. NDEQ - Waste Reduction/Recycling Grants -- Grantees: 2005 - 2004 - 2003 - 2002 - 2001
12. Child Care grants - Nebraska Health & Human Services System -- Grantees: 2005 - 2004 - 2003
13. Nebraska Environmental Trust -- Grantees: 2006 - 2005
14. Nebraska State Recycling Association -- grants for recycling equipment

Other:
 

1. Community Development Assistance Act - Tax credits for business' charitable contributions
2. Agricultural Opportunities and Value-Added Partnerships Act - Application guidelines
3. 2006 CDBG-Community Development Block Grant Application Guidelines
4. Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) - encourages banks to meet credit needs in their community
5. Grantsmanship Center - Grant-related training and information

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     Tax Information for Businesses

Federal: --- IRS - Small Business HelpLine: 800-829-4933

1. IRS : Home Page --- Web Site Map
2. IRS: Application for Federal Tax ID Number (aka: Employer ID Number/EIN/Form SS-4)
    ----SS-4 en Espanol y Instrucciones
3. IRS : Small Business/Self-Employed Community
4. IRS : Tax Forms --- Tax Publications
5. IRS : FAQ's / IRS contact in Nebraska
6. IRS : Small Business Online Tax Workshop
7. IRS : Online Tax Guide for Small Business --- Order Small Business Products Online
8. IRS : Tax Information by type of industry/profession
9. IRS : Tax information by type o