The Houston Citizens Chamber of Commerce offers the following resources and information regarding certification and business building. Our programs and events also include specific instruction. Please contact us directly for further direction or to answer questions. We’re here to serve you.

Business

University of Houston Small Business Development Center
Phone: 713.752.8444
The University of Houston Small Business Development Center provides business consulting and training to entrepreneurs of small and emerging companies. Start-up and growing businesses meet with professional consultants to evaluate financing alternatives, develop loan packages, review and update business plans and strategies and access financial check ups and recommendations.

Small Business Administration
Phone: 713.773.6500
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses.

Houston Minority Business Council
Phone: 713.271.7805
Established in 1973, the HMBC is a non-profit organization for minority businesses and major corporations interested in establishing relationships with minority entrepreneurs and helping them to successfully grow their businesses. Included in the membership of HMBC are more than 220 major corporations and more than 900 minority businesses.

One of the goals of HMBC is to promote the capabilities of minority professional service firms. Within HMBC there are nearly 300 professional service firms in many varied fields. The Professional Services Task Force has several programs and activities that support awareness and use of minority professional service firms.

Houston Business Development, Inc.
Phone: 713.845.2400
Houston Business Development, Inc. (HBD) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation located in Houston, Texas. Established in 1986 by the City of Houston, the corporation’s mission is to stimulate economic growth, support the expansion of small businesses, combat community deterioration and foster employment opportunities for low-moderate income citizens.

Prospective borrowers, as well as aspiring entrepreneurs, can also take advantage of an array of support services and management assistance at our Business Technology Center. It assists micro-enterprise and small business owners by providing flexible and affordable loans to expand their businesses and works closely with banks and commercial lenders to provide bridge financing.

· Low-interest rate commercial loans with flexible repayment terms
· Affordable lease space, conference rooms and administrative support services
· Business Resource Library, workshops, and one-on-one business counseling

ACCION Texas
Phone: 866.803.0224
ACCION Texas is dedicated to micro lending as a strategy to help Texans become self-reliant and help communities reach their potential. The mission of ACCION Texas is to provide credit to small businesses that do not have access to loans from commercial sources. Through its loans and services, ACCION Texas helps micro-entrepreneurs strengthen their businesses, stabilize and increase their incomes, create additional employment and contribute to the economic revitalization of their communities.