Pennsylvania is known for creating an equitable business environment for small, minority-owned companies. With 40% of small businesses in the state owned by women, administrators are working to ensure that these founders have targeted access to support, funding, and certification.

Here are some popular resources that are available to women-owned businesses in Pennsylvania:

1. Pennsylvania Business One Stop-Shop: For first-time entrepreneurs and existing startup founders, this platform allows them to seek guidance from experts and access a range of resources and services, including those for small, diverse businesses.
2. Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers: A nationally accredited, statewide program offering one-on-one consulting and training to new and existing businesses, specifically women-owned. This platform partners with the US Small Business Administration (SBA), DCED, and universities and colleges in the state to provide small business owners with the resources and tools.
3. Women Business Certification and Procurement Opportunities: Being certified as a diverse business enables women-owned businesses to access state opportunities through the PA Department of General Services’ Bureau of Diversity, Inclusion, and Small Business Opportunities (BDISO).
4. Women’s Business Enterprise Center (WBEC) East: This platform advocates on behalf of women entrepreneurs in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Southern New Jersey. WBECE is one of the 14 regional partners of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and offers certification, training, counseling, and networking opportunities. 
5. Women’s Opportunity Resource Center (WORC): The WORC was set up to promote social and economic self-sufficiency among economically disadvantaged women. They provide training, individual business assistance, job placements, an incentivized savings program, and access to business and financial resources for startups.

Follow Contractor News to learn more about funding and certification opportunities.