Business Partners

The Business Resource Center is your partner in your business that provides you the resources and tools you need to start, grow or sustain your business, no matter what stage it is in.

The Business Resource Center is a portal for the local resources available to help entrepreneurs and businesses succeed. We connect people with the experts by partnering with organizations that have the expertise in different areas related to starting and running a successful business.

These organizations form the Greater Reading Entrepreneurial Support Alliance (GRESA). GRESA members have expertise in different areas related to starting, running and financing a successful business. They work to provide a more unified support system for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

For more information about GRESA, please contact Michael Rivera, Assistant Vice President, Small Business Services at 610-898-8385.

The organizations that are part of GRESA are:

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania links companies with experts, universities, funding, and other resources to help them prosper through innovation. The Center strategy encompasses three key areas: developing early-stage, technology-oriented companies; helping established manufacturers creatively apply new technologies and business practices; and promoting an innovative community-wide infrastructure.

Berks County Latino Chamber of Commerce's mission is to provide leadership and support for the economic development of the Latino business community of Greater Reading and Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Berks Economic Partnership (BEP) helps attract, retain, and grow business by promoting and coordinating economic development in the Greater Reading and Berks County region.

Community First Fund (CFF) is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and an SBA guaranteed lender. They provide loans, business training, and one-on-one counseling to entrepreneurs of all sizes, affordable housing and commercial real estate developers, and community groups in under-served communities in central Pennsylvania.

Greater Berks Development Fund (GBDF) is a well established private nonprofit corporation that provides financing, real estate and development services to businesses expanding or locating in Berks County. In particular, the GBDF acts a lending agent for the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and accesses their lending programs for companies in Berks County. Our loan programs typically partner with conventional lending institutions to provide fixed rate, low interest, gap financing.

Kutztown University Latino Business Resource Center (LBRC) helps Latino entrepreneurs and the Latino workforce grow and flourish by building the capacity of economic development organizations to work more effectively with Latinos and provides Latinos with business consulting, education, research and business tools.

Kutztown University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers free one-to-one business consulting to help your pre-venture or existing business succeed in today's global market. The mission of the SBDC at Kutztown University is to grow the economy of South Eastern and South Central Pennsylvania by providing entrepreneurs with the education, information and tools necessary to build successful businesses.

Micro+ is a program that is designed to help you start or grow your business. Apart from helping you put together a business plan, they offer financing to start a business and help to expand an existing one. They also offer free technical assistance in different business related matters. The mission of the Micro+ Lending program is to help business grow and succeed, by providing free technical assistance, business plan development assistance, as well as loan packaging.

SCORE- Counselors to America's Small Business- are real-world volunteers with time-tested knowledge who donate their time to help small businesses succeed. They provide top quality no cost advice and counsel to those wanting to star their own business or take a business to the next level. Their confidential services are free and tailored to meet the needs of your small business and personal objectives.

The City of Reading, Office of Community and Economic Development- http://www.readingpa.gov/community_development.asp

Greater Reading Entrepreneurial Support Alliance (GRESA) matrix