This section of Your Money New York is designed to help small business owners – and New Yorkers interested in starting a small business – find the resources they need to create and grow their business.

The importance of small businesses to the New York State economy cannot be overstated. According to New York State’s small business website, small businesses are responsible for half of all private sector jobs and have created approximately 70 percent of all new jobs over the past decade. The Office of the State Comptroller periodically issues economic reports that may be of interest to small business owners, including The Role of Small Businesses in New York's Economy.

To help you get started, some key resources available from New York's main small business portal include: the Directory of Small Business Programs, New York’s guide for small business owners and entrepreneurs, with information on over 140 State programs available to help start and grow your business; New York’s Online Permit Assistance and Licensing (OPAL) website, which helps you find whatever business permits you may need; and the federal government’s central website, business.gov, which provides access to federal resources and links to State and local information.

The Office of the State Comptroller's Open Book New York website has a page on how to do business with New York State. Open Book New York allows you to search active State contracts and download valuable information on particular State agencies, contract types or vendors. For most procurements, State agencies will require a vendor to complete a vendor responsibility questionnaire. The New York State VendRep System allows business entities to enter and maintain their Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire information in a secure, centralized database and enables them to view the status of their contracts under review by OSC.

For more information on these resources and many others, please visit the following Your Money New York pages:

• General resources for small businesses
• Small business tax and permit help
• Starting a business
• Growing your business
• Minority- and women- owned businesses
• Helping your business survive a tough economy
• Federal stimulus help for small businesses

 

Next: General Resources for Small Businesses