Resources

Resources to support marketing, outreach, and startup costs:

Grants.gov – Federal grants database

SBA Grants and Loans – U.S. Small Business Administration funding programs

Washington State Small Business Guide  – Linking entrepreurs and small businesses to resources

IFundWomen – Grants and coaching for women-led startups

Hello Alice – Curated grants and funding opportunities for small business owners

Help tracking business expenses and understanding deductions:

IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center

MileIQ – Track mileage for tax deductions

QuickBooks Self-Employed  – Expense tracking and tax estimation

Bench.co – Tax deduction guide for freelancers

Learn new skills to improve your understanding of the digital landscape:

Google Digital Garage – Free marketing and business courses

Meta Blueprint – Facebook/Instagram Marketing Training

Hubspot Academy  – Inbound Marketing, Social Media, and CRM Training

Coursera – Entrepreneurship and Small Business Courses (many free)

Templates to help organize your strategy and outreach:

Lean Canvas Template – One page business model

Canva – Free business and marketing templates

Hootsuite Social Media Calendar  – 250+ free calendars to suit your needs

Google Docs – Strategic Marketing Plan template

Plan, organize, and communicate more efficiently:

Asana – Free Plan for Task and Project Management

Airtable – Free Plan for Databases and Lightweight CRM

Mailchimp  – Free Email Marketing and CRM Tools

Find Partnerships in Washington and the South Sound region:

Thurston County Chamber of Commerce 

South Puget Sound Community College – Small Business Development Center 

Washington SBDC (Small Business Development Center)

Economic Development Council – Thurston County

Washington State Arts Commission (Marketing & Creative Funding)