According to the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation (Commerce RI), more than 98.9 percent of Ocean State organizations are small businesses.
If you want to join their ranks, there are plenty of resources to help make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality—including those at the state (or state-championed) level.
We scratch the surface of those offerings below, covering tools that help you start, grow and sustain your business. Missing something? Let us know.
Business Creation Insights How to start off on the right foot.
- Starting a Business in Rhode Island: This resource from the Rhode Island Department of State is a crash course in everything potential entrepreneurs need to know before beginning their startup journey in the Ocean State.
- How to Form a Nonprofit in Rhode Island
- How to File a Rhode Island DBA
RI.gov A high-level overview of the practical, necessary tasks for burgeoning entrepreneurs from the Rhode Island government itself.
RI Business Portal: An online database that connects users to forms, taxes and incentives, certifications and more — all the paperwork that businesses need to function.
Rhode Island Commerce A quasi-public agency that works with private, public and nonprofit partners in an effort to develop a robust business ecosystem in Rhode Island. Many of these resources and on-site information are available in Spanish.
- Startup Assistance: Resources and mentorships catered to founders of startups, with a goal of laying a strong business foundation and cutting through red tape.
- Small Business Loan Fund: The fund provides a direct, fully secured loan of up to $500,000 to existing manufacturing, processing and selected service businesses. Those looking to purchase land may be eligible for larger loans. It boasts fixed interest rates and flexible repayment terms. More info here.
- Business Advisors: Interested parties can fill out a form that is then used by RI Commerce to find a relevant business mentor.
- Small Business Assistance Program: Focused on women- and minority-owned organizations, as well as those in underserved Rhode Island communities, this program works with entrepreneurs who are struggling to get the credit they need from traditional lending organizations. Commerce RI partners with different local organizations, like Center for Women & Enterprise, the Social Enterprise Greenhouse and the Rhode Island Black Business Association, to provide loans on tiers ranging from $1,000 to $250,000. More info here.
- SupplyRI: Founded by Commerce Corporation, the Heron Foundation and the Rhode Island Foundation, this public-private program connects "suppliers" (smaller companies) with "anchors" (larger organizations) through a free online database, trainings, events and more. Together, the two groups can help each other solve problems, diversify their resources and better understand how companies of each size work.
- Resource Network: A free database of organizations, departments and companies that can provide mentorship and education to a fledgling startup or entrepreneur.
- 10,000 Small Businesses: Created by Goldman Sachs, 10,000 Small Businesses is a national program that provides participants business education, access to capital and a mentor network. More than 100 Rhode Island businesses have graduated from the program so far.
- International Trade Partnership: The John H. Chafee Center for International Business at Bryant University, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Export Assistance Center work together to answer entrepreneurs' questions about doing business across the globe—and work with them to develop strategic plans to make their international dreams a reality.
- Expansion and relocation support: For out-of-state companies looking to move or engage with the Rhody business community, Commerce RI offers tools to help make the process easier.
- Tax credits (and other financial resources): Financial incentives that cater to a variety of business needs.
Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council Created by the Rhode Island General Assembly in an effort to spur small business development.
- Innovate RI Fund: A fund created to help minimize the costs of grant applications, hire interns and more.
- RI Research Alliance: Provides Collaborative Research grants to help collaborative research projects at educational institutions across the state.
Additional Resources
