• The NC Department of Commerce has multiple resources for people starting or doing business in North Carolina. They have produced a resource booklet with valuable informationstructure on licensure, name registration, etc.
• North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center develops, promotes, and implements sound economic strategies to improve the quality of life of rural North Carolinians. The center serves the state's 85 rural counties, with a special focus on individuals with low to moderate incomes and communities with limited resources.http://www.ncruralcenter.org/
• NC REAL is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping bring entrepreneurship and small business creation to North Carolina through training programs and curriculum.http://www.ncreal.org
• Land of Sky Regional Council is a four-county, local government planning and development organization in Western North Carolina. Land of Sky currently administers a revolving loan program for business located in downtown Marshall. Please contact Land of Sky for that information.
• The Conservation Fund is a national land and water conservation organization with a unique dual mission of environmental protection and economic development.http://www.conservationfund.org
• Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIF) is a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) provides debt and equity financing to small and emerging natural resource-based businesses that will advance sustainable economic development in North Carolina, Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and West Virginia. NCIF's business clients are predominantly located in economically distressed rural communities and are unable to access capital from traditional sources. http://www.ncifund.org/
• North Carolina Rural Communities Assistance Project (NCRCAP) partners with rural areas to build community capacity to address public health, environmental quality, and community development issues pertaining to water, wastewater, and affordable housing needs.
  http://www.ncrcap.org/

You are welcome to attend NC STEP meetings. These meetings are now held quarterly. Please contact Jennifer Flynn at 828-649-3444 to be added to the email list.