Rice Street Business and Property Owner Resource Toolkit

Funding to support ongoing business operations and assistance to help make your business a success:

• African Development Center of Minnesota
  • The Mission of the African Development Center is to grow businesses, build wealth and increase reinvestment in the African communities of Minnesota.
• Amplio Economic Development Corporation 
  • Amplio is a non-profit certified development company whose purpose is to help small businesses obtain financing for job creation, to fund business expansion and to promote economic development.
• Angel Loan Fund
  • Provides direct loans to eligible startup businesses. 
• Ascend Twin Cities
  • Ascend Twin Cities is a partnership initiative between JPMorgan Chase & Co., Meda and Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Minnesota. With the support of our Anchors we provide access to capital, market opportunities and business education to BIPOC Entrepreneurs.
• Asian Economic Development Association
  • AEDA’s mission is to increase economic opportunities for Asian Americans.
• CEO Next Business Institute: Next Level Support for Growing Businesses in Greater MSP
  • The purpose of the program is to help growing companies make a larger impact by offering business research and support at no cost.
• City of Saint Paul Business Assistance Fund
  • The Business Assistance Fund provides financing to new and existing businesses that have a need for capital to improve and/or grow their business and have been unable to access adequate financing from other sources. 
• City of Saint Paul Business Project Facilitator 
  • The Project Facilitator, working within the Department of Safety and Inspections, will help connect you with various staff throughout the city of Saint Paul to help work through complex project proposals for a new or existing business that require multiple reviews.
• City of Saint Paul Neighborhood STAR Program 
  • The Neighborhood STAR Program awards loans and grants for capital improvement projects in Saint Paul neighborhoods, funded by 50% of the city's half-cent sales tax proceeds.
• City of Saint Paul Strategic Investment Fund
  • The purpose of the Strategic Investment Fund is to attract businesses to Saint Paul whose local operations will do the most to expand the city's economy.
• City of Saint Paul Business Resource Center (Operational funding available)
  • The first step to access business assistance from the city is to submit the Business Assistance Intake Form. Whether you are looking for financial assistance or other business support resources, by submitting the intake form, we will be better equipped to assess resource matches across our business assistance programs.
• Emerging Entrepreneur Loan Program
  • The Emerging Entrepreneur Loan Program provides loan capital for businesses that are owned and operated by minorities, low-income persons, women, veterans and/or persons with disabilities.
• Full Stack Saint Paul 
  • Full Stack is a public-private collaboration leveraging the power of tech and innovation to drive equitable, resilient economic development in Saint Paul.
• Indian Business Loan Program 
  • Supports the development of Indian-owned and operated businesses and promotes economic opportunities for Indian people throughout Minnesota.
• Latino Economic Development Center
  • Helps Latino entrepreneurs and small businesses in Minnesota launch and grow.
• Meda 
  • Wealth creation is an effective antidote to economic inequities, and successful BIPOC entrepreneurship is the most effective tool for building generational wealth and remains integral to creating the world we want.
• Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (Operational funding available)
  • MCCD is an association of nonprofit community development organizations committed to expanding the wealth and resources of neighborhoods through housing and economic development initiatives. 
• Minnesota Chamber of Commerce (Operational funding available)
  • Minnesota’s largest broad-based business organization representing more than 6,300 companies – and more than half a million employees – throughout Minnesota. The Chamber builds on its legacy as a voice for business by advancing public policy that grows jobs and the economy, and providing valuable services to members so they stay and grow in Minnesota.
• Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Small Business Assistance Office
  • The Small Business Assistance Office places a special emphasis on providing the in-depth information that is so crucial to business success yet too costly for many businessmen and women to obtain on their own.
• Minnesota Departmenr of Employement and Economic Develoment (DEED) Workforce Strategy Consultants 
  • Develop innovative workforce solutions by aligning resources, facilitating collaboration, and leveraging expertise in targeted industry sectors to drive economic equity and growth.
• Minnesota Reservist and Veteran Business Loan Program (Operational funding available)
  • Provides business loans to companies that are affected when certain employees are called to active military duty and to individual veterans who have returned from active duty and want to start their own business.
• Minnesota SCORE
  • SCORE’s mission is to foster vibrant small business communities through mentoring and education.
• Minnesota Small Business Development Center – Twin Cities Region - Email Diane Paterson for more information.
  • The statewide network of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) provide the professional expertise and guidance that every small business owner needs to flourish in today's competitive and ever-changing business world.
• National Association of Women Business Owners, Minnesota Chapter
  • Provides a local avenue for women entrepreneurs to connect with their peers.
• Neighborhood Development Center - Minnesota (Operational funding available) 
  • Provide the tools and resources entrepreneurs need to help realize their dreams.
• North End Business Association (Operational funding available)
  • A business association that represents the fundamental interests of the North End community of Saint Paul.  We do this by continued conversations and connection to local business owners, nonprofit organizations, city and county leadership and extensions of local government.
• Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) 
  • An innovative finance solution for building owners interested in energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades. PACE is a fit for most industries including farms, commercial office buildings, nonprofit organizations (including places of worship), and multi-tenant buildings. Common investments include solar panels, HVAC systems, lighting, motors, and more.
• Saint Paul Restaurant Resiliency
  • Through the continued partnership of NCXT and the city of Saint Paul, the Restaurant Resiliency Project is boosting the local restaurant community by providing specialized digital technical assistance for their needs. 
• State and Regional Grant Sponsorship
  • Each year the city of Saint Paul sponsors applications for State and Met Council grants and passes the funding through to private parties to complete the project.
• Twin Cities Metro Certified Development Company (TCM CDC) 
  • Twin Cities-Metro Certified Development Company (TCM CDC) is a non-profit corporation that was established in 1990 to stimulate the growth of small businesses by providing access to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 504 loan program.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA); Minnesota District 
  • SBA was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns; preserve free competitive enterprise; and maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.
• Women Venture
  • Their mission is to empower women to achieve their economic goals by building profitable and sustainable businesses that transform communities.