Resources / For business owners
Business resources
Philadelphia will happily sell you a permit, but it also gives away an unusual amount of genuinely good business help for free. Most owners never use any of it. Be the exception.
Free help (actually free)
- Temple University SBDCVerified July 2026
Free, confidential business consulting from Temple's Small Business Development Center. 1801 Liacouras Walk; 215-204-7282.
- SCORE PhiladelphiaVerified July 2026
Free mentoring from experienced operators — people who have run businesses, not just read about them. 105 N. 22nd St.; (215) 231-9880.
- Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses — Greater PhiladelphiaVerified July 2026
Free growth program for established owners, run at Community College of Philadelphia. Built for businesses that already work and want to get bigger.
Capital
- PIDCVerified July 2026
The city's public-private lender: commercial real estate financing, working capital, and business term loans.
- The Enterprise CenterVerified July 2026
West Philadelphia institution supporting minority-owned businesses with advisory help and access to capital.
| Lender | Standing in 2025 |
|---|---|
| TD Bank | Most loans made — strong for smaller deals |
| WSFS | Most dollars lent |
| Newtek | Among the most active |
| Northeast Bank | Among the most active |
Per 2025 SBA lending data via GoSBA. Verified July 2026.
City Hall
- Philadelphia Department of CommerceVerified July 2026
The city's front door for business: permits and licenses guidance, plus the Business Plan Assistance directory.
Know something that belongs here? Reply to any issue.
The directory is static. The city isn't.
One email a week on who's buying, building, and opening in Philadelphia — every number checkable against the public record.