Directory of Local Business Support Resources and Programs

Alabama SBDC Network

The Alabama Small Business Development Center network is a statewide, inter-institutional program to enhance economic growth in Alabama by providing management and technical assistance to small businesses. Professional Business Advisors are available in 10 Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) located at our member university partners across the state. The Alabama SBDC Network provides existing and aspiring entrepreneurs with the expert assistance, tools, training, and education they need to succeed.

Address: 600 Clinic Drive, Room 328 Mobile, AL 36688

Contact
Mel Washington
251-460-6078
mel.washington@ua.edu

Better Business Bureau – Central & South Alabama

In our effort to continue to serve the business communities of central & south Alabama, we want to make access to quality resources as readily available as possible. From traditional BBB resources and services, to business license information for hundreds of cities across Alabama, to Small Business Development Center (SBDC) resources, to the Alabama District Office of the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Alabama League of Municipalities, these resources have all been developed and are being provided to assist you and your business in being as successful as possible.

Address: 150 Government St., Suite 1004, Mobile, AL 36602

Phone: 251-433-5494

Bishop State Community College - Workforce Development Department

Workforce Development provides short term training for a variety of occupational opportunities and personal enrichment. Occupational training is available at a nominal fee in the areas listed below. Ed2Go provides online courses for both personal enrichment and professional enhancement.

Address: 351 N Broad St, Mobile, AL 36603

Contact
251-405-7082
workforce@bishop.edu

Commonwealth Business Bank

Commonwealth National Bank is a black-owned, full-service, and nationally-chartered commercial bank. Commonwealth is a Minority Deposit Insitiution (MDU) as defined in Section 308 of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989. Commonwealth has met the requirements for classification as a Community Development Financial Insitution (CDFI). CDFIs share a common goal of expanding economic opportunity in low-income communities by providing access to financial products and services for local residents and businesses. Commonwealth’s asset size is roughly $60 million.  Commonwealth has two branches, each with an ATM.  In addition, PNC graciously allows Commonwealth's customers to use its ATMs without any service charge.  All depositors of Commonwealth are insured by the FDIC up to $250,000.

Address: 2215 St. Stephens Road, Mobile, AL 36617

Phone: 251-476-5938

Email: customerservice@ecommonwealthbank.com

Downtown Mobile Alliance

The Downtown Mobile Alliance is a non-profit organization established to facilitate the work of the Downtown Mobile District Management Corporation and Main Street Mobile, Inc.

Established in August 2006, the Alliance is a membership organization that exists to support the redevelopment of Downtown Mobile through marketing, advocacy and the management of Business Improvement District services.

Physical Address: 261 Dauphin St., Mobile, AL 36602

Mailing Address: PO Box 112 Mobile, AL 36601

Phone: 251-434-8498

Exchange 202

Entrepreneurship can often be an isolating journey. The Exchange 202 understands working from home or sitting alone at the coffee shop doesn’t serve us well in the long run. The Exchange 202 believes entrepreneurs deserve a better way to work. Through collaboration and community, we believe entrepreneurs can grow their businesses beyond their dreams and make real change in the world. That’s why The Exchange 202 created a space in the heart of downtown Mobile, AL where inventors, dreamers, creators, and doers can come together, learn from one another, and stretch themselves in an environment created for their success. The Exchange 202’s team of experienced shareholders and business leaders are looking for opportunities to invest in startups that are going to make a difference. Rather than spend their money somewhere else, they prefer to invest in the amazing talent coming out of Mobile. Whether you’re looking to grow your business through collaboration, are already an established and looking for a great place to run your business, or you’re a startup looking for people and resources to help get your project off the ground, the Exchange is the place for you.

Email: info@exchange202.com

Address: 202 Government Street Mobile, AL 36602

Phone: 251-243-1043

Innovation Portal is a nonprofit incubator and innovation hub accelerating startup growth in the Gulf Coast region. Innovation Portal provides a growth-focused space and community for entrepreneurs, innovators, and creatives to work and connect. In addition to amazing workspace, we provide targeted programming to encourage successful launch, development, and scaling of local ventures.

Address: 358 St Louis St, Mobile, AL 36602

Phone: 251-202-7165

Email: info@innovation-portal.com

Internal Revenue Service Mobile Office

Address: 820 S. University Blvd., Mobile, AL 36609

Phone: 251-341-5946

The Mobile Area Black Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit organization that provides black-owned businesses with tools and training for growth and expansion. The Mobile Area Black Chamber of Commerce is committed to the education, empowerment, and encouragement of business owners in Mobile, Baldwin, and Washington counties.

Address: 601 Bel Air Blvd, Suite #307 Mobile, AL 36606

Phone: 855-962-2262

Email: admin@mabcc.org

Mobile Chamber

The Mobile Chamber is a member-driven, nonprofit organization with more than 2,200 members, representing more than 108,000 employees. Organized in 1836, the Mobile Chamber is one of the nation’s oldest.

Address: 451 Government St., Mobile, AL 36602

Contact: Darrell Randle & Danette Richards

Phone: 251-433-6951

Email: info@mobilechamber.com

Mobile Public Library

Contact: Mary Kuipers, Manager, Adult Services

Email: mkuipers@mplonline.org

Address: Ben May Main Library | 701 Government Street Mobile, AL 36602

Phone: 251-340-1538

National Association of Women Business Owners

Founded in 1975, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is the unified voice of over 11.6 million women-owned businesses in the United States representing the fastest growing segment of the economy. NAWBO is a one-stop resource to propel these women business owners into greater economic, social, and political spheres of power worldwide.

Contact: Tonia Chagnon

Email: tchagnon@nawbo.org

Phone: 800-556-2926 ext. 702

RAMP is a team-based mentoring program for businesses in south Alabama, made possible by training from the Venture Mentoring Service at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The RAMP mission is to develop entrepreneurial capacity in the diverse community of the Mobile area by using a unique and proven model of mentorship to make expert, impartial advice available to local ventures.

Phone: 251-460-6507

Email: ramp@southalabama.edu

SCORE South Alabama

SCORE is a non-profit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and has been mentoring small business owners for more than forty years.

Address: 327 Fairhope Ave , Fairhope, AL 36532

Phone: 251-928-6387

Email: SouthALSCORE@gmail.com

The South Alabama Economic Roundtable is a group of leaders from the business, non-profit, and faith-based communities dedicated to the optimal implementation of the American Rescue Plan according to Executive Order 13985 - Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal Government. 

Address: PO Box 16324, Mobile, AL 36616

Phone: 251-265-1120

Email: southalabamaeconomicroundtable@gmail.com

South Alabama Regional Planning Commission (SARPC) is a locally controlled and organized instrument of local government in Southwestern Alabama. SARPC serves the three counties of Mobile, Baldwin and Escambia and twenty-nine municipalities through the provision of programs and services in community development; employment and economic development; grant administration; senior and social services and transportation planning.

Address: 110 Beauregard St # 207, Mobile, AL 36602

Phone: 251-433-6541

Email: pmcglasker@sarpc.org

The Urban Emporium

The Springboard to Success is a non-profit organization whose mission is to nurture start-up and early stage, independent retailers.  Springboard to Success’s first initiative is a non-profit retail storefront known as the Urban Emporium, which opened in October 2011.  The Urban Emporium is the vehicle where Springboard houses and trains retailer entrepreneurs to become successful business people; it is also the store where each entrepreneur’s merchandise is sold to the public.  The training and oversight that is provided by the DMA staff, consultant, and store Manager educates the retail entrepreneur in topics such as merchandising, buying plans, promotion and marketing, inventory control, cash flow management, expense control, market trends and the management of personnel.  The DMA Board, STS Board and stakeholders assist the retail entrepreneurs through events, advocacy, utilization, and promotion within their business network.  The Urban Emporium is also a model for other communities with underserved retail environments.

Address: 260 Dauphin Street Mobile, AL 36602

Phone: 251-441-8044

TruFund Financial Services, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) headquartered in New York City with field offices in Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas. TruFund tailors its financial and technical assistance to the unique needs of each site—from contractor mobilization lending in New York and Louisiana to rural Black Belt initiatives in Alabama.

Address: 1927 1st Avenue North, Suite 602 Birmingham, AL 35203

Contact: Kara Halfaker

Phone: 205-749-0045

Email: khalfaker@trufund.org

University of South Alabama Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)

Procurement Technical Assistance Centers are part of a congressionally authorized initiative to assist businesses in marketing their goods and services to the U.S. Department of Defense, other federal agencies, and state and local governments. Each PTAC is dedicated to supporting our national security by ensuring a broad base of capable suppliers for the defense industry and other agencies, and to bringing the economic benefits of federal, state and local contracting to Alabama businesses.

Address: 600 Clinic Drive, Suite 326/328 , Mobile, AL 36608

Contact: Gerald Dunlop

Phone: 205-348-1687

Email: ASBDC@ua.edu