Any advice or direction on how to find free/inexpensive help w/ funding and business plan for a start up?

Im a 29 yr old mother of two who is looking to start up her own business. I am looking for advice on where to get free/inexpensive help with finding funding sources and also resources on putting together a business plan. Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated!Any advice or direction on how to find free/inexpensive help w/ funding and business plan for a start up?
Absolutely. You need to contact your local Small Business Association (SBA). They offer free classes to help you learn how to write a business plan that you can take around to discuss with bankers when you are ready for a small business loan to help with your start up. They will tell you about all the different types of small business incorporation categories, so you will understand the difference between limited liability corporations (LLCs) and the more simple business structures. They will help you understand your responsibilities as a taxpayer. They may also introduce you to local business networking and help you find business incubation opportunities, such as inexpensive rent, group health insurance plans through consolidated small business groups, etc. It is a great resource, paid for through your taxes.





When you are ready to register your business, go to your state's website and you will find all the information you need to file your paperwork through the secretary of state's office.





Everything I have mentioned so far is free except for filing your business namem which is very inexpensive. Make sure you do a search so that you are not using a name already taken and copyrighted by another business entity.





One word of caution. PLEASE do not fall prey to those who tell you that they can help you find free government grants to start a business. These are scams.





And use your local research library to search for similar businesses in your areea, so you know how close the competition is, and how much they made over the preceding years. This is easy to do and it should be incorporated into your business plan.





Good luck to you. Working from home is a wonderful thing.Any advice or direction on how to find free/inexpensive help w/ funding and business plan for a start up?
If you need anything, I'd be more than happy to help. I've been lucky enough to be involved in three startups. If you need anything then shoot me off an email.
Go to http://www.grants.gov for a list of government grants and how you can apply for them. However, there are no grants for a for profit business unless you are opening a daycare and then it is a minimal amount. If you need money, you will need to apply for a loan. No lender will talk to you unless you provide them with a valid business plan. Go to http://www.sba.gov , http://www.score.org or http://www.bplan.com for sample business plans and instructions on how to write a business plan.





Then, go to http://www.score.org/ and in the upper left hand corner, enter your zip code. On the next screen, you will get information on the nearest SCORE chapter. Call them and arrange for a free meeting with a SCORE counselor to review your business plan and discuss various loan options available to you.





SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).





SCORE has 389 chapters in locations throughout the United States and its territories, with 10,500 volunteers nationwide. Both working and retired executives and business owners donate time and expertise as business counselors