Northern California

The California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) supports economic growth and innovation and ensures all California small businesses and innovative startups have the information and direct support needed to navigate resources, programs and regulations.

CalOSBA serves as the voice of small business, representing their views and interests across the state and advocating for equitable access to capital, markets and networks so California small businesses may successfully start, manage, grow and become more resilient. Learn more about the different resources available below.

Grants and Loans

Discover grant and loan programs for small businesses. On our website you can:

Get details on upcoming grant and loan programs
Find current grant and loan opportunities
Learn how to apply for a funding program

Learn More

Technical Assistance Centers

California funds a network of small business technical assistance centers in over 30 languages that provide no-cost one-on-one consulting and no-cost or low-cost training services and programs to small businesses and entrepreneurs.

They have expert advisors on hand who can assist with all stages of your business including startup business plans, access to financing, growth, resiliency plans, e-commerce, marketing and more. We encourage you to reach out and make an appointment as soon as possible.

Find technical assistance for your small business here.

Accelerate California

CalOSBA has launched Accelerate California Inclusive Innovation Hubs program with a new focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The program will accelerate technology and science-based firms in key industry areas with a strong outreach focus on diverse founders, including women and people of color, and on underserved geographies and regions.

What services do Inclusive Innovation Hub designees provide?
Designees offer diverse entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop and grow their innovative ideas by bridging the connection to local networks and communities and increasing access to critical advising and training services. Some of the services available through designees may include:

Identification of market and project opportunities through leveraging of local networks.
Industry-specific workshops on business and innovation development.
Product development and testing resources.
Access to funding opportunities and grant writing connections.
Workforce skill development programs.
Direct advising and mentorships with industry experts.

Inclusive Innovation Hubs Partners
Designees are higher education institutions, economic development corporations, and private nonprofit corporations committed to serving the underserved regions and communities of the State of California through incubation and acceleration programs focused on technology and science-based firms.

Ten institutions across the State of California have received a designation. Learn more about the program and the awardees here.

State of California Procurement Marketplace

Cal eProcure
Cal eProcure is an online portal that gives businesses access to state bidding, contracting and certification resources in one location. Learn more at the Cal eProcure website

Department of General Services
The Department of General Services (DGS) Procurement Division (PD) sets state procurement policies and provides purchasing services. It delegates purchasing authority to state departments; certifies small and/or disabled veteran businesses to do business with the state; and provides innovative purchasing methods that save taxpayers’ dollars, integrating quality solutions to meet customers’ needs. Learn more at the DGS website.

Source Diverse Source Local

Source Diverse Source Local is a public-private collaboration to foster an inclusive procurement process and a resilient California-based supply chain. Source Diverse Source Local supports diversity, equity and inclusion in California’s procurements by increasing state dollars spent with diverse and/or local California businesses.

This initiative aims to develop new and existing small businesses through procurement readiness programs to obtain manufacturing, government and/or corporate contracts.

Learn more here.

Small Business Innovation Research - America's Seed Fund

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) & Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) programs fund a diverse portfolio of startups and small businesses across technology areas and markets to stimulate tech innovation, meet federal research and development (R&D) needs and increase commercialization to transition R&D into impact. SBIR and STTR aim to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship by all people, including women, people of color, people with disabilities and entrepreneurs in all 50 states and U.S. territories.

Learn more at the SBIR website.