Business Assistance Guide - Economic Development Board

The Sonoma County Business Assistance Guide (BAG) is for small business owners and managers. The information is directed to sole proprietorships and general partnerships. Larger companies, limited partnerships and corporations usually have experienced staff or hire professionals to research and work with the agencies involved in meeting requirements for new business start-ups, relocations, and change of business ownership.

This guide was developed by the Economic Development Board in September 2000 to link small business owners and managers to resources that will aid them in starting or growing their businesses. The BAG is a work-in-progress and from the many business resources on the Internet, these links were chosen to provide a wide range of information on the many facets of operating a successful business. If some prime sources of information have been overlooked, it is not intentional, and we welcome your comments and suggestions for further updating and refining of the BAG. Please e-mail to: bag@sonoma-county.org.

Business Checklist

Although not intended as a step-by-step guide to operating a business, the Sonoma County Business Assistance Guide will help direct you to those information sources and agencies you must contact before you can open your doors for business. The growth of home-based businesses has initiated certain regulations that you must meet in conducting business from your home or within a residential zone.

In general, you need to consider the checklist on the left before beginning or operating a business. Many resources are available on these topics at public libraries, public and private agencies and nonprofit associations that foster small business development, and on the Internet. Where possible, this guide provides contact information for these resources.

(Community Resources document is saved in Adobe Acrobat format. If you do not own a copy of Acrobat Reader, you may download it for FREE. Visit our page to download Acrobat Reader for free.)

Some links in the Sonoma County Business Assistance Guide may take you to sites that the county does not maintain or control. The County of Sonoma does not warrant the accuracy of the information contained in such sites, and the content of such sites does not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards, or policies of the County of Sonoma. You should independently verify the accuracy of any information or representation on such sites before relying upon them.

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