Small businesses eligible for funding assistance

The Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) is encouraging small-business owners to apply for a no-cost assistance program that can help drive their growth and improvement.

The Indiana Technical Assistance Program provides a small business with up to $15,000 in professional services from a qualified vendor, the Indiana Economic Development Corp. said in a news release.

Services include projects such as app or technology development, inventory and sales tracking system updates, legal assistance on intellectual property matters, or help writing grants for federal small-business programs.

Applications will be accepted January 15 through February 21.

“As a state, Indiana continues to support Hoosier entrepreneurs and small businesses through innovative and strategic ways at no cost,” said Jon Myers, state director of the Indiana SBDC and vice president of small business at the Indiana Economic Development Corp. “INTAP allows entrepreneurs to tap into talent that might not otherwise be available, enabling small businesses and startups to develop and implement new technologies and processes to take their operations to the next level and greater their impact on their employees, their communities and our economy.”

To be eligible, a business must meet the following criteria:

• be an Indiana Small Business Development Center client
• have a physical presence in Indiana
• use a vendor physically located in Indiana
• be able to complete the project within five months and before December 31, 2025
• be able to demonstrate a positive impact afterward, such as job creation, increased production or sales, or new market expansion

Business owners can find more information and apply online at isbdc.org. Small businesses that are not a client of the Indiana Small Business Development Center can connect with a local center before applying. If you would like to be client in Huntington County simply give the Huntington County Chamber of Commerce a call at (260) 356-5300 and we can get you scheduled with a consultant. The consultation is free.

INTAP was launched in 2017 and has since helped 316 Hoosier businesses, the IEDC said. The program is administered in partnership with Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington’s Cook Center for Entrepreneurship, which houses the South-Central Indiana SBDC regional office.