Business Resource Center
The City of Bloomington is committed to meeting the aspirations of our local small business community and is seeking input on the Small Business Development Center.
Please take five to ten minutes to complete the blm.mn/sbdcsurvey. The data will be used to make sure the process and final plan for the Small Business Development Center meets the specific needs of our vibrant business community.
To learn more about the proposed Small Business Development Center, visit our page on Let’s Talk Bloomington.
The City is dedicated to uplifting and supporting our business community. We are committed to working with you whether you have an existing business in the city or are thinking of relocating and joining our community.
Upcoming Events
- Nothing is scheduled at this time
New to the Site
- Business Resource Center- Learn more about the City’s efforts to form a small business center at the former Fire Station 3. Hear from committee members who are meeting to help shape the vision of this future resource.
- Business Resource Center update - January 2023
- MNimize Rebate – Participating businesses can get up to $500 toward eligible expenses to reduce single-use plastic.
- Small Business Hub – One-stop shop for everything you need to know about DEED’s resources for small businesses
City Policies
Earned Sick and Safe Leave
The City Council adopted an earned sick and safe leave ordinance that requires employers operating in Bloomington to provide some amount of earned sick and safe leave to employees. The earned sick and safe leave ordinance takes effect July 1, 2023. Visit blm.mn/ESSL for more information.
SAC Small Business Deferral Program
The City of Bloomington provides this program to help lower the financial hurdle to new and expanding businesses, allowing for SAC fees to be paid over time instead of all at once.
The City hired The Morris Leatherman Company (MLC) to conduct a randomized survey of Bloomington businesses with the goal of using feedback to address issues that are important to the local business community. The City worked with MLC to determine the areas of focus for questions and MLC wrote the questions and conducted phone calls to ask these questions. The survey took place in June and July of 2021.
MLC chose about 400 businesses using random sampling. Business owners and managers were asked the questionnaire by MLC trained and supervised personnel and was conducted in English, Hmong, Somali and Spanish. To ensure the integrity of the sample, MLC places the most exacting sampling standards in the industry on their procedures. The City of Bloomington will be presented with the final report with results aggregated and anonymous.
- Survey results
- Executive Summary of the Final Report
- Final Report
Small Business Week – Recap of Small Business Week, May 2022.
Bloomington Garden Center – May 2022
Bloomington Collective: Stories of Solidarity, featuring local BIPOC-owned businesses
- Hyderabad Indian Grill & Dosa South Indian Grill – February 2023
- Piwi’s – February 2023
- United People Apparel – October 2022
- Mars Jameson - September 2022
- El Guanaco Bakery - July 2022
- One Stall Automotive – June 2022
- Action Hair Salon - April 2022
- Luro Boots - January 2022
- Mhiripiri Gallery - December 2021
- Agape African Market - November 2021
- Community Commons – Sept 2021
- Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota - or call 651-641-1011; services are free for those who qualify
- Minnesota Department of Human Rights - 1-833-454-0148 discrimination helpline
- Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) – free energy audit for businesses using Xcel Energy, with recommendations including rebates, low interest loans, completion of all paperwork
- One-Stop One-Stop Efficiency Shop Lighting Program – improve lighting to save money on energy bills and boost lighting quality
- One-Stop Efficiency Shop HVAC Program – provide free HVAC consulting and rebates covering up to 60% of project costs
- One-Stop Efficiency Shop Free Smart Thermostat Program – easy way to save on energy bills
- Engineering for Efficiency (large buildings) – assistance navigating utility rebates, grant eligibility, and financing options
- CenterPoint Energy – rebate programs for businesses
- Xcel Energy Programs and Rebates – see if one of these programs works for your business
- LawHelp MN - information on filing for unemployment benefits in English, Spanish / Español, Somali / Soomaali, Hmong / Hmoob
- Minnesota Unemployment Insurance: information about benefits that you may qualify for
Home businesses in Bloomington are subject to regulation to ensure that they are imperceptible from normal residential activity, secondary and incidental to the residential use, and do not adversely affect the health safety and welfare of other persons residing in the area. Some types of home businesses are not allowed in Bloomington, and other types of home businesses require a Conditional Use Permit prior to operation.
You can find more information about home businesses at this link: Starting a Home Business
If you have questions about the regulations pertaining to home businesses, contact the Planning Division at (952) 563-8920.
- African Development Center of Minnesota (ADC) - assists Minnesota's African community in financial literacy and business development
- Asian American Business Resilience Network – find and support Asian American businesses in Minnesota
- Black Women's Wealth Alliance (BWWA) - assists Black women to obtain economic stability
- Chinese American Chamber of Commerce-MN – An SBA Community Navigator, the Chamber provides resources for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) entrepreneurs and small business owners, including SBA loan assistance, grant opportunities, business workshops, networking opportunities and more.
- Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL) - supports Asian Minnesotan organizations providing accessible, in-language support
- ConnextMSP – a network to recruit, hire and support young professionals of color
- Latino Economic Development Center - business support for the Latino community
- Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA) - helps minority entrepreneurs with services and support
- New American Development Center (NADC) - supports the East African/Somali immigrant community
Free Programs
- Business Energy Assessments – affordable whole-building assessments to Xcel Energy commercial customers in MN, identifying low- and no-cost solutions and practical capital improvements to reduce energy waste
- CEO Next - free program offering tools and techniques for CEOs who are growing or expanding their business
- CEO Now – free program for established, growth-minded business owners and founders with employees, to build and strengthen systems to keep growing
- Certified Access – connect women of color business owners to corporate and government procurement leaders
- Elevate Business Construction – eligible contractors can access free one-on-one consulting from trusted construction industry experts, up to 100 hours, valued at $10,000+
- Elevate Hennepin - offers free advising services and other resources to start a new business or take an established business to the next level.
- Learn how Elevate Hennepin helped businesses like El Guanaco Bakery in Bloomington succeed. Meet the owners of El Guanaco Bakery. Learn how working with Elevate Hennepin has amplified the bakery’s success as a small business
- Elevate Business YouTube – free video library archive of webinar and learning opportunities
- Hennepin County’s Environmental Services & Grant Opportunities – free resources and assistance, up to $3,000, for nonprofit organizations and small businesses to start or improve recycling and organics recycling, through November 14, 2022
- Launch MN – statewide collaborative effort to accelerate the growth of startups and connect to resources
- Minneapolis Business Mentors – free one-on-one services on business mentoring, webinars, business advisory council, women’s collective, and online guides and resources for all business owners
- Minnesota Inclusive Growth Fund (MIGF) - Minnesota small businesses can now apply for low interest financing of up to $200,000 from the MIGF. The Fund increases access to flexible and affordable capital and support services for small businesses across the State of Minnesota, with an emphasis on long-term recovery, growth, and businesses in low-to-moderate income or underbanked communities. Created by a group of five leading Minnesota-based small business support organizations collectively called the Catalyst Coalition, the Fund offers two types of loans for small businesses that employ 20 or fewer employees or had less than $3 million in revenue in 2019.
- Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) – free technical assistance to develop and implement industry-tailored solutions that prevent pollution at the source, maximize efficient use of resources, and reduce energy use and costs to improve public health and the environment; focus areas: Air, Energy, Waste, Water and industry-specific pages
- Minnesota Retiree Environmental Technical Assistance Program (RETAP) – employs skilled, retired professionals to provide free facility assessments and community sustainability assistance to small businesses
- SciTech Internship Program – free resource of a wage match to cover 50% of a college STEM intern’s wages, up to $2,500, ongoing program
- SCORE Twin Cities – help small businesses get off the ground and achieve their goals through education and mentorship; mentoring and learning services at no charge, including free, confidential business mentoring with SCORE certified business mentors, free business workshops, free webinars (online 24/7); online resource library with free business tools, useful templates and business development resources
- Xcel Energy for Businesses – variety of rebates and programs to assist businesses
Other Programs
- Boots to Business – B2B is an entrepreneurial education and training program for active duty service members, veterans, and spouses
- Emerging Entrepreneur Loan Program – Loans from $5,000-$150,000 for qualified small business owners
- Great Plains Americans with Disability Act (ADA) Center - tips for addressing ADA issues
- Hennepin County Patent and Trademark Resource Center – programs and assistance on navigating patenting and trademarking processes
- Minnesota Council of Non-Profits
- Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) - tools for businesses in Minnesota
- Minnesota Unemployment Insurance: Shared work – alternative to layoff program information
- Small Business Development Centers – provide professional services at no cost to participants. Training programs and specialized projects or services are provided either at no cost or for a small fee
- U.S. Small Business Administration – small business program information