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Department of Commerce

Making Philadelphia a business-friendly city where companies choose to start, stay, and grow.

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Department of Commerce

Services

Meet your area’s business services manager
Find loans through the Philadelphia Business Lending Network
Do business with the City
Register as a minority, woman, or disabled-owned business
Find location and zoning information
Pay your business taxes
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What we do

The Department of Commerce helps businesses—large and small—thrive in Philadelphia. Philadelphia is the ideal home for your business, offering:

  • A central location along the Northeast corridor.
  • A ready and talented workforce.
  • Competitive office rents and commercial real estate costs.
  • Vibrant commercial districts and growing innovation industries.
  • World-class dining, history, and cultural attractions.

We work to:

  • Attract and grow a diverse set of businesses.
  • Revitalize neighborhood commercial districts throughout the city.
  • Support small businesses and improve their access to funding.
  • Build a strong talent pipeline.
  • Increase economic opportunities for historically underserved business owners.

Connect

Address
1515 Arch St.
12th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Email business@phila.gov
Phone: (215) 683-2100
Social
Facebook
Twitter
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Business Resource Finder

Looking for guidance or support?

Connect with organizations that can help you start, run, and grow your business.

Go to the finder

Programs

The Catalyst Fund

Fueling the growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs in Philadelphia.

Storefront Improvement Program

Helping business and property owners to upgrade their storefronts.
Man on a ladder installing a security camera.

Business Security Camera Program

Funding for businesses to get surveillance cameras.

PHL Taking Care of Business Clean Corridors Program

Creating employment opportunities for residents while keeping Philadelphia’s neighborhood commercial corridors clean.
A woman working at her small business.

Quality Jobs Program

Investing in businesses that create new jobs with living wages and health insurance benefits for Philadelphia residents.
An open hand holding a key

Commercial Real Estate Acquisition Loan (CREAL) Program

Funding small businesses to purchase commercial property or real estate.
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Posts

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Events

  • May
    16
    Event
    Webinar: Onboarding Shareholders for Small Businesses
    11:00 am to 12:00 pm
    Online
    Event

    Webinar: Onboarding Shareholders for Small Businesses

    May 16, 2025
    11:00 am to 12:00 pm, 1 hour
    Online
    map

    Join Philadelphia VIP and Dilworth Paxson LLP on April 16 for a free legal webinar.

    This webinar, led by H. Lee Schwartzberg, will cover the legal considerations of onboarding shareholders. Learn about percentage shares, contract enforcement, negotiation, and more, to ensure you are prepared when bringing on a new business partner.

    The webinar is free and open to Philly-area small businesses. The webinar will be held via Zoom and will last approximately one hour, with time for a brief Q&A at the end.

    Register today.

  • May
    21
    Event
    OEO Doing Business in the City: Breaking Barriers for Entrepreneurs
    1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
    Online
    Event

    OEO Doing Business in the City: Breaking Barriers for Entrepreneurs

    May 21, 2025
    1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, 2 hours
    Online
    map

    The Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) offers Doing Business in the City Workshops to help businesses navigate opportunities, resources, and processes for successfully contracting with the City of Philadelphia. These workshops are designed to support minority-, women-, and disabled-owned businesses (M/W/DSBEs) by providing guidance on:

    • City procurement processes
    • Certification requirements for becoming a registered M/W/DSBE
    • How to find and bid on City contracts
    • Networking opportunities with City departments, agencies, and prime contractors

    The workshops equip businesses with the knowledge and tools needed to access City contracts, expand capacity, and grow sustainably, aligning with Philadelphia's commitment to economic opportunity for all.

    Presenter: Jonathan Sklar, Vice President, Business Community Officer, Bank of America

    Topic: Breaking Barriers for Entrepreneurs: Complimentary Resources to take your Business to the Next Level

    Register for this workshop.

  • May
    27
    Event
    Coffee and Commerce: Choosing the Best Legal Structure for Your Business
    9:00 am to 12:00 pm
    Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church (East), 2800 W Cheltenham Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19150, USA
    Event

    Coffee and Commerce: Choosing the Best Legal Structure for Your Business

    May 27, 2025
    9:00 am to 12:00 pm, 3 hours
    Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church (East), 2800 W Cheltenham Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19150, USA
    map

    Join the Department of Commerce, for our Coffee and Commerce event series! These events are designed to empower the growth of businesses with resources, knowledge and connections. Each session offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to hear from industry leaders and specialists on key topics that will help them start, operate, and grow their businesses in Philadelphia.

    This discussion will provide insights on how legal structure impacts every aspect of starting and growing a business. Our speaker, Peter Robau, will break down the various business structure options and provide practice guidance on how to choose the one that best aligns with your goals, risk tolerance, and growth plans.

    Topic: Choosing the Best Legal Structure for Your Business

    Our Speaker: Peter Robau, Clinical Supervisor and Lecturer, Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School

    Resource Partners

    • LA21
    • Department of Commerce, Mayor's Business Action Team
    • City of Philadelphia, Office of Workforce Solutions
    • Department of Revenue
    • Department of Licenses and Inspections
    • University of Pennsylvania, Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic
    • Black Squirrel
    • City of Philadelphia, Office of Emergency Management
    • Monument Advisory Group

    Register here. 
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Press Releases

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