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Department of Commerce

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

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 perfect home for your business, offering:

  • Reasonable office rents and cost of living.
  • A ready workforce.
  • A central location on the Northeast corridor.

We work to:

  • Attract and keep a diverse set of businesses.
  • Revitalize neighborhoods by building vibrant commercial districts.
  • Support small businesses and improve access to funding.
  • Develop a strong talent pipeline.
  • Increase contracting opportunities for minority, women, and disabled-owned businesses.

Connect

Address
1515 Arch St.
12th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Email business@phila.gov
Phone: (215) 683-2100
Social
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Our programs

Fair Chance Hiring Initiative

Reimbursing local employers who hire individuals returning from incarceration.

Business Security Camera Program

Funding for businesses to get surveillance cameras.

Storefront Improvement Program

Helping business and property owners to upgrade their storefronts.
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Posts

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Events

  • Nov
    14
    Event
    Coffee & Commerce
    10:00 am to 12:00 pm
    The Enterprise Center, 4548 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19139, USA
    Event

    Coffee & Commerce

    November 14, 2019
    10:00 am to 12:00 pm, 2 hours
    The Enterprise Center, 4548 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19139, USA
    map
    Join Philadelphia's Department of Commerce for a Coffee & Commerce in West Philadelphia. This event is being hosted in partnership with The Enterprise Center, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation, and Philadelphia Department of Revenue. 

    Coffee & Commerce includes open office hours for small businesses to meet with a business services manager. We can help new businesses launch and existing businesses thrive in Philadelphia.

    Our staff can help you with:
    • Starting a business.
    • Taxes.
    • Funding.
    • Licenses.
    • City programs.
    • Technical assistance.

    RSVP for the free event.
  • Nov
    19
    Event
    Advisory Boards: “Miracle-Gro” for Small Businesses (Fall Session with PIDC)
    7:30 am to 10:00 am
    1500 Market Street, Suite 3500 West, Philadelphia, PA 19102
    Event

    Advisory Boards: “Miracle-Gro” for Small Businesses (Fall Session with PIDC)

    November 19, 2019
    7:30 am to 10:00 am, 3 hours
    1500 Market Street, Suite 3500 West, Philadelphia, PA 19102
    map
    Advisory boards can add tremendous value for small business owners who are committed to achieving profitable and sustainable growth for their businesses. In this Workshop presented by ATHENAPowerlink® of the Delaware Valley, a panel of experts and entrepreneurs will share information, experience, and advice about the following: --Developing and managing your high-impact advisory board: *how your business can benefit from an advisory board *how to identify your advisory board members *how to work effectively with your advisory board --How ATHENAPowerlink® assembles advisory panels of volunteer experts customized to help women business owners to jump-start their business growth. WHO SHOULD ATTEND?: Men and women small business owners who have built strong business foundations and who want to leverage the expertise and experience of a panel of experts to take their business to the “next level.” Register: http://www.pidcphila.com/events/advisory-boards-miracle-gro-small-businesses-fall
  • Nov
    19
    Event
    Entrepreneurial Success Workshop Series (ESWS)
    6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
    1510 Cecil B. Moore Ave. Second Floor. Philadelphia, PA 19130
    Event

    Entrepreneurial Success Workshop Series (ESWS)

    November 19, 2019
    6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, 3 hours
    1510 Cecil B. Moore Ave. Second Floor. Philadelphia, PA 19130
    map
    The Entrepreneurial Success Workshop Series (ESWS) is a ten-week program designed to provide aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools and information needed to create a professional business plan. The ESWS covers all of the basics you need to know to start a small business venture as well as grow an existing one.

    In the first two courses of the series, students in the class conduct a feasibility study to find out if they have a viable business plan. In the next six courses, students learn how to conduct market research, competitive intelligence and how to create financial statements. In the final section of the series, the students present their completed business plans. The benefit of this class is that all students produce a business plan by the end of the class, which enables them to receive management consulting from the SBDC and in turn further their business.


    The Entrepreneurial Success Workshop Series (ESWS) offers two payment options:


    Discounted Plan - pay in full $320.00 at the time of registration.


    Payment Plan – requires a $130.00 down payment due at the time of registration and two additional payments of $110 each which will be due on the 3rd and 5th weeks respectively. The total cost for the payment plan is $350.00.  



    Dates:

    9/17/2019 (TUESDAY)9/24/2019 (TUESDAY)
    10/1/2019 (TUESDAY)
    10/8/20 (TUESDAY)
    10/15/2019 (TUESDAY)
    10/22/2019 (TUESDAY)
    10/29/2019 (TUESDAY)
    11/5/2019 (TUESDAY)
    11/12/2019 (TUESDAY)

    11/19/2019 (TUESDAY)

    Register Link: https://noncredit.temple.edu/public/category/courseCategoryCertificateProfile.do?method=load&from=courseprofile&certificateId=6512195&
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