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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
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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

  • Oct
    22
    Event
    PIDC: Cultivating Growth with Mentors & Masterminds
    7:30 am to 10:00 am
    1500 Market Street, Suite 3500 West, Philadelphia, PA 19102
    Event

    PIDC: Cultivating Growth with Mentors & Masterminds

    October 22, 2019
    7:30 am to 10:00 am, 3 hours
    1500 Market Street, Suite 3500 West, Philadelphia, PA 19102
    map
    Chapter leaders of the NAWBO (National Organization of Women business Owners) of Greater Philadelphia will share the benefits of mentors and mastermind groups that are the core of the Semi-Circle program designed to help women business owners overcome growth challenges. For the women business owners who participate each year, Semi-Circle provides a year of activities designed to teach them different ways to grow their businesses and increase profitability. These activities include the following: --Virtual monthly mastermind with your peers and a trained facilitator --Monthly podcasts interviewing million-dollar women business owners on a variety of topics such as government contracting and growing by acquisition, to name a few --Quarterly dinner meetings with your peers, mentors, and guest speakers --A woman business leader mentor carefully matched with each participant to provide: *advice *business best practices *contacts In this session, NAWBO Semi-Circle leaders, and alumni who have overcome growth challenges, will discuss their experiences and answer questions from women business owners who would like to participate. Register: http://www.pidcphila.com/events/cultivating-growth-mentors-masterminds
  • Oct
    22
    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)

    October 22, 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&
  • Oct
    24
    Event
    October Temple Business Roundtable: East Passyunk
    6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
    1526 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia PA 19147-6332
    Event

    October Temple Business Roundtable: East Passyunk

    October 24, 2019
    6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, 2 hours
    1526 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia PA 19147-6332
    map
    Date: 10/24/2019 6pm Registration Deadline: 10/24/2019 8:00 AM (EDT) Fee: No Fee Point of Contact: Jamie Shanker-Passero (215) 204-2375 Center: Temple University SBDC Location: 1526 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia PA 19147-6332 Training Topics: Managing a Business Description: In collaboration with the East Passyunk Business Improvement District, we are hosting a panel focused on B2C/retail entrepreneurship. Thank you to Urban Jungle for hosting.
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Press releases

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