INVENTORS RESOURCES Resources include The Inventors’ Network, LegalCORPS Inventor Assistance Program (IAP) (free legal representation to low-income inventors seeking to patent their innovations with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO)), and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Depository Office, Inventors Assistance Center (IAC). A listing of these organizations can be found in the Resource Directory section of this Guide. MINNESOTA STATE All colleges and universities within the Minnesota State system provide programs for small business owners. These programs range from the certificate level to the master’s degree. Some programs are focused on comprehensive business management such as the business marketing and management (A.A.S. degree) and the business administration master’s degree. Other programs contain a number of courses which small business owners or those intending to become small business owners would find useful. In addition to the above programs which result in an academic credential, Minnesota State’s community and technical colleges also offer a large variety of non-credit workshops and seminars worthwhile to small business owners. These educational opportunities are available either through open enrollment to the public or through customized contracts with individual business. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONS Regional development commissions are established by statute to coordinate and conduct regional planning activities for the counties, cities and towns which comprise the region. The commissions are responsible for preparing and adopting a regional development plan which prescribes the policies, goals, standards, and programs for the orderly development of the region. By statute, the plan must address the physical, economic and social needs of the region, including land use, parks and open space, access to sunlight for solar energy systems, airports, highways, transit facilities, hospitals, libraries, schools, housing and public buildings. The commissions review applications for federal and state loans and grants, conduct urban and rural research, coordinate civil defense, community shelter planning and flood plain management within the region and may contract to provide services and technical assistance to local units of government in the conduct of local planning and development activities. A list of the regional development commissions, the counties they include, and the office addresses can be found in the Resource Directory section of this Guide. EXPORT / IMPORT ASSISTANCE The U.S. Commerce Department, U.S. Commercial Service; Small Business Administration (SBA), Export Assistance Centers; U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) and the Export-Import Bank of the United States are resources for information on federal export finance programs, exporting training and publications.
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