Get Marketing Help from NM True

Businesses in the tourism sector can get financial assistance for advertising by participating in the New Mexico Tourism Department’s Cooperative Advertising program. Applications to participate in the fiscal year 2023 will be accepted March 1 through April 8, 2022, but applicants are required to complete the Partner Priorities & Situation Assessment Survey by February 7 to be eligible for funding.

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Social Media – Made Manageable

Creative Startups, known for its business accelerator programs, is offering a series of workshops designed for businesses in the outdoor recreation and experience industries. The series will focus on social media and will enable business owners to build or improve online sales and marketing.

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SBA 504 Loans Offer Low Interest Rates

Popular pies from L’il Willie’s Shenanigans, the Red River ice cream and sweets shop owned by Kelley and Steve Cherry.

Kelley and Steve Cherry were so pleased with the experience of securing a loan to buy one commercial building in Red River that they want to buy another building the same way.

The couple worked with Century Bank to obtain a U.S. Small Business Administration 504 loan to purchase the building they previously leased for their 3-year-old ice cream and sweets shop, L’il Willie’s Shenanigans. They hope to use the same strategy to buy the building from which they’ve operated Shotgun Willie’s Café for the past decade.

The appeal of 504 loans is that interest rates are fixed at a significantly lower rate than traditional banks offer for commercial real estate loans, and borrowers get lots of help from lenders and the certified development companies that evaluate 504 loan packages for the SBA. The nonprofit Enchantment Land Certified Development Company played that role for the Cherrys.

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Apply Now for Leveraged Project Assistance

Applications are now being accepted by the New Mexico Small Business Assistance (NMSBA) Program, which provides New Mexico small businesses facing technical challenges access to the unique expertise and capabilities of Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories. At no cost to the business, small businesses can seek assistance from lab scientists and engineers to solve challenges and overcome barriers to company success. 

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BizSprints: Targeted Business Acceleration

BizSprints are free accelerator programs that offer one-on-one consulting sessions, expert speakers, and supportive advisors that guide participants through exploring potential new markets. Some Sprints also offer guidance to expand digital footprints and obtain capital funding.

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Propel Your Innovation

The New Mexico SBIR/STTR Innovation Summit will be held virtually on December 15, 2021, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM MDT. The Summit brings together small businesses, federal program managers, defense representatives, experts, and local organizations vested in driving innovation through the SBIR and STTR programs. The event offers opportunities for entrepreneurs to discuss their innovations with experts in one-on-one meetings.

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EIDL Program Begins to Wind Down

Business owners and nonprofit organizations can apply for the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), which provides financial assistance for small businesses to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could have been met had the COVID-19 disaster not occurred. The deadline to apply is December 31, 2021; however, the SBA has issued application guidelines to ensure that everyone who could benefit from the program is able to access it before it ends.

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NMSBA Program Demystified

Northern New Mexico business owners can learn about the New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program (NMSBA) on December 14 at Project Y in Los Alamos. The event is one of many that have taken place across the state this year and that will continue into 2022. NMSBA program managers provide details about the free business assistance that ranges from testing, research, and development of new products and technologies to manufacturing advice provided by scientists at New Mexico’s national laboratories and NMSBA partner organizations.

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