Lackawanna County owners can get free business advising and information from public and nonprofit organizations before seeking funding. Orchardmark Financial, a small-business funding broker in Scranton, Pennsylvania, lists the kinds of help available and what to ask, with no affiliation to any of them. Lending partners, not Orchardmark, make every credit decision.
No affiliation, plainly stated
Orchardmark Financial has no partnership or affiliation with the SBA, any Small Business Development Center, Lackawanna County, the City of Scranton, any economic development organization or any chamber of commerce. We list them because they are useful to owners, and because free advice before applying usually makes for a better request.
One-on-one advising: the SBDC
Searches for an SBDC in Scranton, PA are common. Small Business Development Centers offer advising on business plans, financial projections and preparing for financing, generally at no cost to the owner. An advisor can review the cash flow projection that a partner will ask about, before the partner sees it.
County economic development
Owners search for the Lackawanna County department of economic development, and for its longer name with planning included. County economic development offices typically help with site selection, local programs and connections to other agencies. Ask what programs exist for the size and type of business you run, and whether any of them work alongside private financing.
The chamber of commerce
The Scranton chamber of commerce is another frequent search. Chambers offer networking, member directories and sometimes referrals to lenders, accountants and attorneys. Membership is usually paid; ask what is open to non-members.
The SBA
The U.S. Small Business Administration operates through district offices and the lenders that take part in its programs. It is the place to ask about SBA-backed loan programs, which Orchardmark Financial does not arrange.
State registrations and taxes
Entity formation, fictitious names and state tax registration run through Pennsylvania state agencies. Our guides to fictitious name registration and the sales tax license explain why those records matter to a funding partner.
City and county websites
Local tax, registration, zoning and permit information comes from the City of Scranton and Lackawanna County. Both official websites blocked automated checks when this guide was prepared, so verify every page directly.
Questions worth asking each office
- Which services are free, and which carry a fee or require membership?
- Is there help preparing financial projections or a cash flow forecast?
- Are there programs for a business of my size, sector and location in the county?
- Can you review a funding offer I have already received?
The last question is worth asking even after you have spoken with us. A second, independent reading of an offer costs nothing at a free advising office.
Grants
Orchardmark Financial neither offers nor arranges grants. If a grant is what you are after, ask the economic development office and the SBDC which programs, if any, apply to your business.
What to bring to a free advising session
- Last year's tax return and year-to-date profit and loss.
- The last three to six months of business bank statements, in full.
- A one-page description of what the money would do and how it would be repaid.
- Every existing debt, lease and advance, listed.
The same packet serves for a funding request later. Lackawanna County had 5,198 employer establishments in 2023, half with fewer than five employees (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023), so most owners arrive at these offices without a finance department behind them; preparation makes the session count.
When you are ready to talk funding
The six funding structures and how a term loan is structured are good places to start. The city page has county figures, and every guide on the site is listed together.
By Orchardmark Financial · Updated
