Congratulations on choosing Venice, Florida to start or relocate your business! To help get your business going as quickly as possible, here are some helpful links and resources. For COVID-19 related local resources, CLICK HERE.

LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
These nonprofit organizations offer services such as local business resources, support and networking.

Venice MainStreet, Inc.
101 W. Venice Ave, Suite 23
Venice, FL 34285
(941) 484-6722
Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00AM-5:00PM
info@venicemainstreet.com
VisitVeniceFL.org
visitvenicefl.org/join-venice-mainstreet/

MISSION
The mission of Venice MainStreet is to enhance the quality of life in our community by preserving, protecting and promoting Historic Downtown Venice.

Venice Area Chamber of Commerce
597 Tamiami Trail S
Venice, FL 34285
(941) 488-2236
Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
VeniceChamber.com
venicechamber.com/membership/

MISSION
The mission of the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce is to promote business growth and success. The Venice Area Chamber of Commerce believes in creating a dynamic environment for a thriving, vibrant, and prosperous business community for the greater Venice area.

Business and Professional Women / Englewood & Venice
P.O. Box 611
Englewood, FL 34295
info@bpwev.org
bpwev.org

The mission of BPWEV is to achieve equity for all women through advocacy, education and information. BPW celebrated its 100th birthday in 2019. The organization strongly believes in “Women Helping Women.” 10 reasons to join BPW:
– Impact
– Networking
– Advocacy
– Education/Career Enhancement
– Information
– Leadership
– Visibility
– Helping Others
– Membership Benefits/Discounts
– Friendships

BNI (Business Network International) Southwest Florida
Gina Herald, Southwest Florida Regional Director
GinaHerald@bni.com
(855) 264-2673
bniswfl.com

BNI’s purpose is to help businesses, large and small, grow their business and make more money! BNI is the world’s largest business networking and referral organization and its culture, which is built upon the philosophy of Givers Gain®, is unique. This is a culture of caring about giving business, professional development and building consistent, proactive and reciprocal business relationships. BNI helps members develop a structured, positive, and professional referral marketing program which provides them opportunities to:
– Gain new business
– Receive business education
– Improve business networking skills with positive business people
– Speak about business before an audience of positive, like-minded business people
– Develop business relationships and create a group of trusted advisors
– Network and communicate with more than 250,000 members in 76 countries

CITY RESOURCES

Venice, Florida Municipal Government (City of Venice)
City Hall
401 W. Venice Ave 
Venice, FL 34285
(941) 486-2626
VeniceGov.com

Local Business Tax Receipt
All businesses, including home-based businesses, within the city limits must have a local business tax receipt before opening. All businesses are subject to local zoning approval. It is best to check local zoning laws before entering into any contractual obligations. After filing for a local business tax receipt, business owners will be notified of any inspections needed.
venicegov.com/government/planning-and-zoning/business-tax-copy

Construction Permits
venicegov.com/government/engineering/permits-forms-and-applications

Planning and Zoning
The Planning and Zoning Department guides growth and development by initiating current and long-range planning activities. These activities are performed through implementation of the Land Development Code, review and management of new development projects, the coordination and development of sector area plans, and the city’s comprehensive plan. The department presents recommendations ensuring growth and change is consistent with the land development ordinance and the comprehensive plan. 
venicegov.com/government/planning-and-zoning

Building and Code Enforcement
The Building and Code Enforcement Department facilitates and administers code enforcement in relation to violations of the city’s code of ordinances and provides permitting and inspection needs to residents, contractors and developers.
venicegov.com/government/building-and-code/building-code-enforcement

COUNTY RESOURCES

Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Sarasota County
The Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County is a team of engaged public and private leaders committed to being the catalyst for a sustainable, globally competitive, vibrant economy. Download the EDC’s Small Business Ecosystem, a resource to guide companies through the landscape of business assistance that exists in Sarasota County. CLICK HERE
1680 Fruitville Road, Suite 402
Sarasota, FL 34236
(941) 309-1200
edcsarasotacounty.com

Sarasota County Business Tax Receipt
The Sarasota County Business Tax is to be paid when a business begins operation and is in addition to any other fees paid to operate a business. The tax does not transfer so if you purchase a business you must register and pay the tax when you begin operation.
(941) 861-8300, option 3
To register: sarasotataxcollector.com/services/tax-services/business-tax/new-business
More info: sarasotataxcollector.com/services/tax-services/business-tax

Visit Sarasota County
The VSC is the official destination marketing organization for the Sarasota County region, presenting our community as the ideal location for leisure visits, meetings, reunions, wedding and sporting events. We provide targeted exposure with regional, national and global audiences, direct sales opportunities, visitor experience opportunities, free educational events and extensive social media endeavors that feature our partners.

Last year, the economic impact from visitors to Sarasota County was more than $2.9 billion. Over 2.7 million visitors enjoyed our region in 2019! Our partners-first philosophy means that more than 521 businesses are first in line to welcome those visitors and deliver a destination experience. Collectively, our tourism efforts mean new money is spent in our community which supports jobs, lowers taxes and improves amenities in our area. Click here for partner resources.
Contact: Erin Hurter
Partnership Development Manager
ehurter@visitsarasota.org
Office: 941-955-0991 ext 104
visitsarasota.com

STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS AND FLORIDA GOVERNMENT RESOURCES

Enterprise Florida, Inc.
Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) partners with outside organizations to provide small, minority and entrepreneurial companies with training, development and financing options. EFI has an extensive network of state, federal and non-profit resources ready to assist small businesses in accessing capital, entering new markets, and creating revenue growth and job creation. To learn more CLICK HERE.

Florida Business Information Portal
The portal is designed to help individuals seeking to start and operate a business in the Sunshine State. By entering the type of business you wish to start, the portal will create a checklist to help you understand governmental requirements for your business category. The portal focuses on State of Florida government requirements and resources for businesses and professionals. The checklists also include information about local requirements.
openmyfloridabusiness.gov

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
Florida is committed to increasing its global competitiveness as a destination for business, capital, talent, innovation and entrepreneurship. The Department of Economic Opportunity utilizes public and private sector expertise to attract, retain and grow businesses and create jobs in Florida. For resources to connect you with those partners and opportunities for your business in Florida CLICK HERE.

Florida Main Street Guide to Grants
Searching for grants can be an overwhelming task. This document outlines relevant grants to Florida Main Street communities. This is not an exhaustive list of grants, and may be subject to change. CLICK HERE

Florida Resource Directory
The Florida Resource Directory is a searchable database that can be searched by Agency, Category of Assistance, Program or Keyword as shown below. Once you have found a program you are interested in, you can print the page or access the associated website and/or link to the program’s contact for more detailed information and/or an application.
fmw.state.fl.us

Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality industry trade association. FRLA’s more than 10,000 members include independent hoteliers and restaurateurs, household name franchises, theme parks and suppliers. 

MISSION
The association’s mission is to protect, educate and promote Florida’s $111.7 billion hospitality industry which represents 1.5 million employees. Dedicated to safeguarding the needs of the membership, FRLA provides legislative advocacy to ensure the voices of its members are heard and their interests are protected. The association offers regulatory compliance and food safety training through SafeStaff® and FRLA’s subsidiary, RCS Training. The FRLA Educational Foundation provides industry-developed, career-building high school programs throughout the state.
frla.org

Florida Small Business Development Center Network (for Southwest Florida region) 
The FSBDCN serves as the statewide single point of contact for the advancement of an entrepreneurial environment; thus, creating a positive foundation for the development and growth of existing and emerging businesses in Florida. The Network’s focus on the critical needs of businesses drives its direction and performance expectations. The Florida SBDC Network is the most experienced economic development network serving Floridians statewide.
sbdctampabay.com

Florida Trend: Small Business Resource Guide
The Florida Small Business Resource Guide contains important contacts and outlines critical services available to support the goals and aims of entrepreneurs, whether looking to start or expand a business in the Sunshine State. From organizations like CareerSource Florida and Enterprise Florida to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and the state’s network of Small Business Development Centers, our team is working to cultivate success for small businesses.
floridatrend.com/small-business

Small Business Resource Network (for Southwest Florida region)
Many owners of small businesses have specific legal, financial and insurance questions that go unanswered, and not just at start-up or time of expansion. Day-to-day operations of a small to medium-sized business encounter many challenges. This is why the Small Business Development Centers at universities around the state have joined together to sponsor the Small Business Resource Network (SBRN).
sbrn.org

State of Florida Government
The State of Florida is your first stop to set up the proper documents you will need. This includes setting up an identification number for the IRS and registering the business with the Florida Department of State.
sunbiz.org/startbus.html

FEDERAL RESOURCES

Small Business Administration- U.S. Government
The Small Business Administration has many great resources to help you plan and organize your business.
sba.gov

Disaster Preparedness Planning for Your Business
You need a plan for when your business might be impacted by natural disasters such as red tide, hurricanes and tornadoes, as well as closures as a result of public health concerns during a pandemic. The Ready Business Toolkit series includes hazard-specific versions for earthquake, hurricane, inland flooding, power outage, and severe wind/tornado. Toolkits offer business leaders a step-by-step guide to build preparedness within an organization. Each toolkit contains the following sections: Identify Your Risk, Develop A Plan, Take Action, and Be Recognized and Inspire Others.
ready.gov/business
Emergency Response Plan PDF download
Business Continuity Plan PDF download