The following organizations offer support with advising, education, financing and networking.

Adelante Mujeres

Habla Español

Helps entrepreneurs launch successful and sustainable small businesses through training, networking experience, technical assistance and access to capital.

Email | Web | 503-992-0078

Craft3

Nonprofit CDFI that makes loans to growing and start-up businesses.

Email | Web | 888-231-2170

Hacienda CDC

Habla Español

Specializes in resources for food-based businesses, offering a 3-week food business bootcamp for start-ups, access to commercial kitchen space and sales opportunities.

Email | Web | 971-280-3825

Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber

Habla Español

Provide a variety of business assistance including start-up, expansion, business plan development, marketing, networking sessions, small business loans, guidance with contracts and procurement, and more.

Email | Web | 503-222-0280

Livelihood NW

 Habla Español

 Provides free and low cost business consulting including drop-in 1:1 advising, workshops, long-term business support, bookkeeping training, tools & resources to underserved businesses ranging from start up to advanced growth. 

Email | Web | 503-990-8255

MESO

Habla Español

Services offered include business strategies and implementation, access to capital/financing capacity building, branding/websites, and marketing, among others.

Email | Web | 503-841-3351

Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs

Habla Español

Promotes and develops entrepreneurship and economic development for ethnic minorities through a variety of business support services.

Email | Web | 503-249-7744

Oregon Entrepreneurs Network

Helps entrepreneurs start up and scale up by connecting them to peers, mentors, funding, and hands-on training.

Email | Web | 503-222-2270

PCC Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

Habla Español

Combines one-on-one business advising with training programs taught by business experts, giving small business clients at all stages of business development the resources they need to grow.

Contact | Web | 971-722-5080

PBDG

PBDG provides advocacy, access to upcoming job opportunities, education and training to ensure the success of COBID certified firms in the construction industry.

Email | Web

SCORE Portland

Free business advising, counseling, and education provided by former business owners with in-depth, practical experience running and managing businesses.

Email | Web | 503-326-5211

Small Business Legal Clinic

Provides transactional legal services to low-income small and emerging businesses and nonprofits.

Email | Web | 503-768-6940

Tigard Chamber of Commerce

Tigard Chamber of Commerce is made up of over 300 member businesses. Members leverage each other’s reach and expand connections, share knowledge and provide support to help your business soar.

Email | Web | 503-639-1656

XXcelerate

XXcelerate provides business support, education and pathways to funding for Oregon's women entrepreneurs, helping them to grow their businesses, connect with resources and peer support, and scale profitably.

Contact | Web | 971-288-3567

Los Empresarios de Tigard - Construir un ecosistema de emprendedores que conecte a los propietarios y emprendedores de negocios Latinx de Tigard con servicios y recursos de asesoramiento empresarial para ayudarles a crecer y prosperar.

10 pasos para lanzar una pequeña empresa - ¿Desea unirse a nuestra creciente comunidad de negocios? El Departamento de Desarrollo Económico de Tigard le puede ayudar proporcionándole las herramientas para lanzar, desarrollar, manejar y crecer su empresa. Aunque abrir un negocio puede ser abrumador, esta guía le ayudará en su camino para convertir en una realidad la empresa de sus sueños

Regulaciones de carritos de comida - Información que necesita para abrir un negocio de carritos de comida en Tigard.

Información de licencia comercial - Cualquiera que participe en cualquier negocio dentro de los límites de la ciudad deberá pagar una tarifa de licencia comercial.

Beca de formación empresarial - La Beca de Capacitación Empresarial de la Ciudad de Tigard ofrece a los propietarios de negocios y empresarios un reembolso de hasta el 50 por ciento del costo de los servicios de asesoramiento empresarial, capacitación y cursos.

Advance Tigard - Un programa de promoción profesional que ayuda a los residentes de Tigard que trabajan en las empresas de la ciudad. 

If you want to operate a business in the City of Tigard, you will need a business license. The fee for a business license is paid annually, and the fee amount varies depending on your number of employees. Visit the City of Tigard’s Business License page for the latest fee schedule.

How to Apply for a City of Tigard Business License

• Download an Application
• Apply In Person: Tigard City Hall, 13125 SW Hall Blvd, Tigard, OR 97223

Additional Considerations

Register & Setup Your Business

• Federal: Apply online for your Employer Identification Number (EIN). This allows you to report and pay federal employee taxes.
• State of Oregon: Businesses operating in Oregon must register with the State. A Business Identification Number (BIN) will be assigned to you, allowing you to report and pay Oregon payroll taxes.

Home Occupation Permit
Required if you are doing business out of your home. Visit our Business License page for more information and to apply online (navigate to the “Other Permits May Be Required” tab).

Building Permits
Contact the City of Tigard Building Department at 503-718-2439 or tigardbuildingpermits@tigard-or.gov to determine if building permits are needed. You may need building permits for a change in use even when no changes to the building are proposed.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Oregon requires all employers to have workers’ compensation insurance on their employees. The Small Business Ombudsman provides information and assistance to small businesses regarding workers’ compensation insurance.

Mobile Food Carts in Tigard
Interested in opening a food cart in Tigard? Read this handout for rules and regulations. (En español)

Food Service License
Food businesses must be licensed with Washington County. Licensed food service facilities include operations that provide food to the public for immediate consumption. Contact Washington County Department of Health and Human Services at 503-846-4402.

Liquor Control Commission (State of Oregon)
Businesses that manufacture, distribute or sell alcoholic beverages in Oregon must have a liquor license. Apply online / view more information.

Los Empresarios de Tigard
City of Tigard program to connect Latinx entrepreneurs to the services and support they need to launch and grow successful businesses.

United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
America’s largest Hispanic business organization, promoting the growth, development and interests of Hispanic-owned businesses.

Minority Business Development Agency
Promotes the growth of minority-owned business through the mobilization and advancement of public and private sector programs, policy, and research.

National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
NAWBO is a one-stop resource to help propel women business owners into greater economic, social and political spheres of power worldwide.

Small Business Administration Office of Women’s Business Ownership
Seeks to enable and empower women entrepreneurs through advocacy, outreach, education and support.

Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs
Non-profit with a mission to promote and develop entrepreneurship and economic development for ethnic minorities in Oregon and SW Washington. Offers free technical assistance, business counseling, and access to capital.

Women Entrepreneurs of Southern Oregon (WESO)
WESO is a community of dynamic entrepreneurs helping each other achieve business goals through networking, education, and inspiration.

Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber
Works to increase the economic advancement of Latinos in Oregon and SW Washington. Provides one-on-one technical assistance, networking events, and business seminars, among other services.

Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity
The sole certification authority for the State of Oregon, providing a certification process that opens the door to targeted government contracting opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses.

AVITA
Offers consulting services with results driven training classes for women, minorities, and persons with disabilities that are starting or growing a business.

Small Business Administration Office of Native American Affairs
Works to ensure that American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians have full access to the necessary business development and expansion tools available through entrepreneurial development, lending and procurement programs.

Our Native American Business Network (ONABEN)
Non-profit created to increase the success of Native American owned businesses.

National Minority Supplier Development Council
Advances business opportunities for certified minority business enterprises and connects them to corporate members who wish to purchase their products, services and solutions.

BESThq
Provides a sustainable business community servicing and supporting small and historically underutilized entrepreneurs.

Elevate Capital
Early stage fund that invests in aspiring under-served entrepreneurs with disruptive ideas and products.

PDX Impact
Aims to build a diverse investment community that focuses on underserved businesses, and financial technology that promotes economic opportunity, resilience, and capacity for women, immigrant, minority and veteran-owned businesses.

XXcelerate Women
Provides business support, education and pathways to funding for Oregon's women entrepreneurs, helping them to grow their businesses, connect with resources and peer support, and scale profitably.

Tigard based firms employ more than 42,400 people. Our partners in workforce development are WorkSystems and WorkSource. These partners manage several programs that increase business competitiveness and employee retention by supporting employers' commitment to skill-up their existing workforce.

Here are some more programs that help you develop your workforce.

Advance Tigard
Advance Tigard is a career advancement program that helps Tigard residents working in Tigard at Tigard-based businesses. Managed by the City of Tigard’s economic development team in partnership with non-profit partner Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), this program provides a matching grant for career education/training when an employer and employee work together to develop a training and advancement plan and make a financial commitment to advancing the employee's career.

WorkSource Oregon
On-the-Job Training Overview - Provides training cost reimbursement for qualifying positions.

ProStep
Employee Training Assistance Fund – Provides grants funds to help advanced manufacturing, IT and software companies enhance employee skills.

SummerWorks
Addressing youth employment crisis through summer jobs.

Tigard based companies that export can tap into 95% of the worldwide consumer market. This region doubled exports in the last decade. These resources can help you grow your customer base.

Export Promotion Program
Business Oregon and SBA matching funds for overseas trade shows and trade missions. Tigard businesses that participate in overseas trade shows gain the opportunity to meet potential buyers, test market interest and evaluate the competition. A trade mission can be a cost effective way to meet potential distributors and buyers, secure licensing agreements and explore joint venture opportunities. This program helps cover the cost of these sales tools.

Trade.gov
Tigard businesses have easy access to experts in international trade through the International Trade Administration office in Portland. Looking to make your first export sale or expand to additional international markets? These local professionals offer the trade counseling, market intelligence, business matchmaking, and commercial diplomacy you need to connect with lucrative business opportunities.