Berks Connect
For Business Owners

Berks County Small Business Resources: Who Does What

Which Berks County office helps with consulting, mentors, loans, hiring, licenses and legal help, what each costs, and how to start. Checked Sept. 2, 2026.

Berks Connect Blog|Published September 2, 2026
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If you run a business in Berks County, or you are about to, this page is the list of the offices that will help you, most of them for free.

Who to call for a business plan, a mentor, a loan, a hire, a license, a legal problem or a market report.

Each office is described the same way: what it is for, what it costs, how you start, where it sits, when it is open, and the date we checked. A phone number that rings in the wrong room is worse than no number at all.

How the page works:

  • The table right below routes you by problem.
  • Each office then gets its own section with the details.
  • Near the end: what changed recently (two renamings and a moved website), and the questions owners ask most.

If you only read one line, start with four desks:

  • Kutztown University Small Business Development Center for no-cost consulting.
  • SCORE for a free volunteer mentor.
  • PA CareerLink Berks County for hiring.
  • Finanta (formerly Community First Fund) or the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance's lending desk for money.

While you work down the list, claim or add your free business page on BerksConnect so the number people find for you is the one that rings.

Berks County small business resources, by problem.

Checked September 2, 2026. Not listed means the organization's pages did not post a cost; ask when you call.

If you need Start with Cost Checked
A business plan or financials reviewed Kutztown University SBDC No cost Sept. 2, 2026
A free volunteer mentor SCORE Delaware Valley, Reading office Free Sept. 2, 2026
A small business loan or microloan Finanta (formerly Community First Fund) Not listed Sept. 2, 2026
A loan of typically $50,000 to $200,000, with private matching money PA Loan Catalyst Fund, through the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance Not listed Sept. 2, 2026
A bond-financed expansion Berks County Industrial Development Authority Not listed Sept. 2, 2026
Help hiring or training staff PA CareerLink Berks County, Business Services Free postings and candidate search Sept. 2, 2026
Help in Spanish Kutztown University SBDC or the Berks County Latino Chamber of Commerce No cost at the SBDC Sept. 2, 2026
A civil legal problem you cannot afford a lawyer for MidPenn Legal Services Free, income-qualified Sept. 2, 2026
A business license or zoning answer in Reading City of Reading Citizens' Service Center and Zoning Office License fee $55.00 Sept. 2, 2026
Market research databases Reading Public Library reference desk Not listed Sept. 2, 2026
Food safety or farmers market training Penn State Extension, Berks County Free to $145.00 by course Sept. 2, 2026
A state registration question PA Business One-Stop Shop Not listed Sept. 2, 2026

Kutztown University Small Business Development Center: no-cost consulting.

This is the office for the spreadsheet you keep not opening. A consultant sits with you on the plan, the cash flow and the loan package, and nobody bills you.

  • For: pre-venture, early stage and existing businesses in Berks, Chester, Dauphin, Lancaster and Lebanon counties; business planning, marketing, capital acquisition, financial management and operations.
  • Not for: businesses outside Pennsylvania. The center is part of the Pennsylvania SBDC network and states it cannot assist those outside the state.
  • Cost: no cost, and confidential.
  • How to start: the online consultation request on kutztown.edu, or 484-646-5937. The team page lists a bilingual business consultant.
  • Address, phone, hours: 27 Old Main, Kutztown, PA 19530. 484-646-5937. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., per the Pennsylvania SBDC network page.
  • Checked September 2, 2026.

SCORE Delaware Valley: a free mentor with a Reading office.

The chapter that covers Berks now operates as SCORE Delaware Valley.

  • For: free, confidential mentoring and workshops for entrepreneurs across Chester, Delaware, Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon, Montgomery, Schuylkill and nearby counties.
  • Cost: mentoring is free. Workshops on the September calendar run from free to $35.00, including a free Spanish-language session on forming a new business entity (September 18, 2026).
  • How to start: the mentor match on score.org, or the national line 1-800-634-0245.
  • Address, phone, hours: 401 Penn Street, Reading, PA 19601. 484-577-9791. Hours not posted.
  • Checked September 2, 2026.

Berks LaunchBox at Penn State Berks: startup coaching and a makerspace downtown.

A collaboration between Penn State Berks and Penn State Health St. Joseph on Washington Street: free mentoring, a makerspace with 3D printers and a laser cutter, and coworking.

  • For: launching and growing a startup, prototyping, workshops, competitions and networking.
  • Cost: free mentoring; makerspace and coworking fees not listed.
  • How to start: the two online forms on the home page (startup support, makerspace help).
  • Address, phone, hours: 201 Washington St., Suite 105, Reading, PA 19601. 610-396-6400. Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Friday 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday.
  • Checked September 2, 2026.

Finanta, formerly Community First Fund: small business loans and microloans.

Community First Fund has a new name, Finanta, a Penn Street office, and a Reading service area of Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties.

  • For: small business loans and microloans, an affinity group lending program and loans for commercial property, to start and grow a business or buy your business property.
  • Cost: rates, terms and loan ranges are not posted.
  • How to start: the Start A Loan link at finanta.org/financing, or the office.
  • Address, phone, hours: 240 Penn Street, Reading, PA 19601. 610-685-4940. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Checked September 2, 2026.

Berks County Industrial Development Authority and the Greater Berks Development Fund: bonds and direct loans.

When the project is a building, not a laptop. BerksIDA issues tax-exempt bond financing; the Greater Berks Development Fund makes direct loans, case by case, to projects with a significant economic impact in Berks County.

  • For (BerksIDA): bond-eligible projects including land and building acquisition, construction and renovation, machinery and equipment, refinancing and working capital.
  • For (GBDF and Catalyst): direct loans to eligible businesses; PA Loan Catalyst Fund loans, typically $50,000 to $200,000, for property, leasehold improvements, equipment and working capital, matched at least dollar for dollar by non-governmental money, available throughout Berks County.
  • Cost: minimums, maximums and rates are not posted.
  • How to start: BerksIDA at ida@berksida.com; the Chamber's Director of Lending and Business Outreach for GBDF and Catalyst.
  • Address, phone, hours: BerksIDA, 400 E. Wyomissing Avenue, Mailbox 4, Mohnton, PA 19540-1503; 610-478-6330. GBDF and Catalyst: the Chamber, 606 Court Street, Reading; (610) 376-6766. Hours not posted.
  • Checked September 2, 2026.

Pennsylvania's one-stop workforce system, Berks branch, established in 1999.

  • For: job postings and candidate search on the PA CareerLink system, job fairs each spring and fall, onsite recruitments, Incumbent Worker Training, and On-the-Job Training that reimburses at least 50% of an eligible new hire's wages for a set period.
  • Cost: the PA CareerLink job-posting system is free to employers and job seekers; onsite recruitment room rentals are priced separately and not posted.
  • How to start: call Business Services at (610) 988-1395 or email business@careerlinkberks.com.
  • Address, phone, hours: 1920 Kutztown Road, Suite F, Reading, PA 19604. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Checked September 2, 2026.

City of Reading: the business privilege license and the zoning permit.

You have called three numbers about a license for a shop on Penn Street. Here is the order:

  1. Zoning first (Room 1-25).
  2. Health, if your business type is on the form's list: food service, eating and drinking, vending, refuse and solid waste haulers, exterminators, itinerant food service.
  3. Then the Business Privilege License at the Citizens' Service Center (Room 1-27).

The license application states that registration with the Zoning Office, and with the Health Office where required, comes before the license is issued.

  • For: the Business Privilege License (annual, plus a business privilege tax assessed as a small fee on gross receipts), the zoning permit (operating without one is against the law; businesses are permitted only in commercial zones, with some exceptions), and, for major modifications or new construction, a Thursday One-Stop Shop meeting with city departments booked through Planning.
  • Cost: license fee $55.00 on the current application. If you do not sign the form in the Service Center, it must be notarized.
  • How to start: Zoning (610) 655-6326; Planning 610-655-6443 for the One-Stop meeting; Building Permits 610-655-6284; Fire Marshal 610-655-6080; Health Inspection 610-655-6214.
  • Address, phone, hours: City Hall, 815 Washington Street, Reading, PA 19601-3690. Citizens' Service Center, Room 1-27, 1-877-727-3234. Hours not posted.
  • Checked September 2, 2026.

Once the license is issued, claim or add your free business page on BerksConnect and put the same number on it that is on the door.

Reading Public Library: market research databases.

The Main Library on South Fifth Street carries A to Z Databases (a business and resident directory for sales leads, mailing lists and market research) and Value Line for investment research.

  • For: mailing lists, sales leads and market research. The Berks County Public Libraries business resources page also lists the Berks County Bar Association's lawyer referral service, 610-375-4591.
  • Cost: not posted on the research page.
  • How to start: the reference desk, 610-655-6355, or info@readingpubliclibrary.org.
  • Address, phone, hours: Main Library, 100 S. Fifth St., Reading, PA 19602. Monday and Tuesday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Wednesday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; closed Sunday.
  • Checked September 2, 2026.

Penn State Extension, Berks County: food safety and farmers market training.

At the Berks County Ag Center in Leesport. If you sell food, the food safety manager certification course is listed here; it is online and self-paced, with exams proctored at scheduled locations.

  • For: TAP Online Food Safety Manager Certification (self-paced), Cooking for Crowds (3 hours, for nonprofit volunteers), Farmers Market Manager Forum (1 hour).
  • Cost, as listed September 2, 2026: Food Safety Manager Certification $145.00; Cooking for Crowds $10.00; Farmers Market Manager Forum free.
  • How to start: 610-378-1327 or BerksExt@psu.edu. Call ahead; the office asks.
  • Address, phone, hours: 1238 County Welfare Road, Suite 110, Leesport, PA 19533-9709. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Checked September 2, 2026.

Free civil legal services for low-income residents and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in 18 central Pennsylvania counties, Berks included.

  • For: consumer debt and bankruptcy, housing (eviction, foreclosure, tenant's rights), custody, domestic violence, employment law, a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic and public benefits.
  • Scope: the case types it lists are individual civil matters. Most services also require household income at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines, which on its 2026 table is $19,950 a year for one person and $41,250 for four.
  • Cost: free.
  • How to start: (800) 326-9177, intake open 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., or apply.midpenn.org.
  • Address, phone, hours: 35 North Sixth Street, Mezzanine Suite 101, Reading, PA 19601. Local office (610) 376-8656. Office hours not posted.
  • Checked September 2, 2026.

Greater Reading Chamber Alliance: dues, training and the lending desk.

The Chamber on Court Street is the membership organization, and it is also where the Director of Lending and Business Outreach sits.

  • For: training in management, sales, marketing and finance at 25% off for members; Networking@Night on the fourth Thursday of every month, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.; help securing financing.
  • Cost, annual dues as posted September 2, 2026: Small Business $575; Business Catalyst $1,150; Business Leader $1,725; Community Builder $2,875; Community Champion $5,725.
  • How to start: the new-member application at business.greaterreading.org, or info@GreaterReading.org. Training: (610) 898-8197.
  • Address, phone, hours: 606 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601; training at 49 Commerce Drive, Spring Ridge, Wyomissing, PA 19610. (610) 376-6766. Hours not posted.
  • Checked September 2, 2026.

Help in Spanish: Berks County Latino Chamber of Commerce and Centro Hispano Daniel Torres.

Two Reading offices, two different jobs. The Latino Chamber on Upland Avenue runs bilingual workshops, gives one-on-one guidance on permits and funding pathways, and connects you to SBA programs, banks and grants. Centro Hispano on Penn Street is bilingual information and referral for individuals and families.

  • For (Latino Chamber): startups and growing businesses.
  • For (Centro Hispano): unemployment claims, SNAP, Social Security, birth certificates and immigration documents, notary services, and digital skills classes.
  • Cost: Latino Chamber membership dues are not posted.
  • How to start: Latino Chamber (484) 338-4530 or info@BerksLatinoChamber.com. Centro Hispano 610-685-1265.
  • Address, phone, hours: Latino Chamber, 540 Upland Ave, Reading, PA 19611; hours not posted. Centro Hispano, 201 Penn St. Suite 101, Reading, PA 19601; information and referral Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
  • Checked September 2, 2026.

State and federal: PA Business One-Stop Shop and the SBA district office.

Registration questions go to the state's phone line; federal programs go to King of Prussia.

  • For (PA Business One-Stop Shop): the Department of Community and Economic Development's guide to planning, registering, operating and growing a business in Pennsylvania.
  • For (SBA, King of Prussia): help with SBA funding programs, counseling, federal contracting certifications and disaster recovery, plus connections to partner organizations and lenders; it covers Berks among 40 eastern Pennsylvania counties.
  • Cost: not listed.
  • How to start: 1.833.722.6778; press 1 for registering a business or business name (PA Department of State), press 5 for starting or expanding a business (the One-Stop Shop office). SBA, 610-382-3062 or the send-us-a-message link to set an appointment.
  • Address, phone, hours: One-Stop Shop phone line, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, excluding state holidays. SBA, 660 American Ave., Suite 301, King of Prussia, PA 19406; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed federal holidays.
  • Checked September 2, 2026.

What changed recently.

  • Kutztown University SBDC: the kutztownsbdc.org domain no longer carries the center's site. Live information is at kutztown.edu and pasbdc.org/kutztown. The center's pages list its outreach offices differently (the landing page names Kutztown, Reading and Coatesville; the contact page names Kutztown, Coatesville and Exton), and the Reading contact page is no longer published, so call 484-646-5937 to ask for a Reading appointment.
  • Community First Fund is now Finanta. The old communityfirstfund.org address redirects to finanta.org.
  • The SCORE chapter that covered Berks operates as SCORE Delaware Valley; the former berksschuylkill.score.org address redirects there.
  • The SBA's Eastern Pennsylvania district page redirects to a legacy page titled Philadelphia District.

Frequently asked questions.

Is the SBDC free?

Yes. Kutztown University SBDC states that all consulting services are no-cost and confidential. Apply online or call 484-646-5937.

Who lends to a small business besides a bank?

Finanta, the community development financial institution at 240 Penn Street, makes small business loans and microloans (610-685-4940). The PA Loan Catalyst Fund, through the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, lends typically $50,000 to $200,000, matched at least dollar for dollar by non-governmental money.

Where do I get a Reading business privilege license?

At the Citizens' Service Center in City Hall, Room 1-27, 815 Washington Street, 1-877-727-3234. The fee on the current application is $55.00. Register with Zoning first, and with Health if your business type is on the form's list.

Is there help in Spanish?

Yes. The Berks County Latino Chamber of Commerce runs bilingual workshops and one-on-one guidance ((484) 338-4530), the Kutztown University SBDC lists a bilingual business consultant, and Centro Hispano Daniel Torres (610-685-1265) handles benefits and documents in English and Spanish.

Sources