Nearly every business can benfit by learning more about the departments and services in their state and local government. Most federal, state and local governments go out of their way to provide information--and sometimes services--to aid business growth. State government offers vital business contacts, including departments that control business licenses and grant programs. Municipal government offers similar aids on a smaller scale. It makes sense to fully take advantage of U.S. national state and local government programs and services; after all, your taxes pay for them.

Whether you know exactly what sort of information or services you desire from your state and local government agencies or whether you simply want to explore state and local government relations, the process is fairly simple:

1. Call a state government department for information about the state's website, or do an online search for the same information,

2. Explore the various departments on your state government website,

3. And repeat this procedure for your local, municipal government.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Research your state government website

There are several ways to obtain your state's website information. One way is to look in the phone book under 'State Government' and call any department for the information. Another is to use an online search engine. Or, try a website specializing in providing website information for each state in the United States.

I recommend: For quick access to any state's website, check out USA.gov; simply click on the state of your choice to go directly to that state's main website. StartSpot Mediaworks offers a similar service; click on any state in the map of the country, and you'll find links to all the state's department websites.

Look at specific state government websites

Once you find your state's website, there is usually a section devoted just to business and business owners. That is a good place to start, but don't neglect to explore other areas of your state's website. Many other state departments can provide relevant information and services for your business.

I recommend: Go to Ca.gov to see California state's website for small business owners; or click on the top "Home" link to find websites for all of the state's government departments. NY.gov has a section just for business information, or click on any of the links in the left-hand menu to explore other departments in New York state. TexasOnline.com also has a section just for Texas business; to learn about other departments in the state, click on "Home" in the top menu.

Discover your municipal government website

Your local county or city government will also have a website offering details about all municipal departments and most programs. How useful the website is depends on your local government, but at the very least, you can obtain basic information about business in your area and discover more resources for obtaining further services and information.

I recommend: SFgov provides business owners with plenty of information about doing business in the city of San Francisco. Dallas City Hall also offers information specifically for business owners in that city. The City of New York offers similar information through its website.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you cannot find the information you seek on your state local government website, don't hesitate to make a phone call. Most state and local govt websites offer contact information for obtaining more information.