Wabash County Knows How to Help Your Business Grow!
The Wabash County business community has a wealth of expertise designed to assist small businesses along their path from idea generation through business expansion. Grow Wabash County is the premium clearinghouse for accessing the wealth of information and networks. Please contact Grow Wabash County with any questions about the businesses and programs listed below.
Financial Resources
Community Development Corporation of Northeast Indiana
The CDC of Northeast Indiana is City of Fort Wayne sponsored 501(c)6 not-for-profit business development organziation. Our mission is to stimulate economic growth and prosperity throughout the communities they serve in the State of Indiana, including Wabash County. We accomplish this through several loan programs inclduign SBA 504 loans, COVID-19 loans and USDA Rural Development funding, amongst many others.
SBA Loans

Small Business Administration loans from participating institutions offer more flexible terms and lower interest rates for small businesses than other sources because they are guaranteed by the federal agency. Some of Wabash County’s local lenders offering SBA loans include Bippus State Bank, Crossroads Bank, First Merchants Bank and Flagstar Bank.
Business Startup Tools
Business Licenses & Permits

Certain businesses may require specific city and/or state permits or licenses. To determine what your business may need, contact Keith Gillenwater at Grow Wabash County.
For inquiries:
- City of Wabash Building Department
- Town of North Manchester Building & Code Enforcement Department
- Wabash County Advisory Plan Commission
- Wabash County Health Department
State inquiries can also be addressed on the INBiz website from the Indiana Secretary of State.
CO.STARTERS

We equip communities with robust programs to grow local small businesses.
We believe small business is the backbone of communities, and there are good ideas that need to be brought to market. We developed our programs for success so Main Street can flourish again.
We believe that individuals thrive in the context of community. CO.STARTERS is about bringing people together to learn from one another in order to create a strong network of support.
We believe in making concepts and language easy to understand, so business owners can focus on practical next steps and move toward their goals.
GWC is hosting a CO.STARTERS Core program. If interested in being part of that program please email info@growwabashcounty.com to be added to the waitlist,
INBiz

INBiz is the state of Indiana's one-stop resource for entrepreneurs looking to navigate the steps to start a business. Developed within Indiana’s Secretary of State's Business Services Division, businesses will find everything they need to get their business started, from registering a business name to choosing the correct business legal structure and ensuring law compliance.
Business Guides
Business Consultation Services
Northeast Indiana SBDC

Wabash County business owners and entrepreneurs can receive free business consulting from the NE Indiana SBDC. Experienced business individuals can answer business-related questions and provide market research assistance through appointments made by email or calling (260) 563-5258.