Research Guides: Center for Business Outreach -Department of Business and Economics : RI-Based Resources

RI Agencies and Organizations

EmployRI (labor market analysis databases: occupations, industry, education, wages, etc.)

RI Small Business Development Center: webinars, funding, free counseling, resources, networking, etc. Each state has its own center.

RI Business Plan Competition - Workshops, success stories, funding info, pitch nights

Venture Café Providence Networking, workshops, Start Up Providence night. Located at the (Cambridge Innovation Center- a co-working space for innovation and design)

Rhode Island School of Design https://www.designxri.com/ Design-oriented resources and events

Social entrepreneurship (RI) / Innovate Newport (incubator) / Sprout Co-Working

RI Chambers of Commerce: - National site also has startup info.

RI Hub - Database/forum for RI business info and resources: - Includes RI Venture Mentoring Service

Discover Newport – most cities/towns/regions have a tourism site as well as webpage with business related information – City of Newport

Polaris MEP (RI Manufacturing) based at URI, consulting, workshops (lean, quality control, cyber, operations) and 401 Tech Bridge and RI Manufacturers Association

E for All - accelerators, workshops, co-working space, events - new to RI 2022

RI State Government:
Rhode Island government - (online services, links to government agencies, business related, living in/visitor info)

Commerce RI - Business related info for RI employers

RI Division of Purchasing

RI Dept. of Labor & Training - (labor market statistics, projections, census data, employer handbook with regulations, nonprofit sector,

RI Dept. Business Regulation

RI Department of Environmental Management, Office of Water Resources - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS): http://www.dem.ri.gov/septic

RI Department of State, Secretary of State – Business Information: http://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-portal
Use the Rhode Island Business Portal as a gateway to help you access the tools you will need to plan, start, and maintain your business. Use the “Starting a Business in Rhode Island” portal for guidance and assistance to review business basics such as your business plan, business name, business structure, and let it walk you through what you need to start your business. Assistant wizard for startups.

Rhode Island Division of Taxation: http://www.tax.ri.gov/
Visit and search this website to find out about tax payer obligations you may have as a business owner in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island Office of the State Fire Marshal – Crowd Management Training: http://fire-marshal.ri.gov/fireacademy/crowdmanagement.php
All places of assembly (where 50 or more individuals could legally assemble) need to have at least one certified crowd manager or crowd manager supervisor. This applies to restaurants as well. If your food establishment falls in this category, visit this website to find out how to get crowd manager training through the RI Office of the State Fire Marshal.

State of Rhode Island General Laws: http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/
Use this link to look up state laws.

State of Rhode Island Rules and Regulations: http://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/open-government/state/rules-and-regulations
Use this link to look up rules and regulations.

Rhode Island State E-Permitting Portal:
To obtain Rhode Island Fire & Municipal Building Permits online - http://permits.ri.gov/
Did you know you can now use online E-Permitting to apply for local building and fire permits in some municipalities? Check out this website to find out if your municipality is online!

Link to a list of municipality websites: http://www.ri.gov/towns/

Link to a List of Wastewater Treatment Facilities and their Officials:
http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/wwtf/wwtf-officials.php
If you need to connect to a sewer or if you are a new owner of an establishment using a sewer system you will probably need to contact your wastewater treatment facilities to change over the billing information or speak to someone about pretreatment of wastewater. Here is a list to find your wastewater treatment facility, contact the facility that your business is connected to.

Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) – Pretreatment Permits: http://www.narrabay.com/customer-service/pretreatment/pretreatment-applications/
The NBC operates two wastewater treatment facilities that serve the following cities and towns; Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence (Rumford section), Lincoln, Pawtucket, Johnston, North Providence, and Providence. This link will provide pretreatment information for customers of the NBC wastewater treatment system.

RI Gov - full listing from library staff

RI Food Industry Fact Sheet 2022

Hope and Main Food Incubator
RI Department of Health, Center for Food Protections
The RIDOH Center for Food Protection regulates retail food establishments through licensing, inspections and plan reviews. Visit their website to find out more about what they do and information that can assist you.
RI Department of Health - Food Safety Resource Library:
The RIDOH Center for Food Protection has put together a Food Safety Resource Library to make it easier to find guidance documents to help retail food establishments comply with the food code and serve safe food.