The Business on the Internet sites listed below have been selected by the Oakland Public Library to help guide your research. 

Business on the internet starting points

• A Business Researcher's Interests (BRINT): Great source for leading edge topics
• CEOExpress: Comprehensive portal designed for the busy executive

Local business information

• Doing business in Oakland: permits, incentives, assitance and training, redevelopment areas, demographics, etc.
• Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG): Bay Area commerce information. Census data, contracts and bids, green business, international trade, etc.
• Alameda County Assessor's Office: Business and real property assessments
• Fictitious Business Names: Filing fees and other pertinent information

State of California Business Information

• Doing Business in California: State portal for business tax information.
• California State Contracts Register: Contracting opportunities
• California State Board of Equalization: Sales and use tax and other business related taxes. Forms and frequently asked questions.
• CALGOLD: "Business permits made simple." Searchable by type of business and location.
• California Business Portal: Secretary of State's site. Find the agent for service of process and what you need to start and file a business entity in the state.
• California State Controller's Office: Unclaimed Property Information

Investments and Personal Finance

• Investor Home: Personal investor resource guide. Quick links to popular sites.
• Big Charts: Investment charting and research site. Historical quotes and industry analysis.
• Investing in Bonds: Covers the basics and varieties of bonds.
• MortgageLoan.com: A good personal finance reference, with various articles and financial calcultors. They have current mortgage rates too.
• San Francisco Chronicle Business section: news, classified ads, stock and mutual fund information, focused on Bay Area businesses.
• The Green Money Online Guide: Socially responsible investing information

Small Business

• SBA.gov: US government Small Business Administration website
• Small Business Development Center National Information Clearinghouse: Getting started, buying and selling a business, e-commerce, industry outlook trends and reports, etc.
• Startup Journal: The Wall Street Journal's Center for Entrepreneurs. Franchising, financing, technology, etc.
• US Small Business Administration Startup kit: Loans, lists of small business associations, links to dozens of govt. sites, etc.
• SCORE: Counselors to America's Small Business: Free one-on-one counseling sessions with successful business people, both retired and active.
• East Bay SCORE: Local branch of SCORE, Counselors to America's Small Business
• Working Solo: Tips and links for entrepreneurs working in the small office/home office
• Trade Show News Network: Search for trade shows, resources for managing your exhibit, etc.
• IRS: Tax information for small businesses and the self-employed

Company Research

• AtoZDatabases: Information on over 10 million US businesses. A good resource for compiling and downloading lists of businesses based on a variety of criteria. (An Oakland Public Library card is required to access this database outside the library.)
• Hoover's Online: Lines of business, top competitors, financial data, and key personnel (An Oakland Public Library card is required to access this database outside the library.)
• EDGAR: SEC filings and forms
• Better Business Bureau: Check out a particular company's business practices

Non-Profit Organizations

• The Nonprofit FAQ: Information for and about nonprofit organizations
• Guidestar: Search for charities and nonprofits. Descriptions and basic financial information
• Foundation Center: Foundation finder. View a foundation's IRS 990-PFs

International Business

• Europages: European Business Directory and Information
• Currency Converter: Currency converter for 164 currencies
• International Business and Technology Information: World level resources

Patent and Trademark Searching

• US Patent and Trademark Office: Patent and trademark database

Statistics

• Counting California: Data from state, federal, and local governmental sources on a variety of subjects
• Consumer Price Indexes: Pacific Cities and US City Average
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: US and regional economy. Latest numbers on business costs, occupations, productivity, industries, etc.
• US Census: Economic Census. Bridge between NAICS and SIC, etc.
• Bankrate.com: Bank rates for mortgages, savings accounts, ATM fees and more

Business Law

• The Business Law Site: Legal checklists, choosing the right business entity, domain names, doing business over the Internet, etc.
• The 'Lectric Law Library: Business and General forms
• Legal Encyclopedia from Nolo Press: Employment law, independent contractors, landlords and tenants, patents & trademarks, etc.
• Business.usa.gov: Legal and regulatory information for America's small businesses

Further Searching

• Northern Light Research: Engine that searches the web, newspapers, newswires, and magazines. Offers specialized searching of industry-focused web pages and market research. Note: to access full-text of many publications, there may be a small fee.