SCORE Business Mentoring
SCORE Association (SBA resource partner)
Free (no cash award)
Free executive mentoring at any business stage
Free and confidential business mentoring for entrepreneurs at any stage — from pre-launch to exit planning. SCORE is a nonprofit resource partner of the SBA with 10,000+ volunteer mentors (retired and active executives, entrepreneurs, and functional experts) across 200+ chapters nationwide. Founders get unlimited one-on-one mentoring sessions, access to hundreds of online workshops and templates, and local chapter events. This is a service program, not a cash grant — the value is expert guidance on business planning, financial modeling, marketing, operations, HR, legal structure, and fundraising strategy.
- Funding type
- Program
- Level
- Federal
- Amount
- No cash award. Program value is delivered as free expert mentoring sessions (no limit), access to online resources, templates, and workshops. SBA funds SCORE with ~$10M/year; entrepreneurs pay nothing.
- Realistic amount
- No cash award — the value is access to high-caliber volunteer mentors with deep functional and industry expertise. Compa…
- Deadline
- Rolling — request a mentor any time at score.org/find-mentor.
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- subsidized services
Who qualifies
- Any entrepreneur or small business owner in the United States — no size standard, revenue threshold, or industry restriction
- Pre-revenue startups, established businesses, and those planning exit or succession all qualify
- Nonprofit organizations and social enterprises are eligible
- No equity, debt, or repayment required — the service is completely free and confidential
- Non-U.S. citizens may use SCORE services (no citizenship requirement)
Hard requirements
- Requires federal certification:
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- N/A — SCORE is a service program, not a cash program. No expenses are covered.
- Entrepreneurs receive: unlimited one-on-one mentoring sessions, access to online workshops and webinars (most free), business plan templates, financial projection templates, and access to local chapter events
Ineligible expenses
- N/A — no cash disbursed, no expense reimbursement
How to apply
-
1
Request a mentor at score.org
Go to score.org/find-mentor, enter your industry, business stage, and the topics you want help with (business planning, financial projections, marketing, HR, fundraising, etc.). SCORE's matching system suggests mentors from your local chapter and national pool based on your needs. You can browse mentor profiles and select one directly.
~1 hrs
-
2
Complete your first mentoring session
After matching, your mentor contacts you to schedule an initial session (video, phone, or in-person at a local SCORE chapter office). Prepare a brief description of your business or idea and 2–3 specific questions. The first session is typically 60–90 minutes focused on understanding your situation and identifying the most valuable areas for mentoring.
~2 hrs
-
3
Establish an ongoing mentoring relationship
There is no limit on mentoring sessions. Most entrepreneurs who get the most value meet with mentors monthly or bi-weekly, treat it like a board advisor relationship, and come prepared with specific progress updates and questions. You can also access multiple mentors with different specialties (e.g., one for finance, one for marketing).
~2 hrs
-
4
Apply mentor advice between sessions
Track the actions your mentor recommends, implement them, and bring results to the next session. SCORE mentors most effectively when you treat sessions as accountability checkpoints — come with specific outcomes, not just questions. Over time, your mentor can also introduce you to other SCORE resources: workshops, templates, local events, and introductions to lenders or investors through SCORE's network.
~5 hrs
Treat your SCORE mentor like an unpaid board advisor — prepare an agenda for each meeting, follow up in writing, and show progress. The quality of mentoring scales directly with how prepared you are. Request a second mentor for a different functional area (finance, marketing, legal) simultaneously.
Deadline & timing
No intake windows or application deadlines. SCORE mentoring is available on demand. In-person chapter meetings and scheduled workshops have their own calendars at score.org/events.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.