Consumer and Business

Charitable Choices - information on hundreds of charities that have met the Combined Federal Campaign's 10 accountability standards, including low overhead; plus ideas about what to consider when choosing a charity to support

Consumer Protection - federal government guide to help you prevent identity theft, understand credit and be a smart shopper

Federal Trade Commission - information and advice on avoiding scams and rip-offs, as well as tips on other consumer topics; plus online complaint filing

Food Safety - latest information on food recalls and alerts, and food illness outbreaks; information provided by government agencies

Government Departments & Agencies - organizational directory of federal, state, local, and tribal governments

National Do Not Call Registry - free registration to stop getting unwanted telemarketing calls

Publications USA - find government publications helpful to citizens; operated by the Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC)

Business Resources
Business USA - help with starting or growing a business, access financing, help with exporting, and finding opportunities

CalGOLD Business Permits - provides lists of permits, licences, and requirements you need for your business from all levels of government, with contact information for city, county, state, and federal agencies; permit listings are specific to business type and location in California

Central Contractor Registration - CCR is the primary vendor database for the US Federal Government; prospective contractors need to register prior to award of a contract or agreement

Grants.gov - find and apply for federal government grants through a central storehouse for information on over 1,000 grant programs

ReferenceUSA - database provides information for millions of US and Canadian businesses; updated monthly; customizable searches by company size, sales volume, geographic location, industry – making it easy for business owners to get information about potential new customers

Small Business Administration (SBA) - agency providing financial, technical, and management assistance to help Americans start, run, and grow their businesses; SBA District Office: Fresno

ThomasNet - an industrial search engine that provides one source for finding the exact product, service, or supplier