Small Business Resources

Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare counties – with 62 cities and more than 4 million residents – make up the San Joaquin Valley, one of California’s most challenged areas in comparison to the rest of the state: average per capita incomes are 32% lower; college graduate rates are 50% below the average; access to health care is 51% lower; and air quality is among the worst in the nation. Recognized worldwide as an agriculture powerhouse and one of the fastest growing regions in the nation, its vast resources are often overshadowed by its persistent problems.