Crownwick Advances, a small-business funding service in Lancaster, PA, assembled this directory of the kinds of organizations Lancaster County, PA owners turn to: economic development groups, the chamber of commerce, business advising and official city and county sites. Each entry says what to ask and whether we have verified the link.
Reading the directory
Local organizations help in ways a funding partner does not: planning help, introductions, public programs and training. None of them is a Crownwick partner or affiliate. We list an organization's link only after it has been checked; the rest are marked for verification. Lancaster County, PA had 13,776 employer establishments in 2023 (County Business Patterns 2023) and 50,449 businesses without payroll in 2024 (Nonemployer Statistics 2024), the two programs measure different things and are not added together here.
The city and county home pages
- City of Lancaster: cityoflancasterpa.com (checked as reachable 2026-10-18)
- Lancaster County: co.lancaster.pa.us (checked as reachable 2026-10-18)
Use these for local registration, permits, records and public meeting information. The Lancaster, PA registration steps guide explains which layer handles what.
Economic development: EDC Lancaster, PA and EDC Finance
Owners search for EDC Lancaster, PA and EDC Finance by name. County economic development organizations may work on business attraction and expansion, and some may administer public or partnership loan programs alongside private financing. Ask what programs exist for your sector and size, whether they pair with private funding, and what the timeline looks like.
Lancaster, PA chamber of commerce
Owners also search for the Lancaster chamber of commerce and its directory. Chambers may offer networking, member directories, events and advocacy. A directory listing can help customers find you; membership events can help you find suppliers and advisors.
Advising and mentoring for owners
Small Business Development Centers and volunteer mentoring programs may offer help with business plans, cash-flow projections and loan packages; ask each what it offers and what it costs. A projection prepared with an advisor can make a funding request clearer.
Lancaster County, PA economic development and manufacturers
Manufacturing had the largest payroll of any sector in the county in 2023, about $2.63 billion across 1,035 establishments (County Business Patterns 2023). Manufacturers looking at expansion should ask economic development organizations about programs for equipment and facilities; the manufacturers and machine shops page covers the private-funding side.
Lancaster County, PA business for sale
Owners looking for a Lancaster County business for sale may work through business-sale intermediaries, accountants and attorneys as well as public organizations. Funding a purchase can be discussed as a term loan; partners will review the seller's financial records.
What to bring to any advisor
- Recent business bank statements
- Your latest tax return or profit and loss statement
- A short description of what the money would pay for
- Any quotes, contracts or leases tied to the plan
County figures are on the Lancaster, PA data page, and the guide shelf has the other guides.
By Crownwick Advances · Updated
