FDIC-Insured - Backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. GovernmentAcademy for Small Business
You have a vision. And our Academy for Small Business is designed to help you achieve it.
Small businesses are at the heart of our communities. And the fewer barriers there are to your success, the more we all thrive. That’s why Liberty Bank offers the Academy for Small Businesses (ASB), a series of free classes that help business owners feel more confident about unleashing your earning potential by equipping you with the tools and knowledge needed to grow.
The more you know, the more you'll grow.
While the ASB offers small business owners this comprehensive training program, Liberty Bank is offering a $5,000 line of credit1 to qualifying small business owners in CT and Western MA who complete the program! The ASB is all part of Liberty Bank’s effort to support economic growth and spread kindness in the communities we serve.
Schedule
Each session is 10 classes. There are typically two classes each week, spread over 5-6 weeks. All classes are held virtually.
2025 Sessions
- January 28 to February 27, 2025: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 -7:30 p.m., in partnership with WBDC
- March 10 to April 9, 2025: Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m., in partnership with SCORE
- April 22 to May 22, 2025: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8-10 a.m., in partnership with WBDC
- May 13 to June 12, 2025: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8 p.m., in partnership with SCORE
- September 9 to October 16, 2025: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8-10 a.m., in partnership with WBDC
- October 7 to November 6, 2025: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8 p.m., in partnership with SCORE
Registration
To register for an upcoming session, please complete the Registration Form (PDF).
Questions? Contact our Community Development team.
Curriculum
Banking Services and Credit Reporting
Discover which small banking services are best for your business.
Organizational Types
Understand and select the organizational type of business that most accurately describes your business.
Time Management
Learn how time management can vastly benefit the efficiency of your business.
Financial Management and Record Keeping
Explore how financial management practices can help keep your business running smoothly.
Planning for a Healthy Business
Discover the importance of planning as an essential competency of business ownership. This process includes business planning and developing a day-to-day action plan for operating your business.
Risk Management
Understand common risks associated with small businesses and how to develop an effective risk management plan.
Insurance
Help protect your business through an overview of, and the necessity for, the types of insurance for small businesses.
Tax Planning
Explore how taxes affect your small business, both positively and negatively.
Disclosures
- Business owners must commit to participate fully, attend 10 classes, and submit an application to qualify for a small business line of credit of $5,000. Must have or be eligible to open a Liberty Bank business checking account from which all interest and/or principal payments will be automatically debited. Must have a minimum Trans Union FICO score of 600. Must be in good standing with all federal, state and local taxes. The business or any of its owners must not have filed for bankruptcy in the past five years and through the closing of the ASB loan. Neither the applicant nor any of its owners shall have been subject to indictment, criminal information, arraignment or other criminal situation, including being arrested in the past six months and through the closing of the ASB loan. Business owner must provide documented support for funding need. Eligibility for the line of credit is valid up to 30 days after completion of the final class. Additional terms and conditions apply. Not a commitment to lend.