The Southeastern Illinois SCORE Chapter No. 0706, located in Charleston, Illinois, was initially organized in 2005 as a branch of Decatur Illinois SCORE Chapter #296. The Southeastern Illinois Chapter is jointly sponsored by the Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce and Eastern Illinois University’s Lumpkin College of Business & Applied Sciences. The SCORE office is located in Lumpkin Hall, Room 3106, on EIU’s campus in Charleston.

The SCORE counselors of the Southeastern Illinois Chapter are skilled business owners, educators, and managers who volunteer their experience and knowledge to counsel small business owners and potential small business owners regarding business practices to help them achieve success. Since establishment, the Southeastern Illinois chapter has counseled hundreds of clients representing a vast array of businesses.

The objective of our Chapter is to provide business consulting services support to entrepreneurs in Southeastern Illinois. The Chapter’s skilled volunteer business counselors will assist businesses in defining and executing practices and procedures to promote establishment and growth of their business. The service may be made available through face-to-face contact or online using the internet. SCORE counselors provide counsel and guide the client’s project analysis to develop actions and to implement the client’s decisions. SCORE counselors can provide in-depth, industry-specific business assistance to help evaluate a business idea or plan, to stimulate business growth and to ensure long-term stability.

Workshops are offered on a regular basis, including Five Simple Steps to Starting Your Business, Tax Savvy for Small Businesses, and Understanding Your Business Financial Statements. For information on upcoming workshops, call the SCORE office at 217-581-3522.

Have you ever paid $100 per hour for a one-hour consultation? You won’t pay that for an entire year of SCORE services because our business counseling is free and confidential. If you are considering starting a business or are contemplating an expansion of your current business, make SCORE the place to which you turn for solid business counseling and informative educational workshops.

Small business owners wear many different hats. On any given day, you manage product development, marketing, sales, operations, human resources and finances. SCORE’s experienced business counselors can help in areas where your expertise may fall short. Based on your needs as an entrepreneur, our business counseling relationships can last just a few sessions or perhaps a number of years. Prepare for your counseling session by arriving with a well-thought out idea, preliminary business plan and other information to help you maximize your one-on-one consultation.

SCORE volunteers sometimes counsel in teams, bringing a specific strength to the table. Counselors may be available to visit you at your place of business to learn about your venture and concerns. Whether you are just starting a business or expanding an established business, SCORE counselors are here to help you succeed.

Contact the Southeastern Illinois SCORE chapter office at 217-581-3522 to set up an appointment with a business counselor who can help develop your business plan, discuss a new idea, or tackle a business problem. You may e-mail the SCORE office at SCORE4U@eiu.edu. If you prefer, complete a counseling request form included in SCORE forms. Mail or e-mail the form to the SCORE office. Fax number is 217-581-3527.

The Southeastern Illinois SCORE Chapter office is located in Lumpkin Hall on the campus of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL. Please schedule an appointment in advance. If necessary, special meeting places and times can be set by mutual agreement with the individual counselor.

• To learn more about our team of business counselors, click here.

• To learn more about the SCORE national organization, click here.