Entrepreneurship is on the rise in the U.S.; the Kauffman Foundation estimates that 10 million American adults are involved in starting a small business at any given time, and more and more of those entrepreneurs are women just like you. In fact, according to the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, women are among the fastest-growing groups of entrepreneurs.

With all those female entrepreneurs out there trying to secure resources and capital, you can't underestimate the importance of networking. Business and social associations and organizations, both in your community and online, can help you expand your knowledge base and establish valuable contacts. Below you'll find government resources, trade organizations and networking channels to help you maximize your networking opportunities.

Business Resources:

Office of Women's Business Ownership
The U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Women's Business Ownership provides information, resources and educational opportunities for woman entrepreneurs, as well as success stories from business owners who have put their ideas to work.

Women-21.gov
A joint venture of the Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Labor, Women-21.gov is a one-stop federal resource for information, news and tools, including research, statistics and information about legislative initiatives and policy issues that affect small businesses and the women who own them.

Center for Women & Enterprise
New England-based CWE's mission is to "empower women to become economically self-sufficient and prosperous through entrepreneurship." The organization offers female entrepreneurs education, training, technical assistance, women's business enterprise certification, networking opportunities and access to capital. Half of CWE's clients are low-income, and 30% are single mothers.

National Business Women's Council
The National Women's Business Council (NWBC) is a bi-partisan federal advisory council created to advise the president, Congress and the SBA on economic issues of importance to women business owners. NWBC's mission is to promote federal policies and programs designed to support women's business enterprises. The website features links to news and business organizations, mentoring resources, and information about NWBC's national events and open conference calls.

Franchise Solutions for Women
A resource for women interested in franchise opportunities, Franchise Solutions for Women features a database of franchises organized by financial requirements, including both low-investment and higher-income franchises, as well as advice and resources for potential franchise owners. They also offer a monthly e-mail newsletter.

National Women's Associations and Advocacy Groups:

Alliance of Business Women International
ABWI is a non-profit organization founded in 1995 to provide support for women involved or interested in international trade opportunities. ABWI members conduct overseas trade missions to foster international trade among woman-owned companies. The organization is a member of the Federation of International Trade Organizations.

National Association of Women Business Owners
Established in 1975, NAWBO's mission is to promote economic development, help its members succeed by sharing resources and affecting changes to the traditional business culture, and influence policymakers on issues such as tax equity and affordable health care.

National Association of Female Executives
NAFE, founded in 1972, is a professional organization that provides resources and services to woman business executives, including education, networking opportunities and member benefits ranging from insurance to savings on business travel. Online content includes career advice, firsthand accounts from successful entrepreneurs, and strategies for the first-time business owner.

American Business Women's Association
ABWA was founded in 1949 to help American women keep the foothold they'd gained in the workforce during World War II. Today ABWA offers its members continuing career education, networking opportunities, tuition reimbursement programs and management certification programs. ABWA publishes a bimonthly magazine, Women in Business, and recognizes outstanding members each year.

Association of Women Professionals
AWP offers members access to requests for proposals and bids, job listings, an online business directory and business-related links, as well as discounted registration for AWP-sponsored events and seminars nationwide and savings on books and gifts.

US Women's Chamber of Commerce
The USWCC advocates on behalf of businesswomen nationwide by testifying about and lobbying for legislative issues that impact its members, including pay equity and access to government contracts for woman-owned businesses. Its sister organization, the USWCC University of Learning, offers courses in business, finance, public policy and leadership.

Committee of 200
An invitation-only organization of woman business owners and executives, the Committee of 200 has a membership roster that includes some of the world's most successful female entrepreneurs. Its outreach organization, the C200 Foundation, sponsors MBA scholarships, mentorship for growing entrepreneurs, leadership education and awards

National Association of Commissions for Women
NACW advocates for government commissions for women and women's issues, with legislative priorities that include civil rights, economic equity and violence against women. The non-partisan membership network includes more than 270 commissions across the U.S., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam.

Women Presidents' Organization
WPO is a non-profit organization for women who preside over companies that gross $2 million or more each year. Local chapters meet for monthly peer advisory sessions with professional facilitators to share best practices, set goals and offer one another encouragement.

Association of Women's Business Centers
The AWBC supports women's entrepreneurial development through training, mentoring and financing opportunities, including venture capital. The national association provides resources to local women's business centers, which in turn offer education, technical assistance and access to capital to female entrepreneurs in their communities. AWBC member organizations assist more than 100,000 women each year.

Women Impacting Public Policy
WIPP is a bipartisan organization that advocates on behalf of woman- and minority-owned businesses. Its legislative agenda includes affordable healthcare, opening up federal procurement policies for small businesses, and federal law that encourages development of woman- and minority-owned businesses in finance, technology, energy and other major fields. Members are encouraged to be well-informed about, and active in, policy issues that affect small businesses.

Women's Business Enterprise National Council
Founded in 1997, WBENC calls itself the "nation's leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America's corporations." WBENC offers national certification for woman-owned businesses, as well as B2B (business-to-business e-commerce) tools such as an online database designed to connect purchasing directors nationwide with woman-owned suppliers.

National Association of Minority Contractors
The NAMC is a non-profit trade association established in 1969 to address the needs and concerns of minority contractors. While membership is open to people of all races and ethnic backgrounds, the focuses on construction industry concerns common to African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans. The NAMC provides education, training and advocacy to help promote minority contractors.

Networking Channels:

WomanOwned
An online knowledge bank for woman entrepreneurs, WomanOwned offers advice, financing information, and resources to help set up, run and grow small businesses. WomanOwned also hosts an online community where registered users (paid and free memberships available) can advertise, share knowledge, post job listings and company profiles, and create their own weblogs.

Advancing Women
A virtual meeting place for women in business, Advancing Women features resume and job posting, message boards and forums, an online journal, and strategic career and business advice for women at all stages in their professional development.

Digital Women
Digital Women offers a huge collection of links and information for women in search of startup capital, grants - even ideas for home businesses. The site also features tips and advice, tools, business resources and a set of "must-have" e-books for the woman entrepreneur. Digital Women also has a unique collection of "how-to" articles about tasks that seem more intimidating than they really are, like hiring a consultant, accepting credit cards and choosing a business card.

eWomenNetwork.com
An online networking site that functions something like Facebook or LinkedIn, eWomenNetwork offers members a free, customizable online profile that helps them connect with other eWomenNetwork users. Membership also includes two one-on-one sessions with eWomenNetwork career coaches.

Ladies Who Launch
Ladies Who Launch offers online social networking, as well as lifestyle articles and blogs targeted at women entrepreneurs. The organization also sponsors "incubators" - month- and yearlong small group intensives in which participants work with a facilitator to help one another take their ideas, projects or existing businesses to the next level.

Mompreneurs
The online home of the Mompreneurs books offers business ideas, strategies and networking for work-at-home moms. Mompreneurs online features blogs and articles, message boards and access to products and services tailored to entrepreneurial moms.

Women at Work
Women@Work was founded to support women returning to the workplace, and now has the stated mission of "keeping women at work through all of life's ages and stages." Membership benefits include online classified ads, daily inspiration, forums and networking opportunities, and discounts on Women@Work products and services.

BlueSuitMom.com
BlueSuitMom offers working mothers advice for balancing career development with family life, along with tips for dealing with money, staying healthy and making business travel kid-compatible. BlueSuitMom also offers corporate seminars and training sessions, and the site's Career section includes a directory of woman-owned businesses.

Industry Associations:

American Society of Women Accountants
www.aswa.org

American Woman's Society of Certified Public Accountants
www.awscpa.org

Association for Women in Architecture
www.awa-la.org

National Association of Women in Construction
www.nawic.org

Association for Women in Communications
www.womcom.org

Alliance for Women in Media
www.allwomeninmedia.org

Association for Women in Computing
www.awc-hq.org

American Association of Women Dentists
www.aawd.org

Society of Women Engineers
societyofwomenengineers.swe.org

Association of Women Industrial Designers
www.awidweb.com

Association of Professional Insurance Women
www.apiw.org

Financial Women International
www.fwi.org

Federally Employed Women
www.few.org

Women in Housing and Finance
www.whfdc.org

Association of Women in International Trade
www.wiit.org

International Alliance for Women in Music
www.iawm.org

Direct Selling Women's Alliance
www.mydswa.org

Association for Women in Science
www.awis.org

Women in International Security
wiis.georgetown.edu