Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) provide a vast array of technical assistance to small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. By supporting business growth, sustainability and enhancing the creation of new businesses entities, SBDCs foster local and regional economic development through job creation and retention. As a result of the no cost, extensive, one-on-one, long-term professional business advising, low-cost training and other specialized services SBDC clients receive, the program remains one of the nation’s largest small business assistance programs in the federal government. The SBDCs are made up of a unique collaboration of SBA federal funds, state and local governments, and private sector resources.
SBDCs provide services through professional business advisors such as: development of business plans; manufacturing assistance; financial packaging and lending assistance; exporting and importing support; disaster recovery assistance; procurement and contracting aid; market research services; aid to 8(a) firms in all stages; and healthcare information. SBDCs serve all populations, including: minorities; women; veterans, including reservists, active duty, disabled personnel, and those returning from deployment; personal with disabilities; youth and encore entrepreneurs; as well as individuals in low and moderate income urban and rural areas. Based on client needs, local business trends and individual business requirements, SBDCs modify their services to meet the evolving needs of the hundreds of small business community in which they are situated.
SBDC assistance is available virtually anywhere with 63 Host networks branching out with more than 900 service delivery points throughout the U.S., the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands,. The 63 SBDC hosts include:
(1) 48 University-sponsored SBDC Hosts: 2 2 University Hosts are in Washington, DC (Howard University) , and the U.S. Virgin Islands (the University of the Virgin Islands)8 Community college-sponsored SBDC hosts: Dallas-TX, UT, OR, NM, AZ, San Diego-CA, Los Angeles-CA, and American Samoa
(2) 8 Community college-sponsored SBDC hosts: Dallas-TX, UT, OR, NM, AZ, San Diego-CA, Los Angeles-CA, and American Samoa
(3) 7 State-sponsored Lead SBDCs (CO, IL, IN, MN, MT, OH, & WV): Since 1990, Congress has required all new SBDCs be Hosted by institutions of higher education or Women’s Business Centers