If you’re seeking advice or management and technical assistance for your current or prospective small business, the Small Business Development Centers, administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration, can help. SBDCs provide education, training and consulting at 1,000 locations across the country including every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and Guam. When you visit an SBDC, you get the best of all possible business worlds. Resources of the private sector, the educational community, and federal, state and local governments are there to help you start, build and grow your business. In each state a lead organization sponsors the SBDC and manages the program. The lead organization coordinates the services you receive through a network of subcenter and satellite locations. Subcenters are located at colleges, universities, community colleges, vocational schools, chambers of commerce and economic development corporations. The SBDC assistance you receive is tailored to both your needs and those of your local community. Each center develops services in cooperation with local SBA district offices to bring the maximum benefits available to you and other clients. In addition to a full-time staff, each SBDC also has volunteers and part-time personnel. Individuals recruited from professional and trade associations, the legal and banking communities, academia, chambers of commerce and SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) are among those who donate their services. SBDCs also use paid consultants, including engineers and testing laboratories from the private sector to help clients who need specialized expertise.
What the Program Does
SBDC services include, but are not limited to, assisting your small business with financial, marketing, production, organization, engineering and technical problems, and feasibility studies. Special SBDC programs include international-trade assistance, technical assistance, procurement assistance, venture-capital formation and rural development. The SBDCs also make special efforts to reach socially and economically disadvantaged groups, veterans, women and the disabled. SBDCs also provide assistance to small businesses applying for Small Business Innovation and Research grants from federal agencies.
Mission
The mission of the SBDC network is made up of the following elements: - To support entrepreneurship and business expansion through educational opportunities that cover human resources, management, technology, capital formation and infrastructure needs of the business community.
- To address regional economic development needs for information by providing applied economic development research to communities and regions.
To assist in the expansion of international trade primarily by educating new exporters who need assistance in all elements of exporting. To deliver inhouse managerial and employee training targeted especially to businesses which have difficulty obtaining affordable training. To facilitate the creation of economic development leadership groups that focus on the creation, retention and expansion of business. To provide special attention to the needs of minority entrepreneurs by identifying procurement opportunities, locating sources of capital and supporting outreach efforts of historically black colleges and universities. To assist existing businesses in taking advantage of state and local incentives for job creation, employee training and other expansion efforts.
Eligibility
SBDC assistance is available to anyone interested in starting or expanding a small business who cannot afford the services of a private consultant. So if you’re thinking of starting or growing a small business, why not let SBDCs lend a helping hand?
Leading SBDCs
- University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 205-943-6750
- University of Alaska, Anchorage, AK 907-274-7232
- Maricopa County Community College, Tempe, AZ 480-731-8720
- University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR 501-324-9043
- California Trade and Commerce Agency, Sacramento, CA 916-324-9538
- Colorado Office of Business Development, Denver, CO 303-892-3794
- University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 860-486-4135
- University of Delaware, Newark, DE 302-831-2747
- Howard University, Washington, DC 202-806-1550 ext. 208
- University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL 850-595-6060
- University of Georgia, Athens, GA 706-542-6762
- University of Guam, Mangilao, GU 671-735-2590
- University of Hawaii, Hilo, HI 808-974-7515
- Boise State University, Boise, ID 208Ð426-3799
- Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, Springfield, IL 217-524-5856
- Economic Development Council, Indianapolis, IN 317-264-2820 ext. 17
- Iowa State University, Ames, IA 515-292-6351
- Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS 785-296-6514
- University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 606-257-7668
- Northeast Louisiana University, Monroe, LA 318-342-5506
- University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME 207-780-4420
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD 301-403-8300
- University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 413-545-6301
- Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 313-964-1798
- Department of Trade and Economic Development, St. Paul, MN 651-297-5770
- University of Mississippi, University, MS 662-915-5001
- University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 573-882-0344
- Department of Commerce, Helena, MT 406-444-4780
- University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE 402-554-2521
- University of Nevada, Reno, NV 775-784-1717
- University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 603-862-4879
- Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 973-353-1927
- Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe, NM 505-428-1362
- State University of New York, Albany, NY 518-443-5398
- University of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC 919-715-7272
- University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 701-777-3700
- Department of Development, Columbus, OH 614-466-2711
- Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, OK 405-924-0277
- Lane Community College, Eugene, OR 541-726-2250
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 215-898-1219
- Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, Hato Rey, PR 787-763-6811
- Bryant College, Smithfield, RI 401-232-6111
- University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 803-777-4907
- University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 605-677-5287
- Tennessee Board of Regents, Nashville, TN 615-366-3900
- Dallas County Community College, Dallas, TX 214-458-2450
- University of Houston, Houston, TX 713-752-8425
- Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 806-745-3973
- University of Texas, San Antonio, TX 210-458-2450
- Salt Lake City Community College, Salt Lake City, UT 801-957-3481
- Vermont Technical College, Randolph Center, VT 802-728-9101
- University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, VI 340-776-3206
- Department of Economic Development, Richmond, VA 804-371-8251
- Washington State University, Spokane, WA 509-358-7765
- West Virginia Development Office, Charleston, WV 304-558-2960
- University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 608-263-7794
- University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 307-766-3505
- American Samoa Community College, Pago Pago, American Samoa 011 684 699-9155
For More Information
- SBA offices are located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. For the office nearest you, look under "U.S. Government" in your telephone directory, or contact:
- E-mail: answerdesk@sba.gov
Also use our SBDC Search page to find an SBDC near you.
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