We Are Proud to Support America’s SBDC and the 6th Annual #SBDCDay.
For over 40 years the America’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network has helped millions of men, women, veteran and minority entrepreneurs and small business owners start and grow their businesses. With nearly 1,000 locations across the country, SBDCs are in every community providing local businesses and entrepreneurs with the resources need to succeed.
To celebrate the collective impact and success SBDCs have across the nation and in local communities each year, America’s SBDCs are hosting the sixth annual SBDC Day on March 16th. As a longtime supporter of the SBDC program, we are proud to support #SBDCDay, which is a national movement to help share the small business success stories and notable impact SBDCs have fostered in communities nationwide. Growth Corp is honored to be an Ambassador and Host of this impactful network and we want to get the word out about all the resources SBDCs offer to both aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners looking to expand and grow.
Fun Fact: Growth Corp’s President, Doug Kinley, worked for the Small Business Development Center in Carbondale, Illinois, during his college days. Read more about it in our Founding Story.
Who is eligible for assistance from SBDCs?
If you’re starting a business for the first time or are new to the small business sphere, you are eligible for assistance from SBDCs. Any existing small business owner who is looking to grow their business and cannot afford private consulting services is also eligible for services from SBDCs. In most cases, the SBDC you’re working with will review your eligibility when you first reach out.
What services do SBDCs provide?
The center can help small businesses with:
- starting a new business
- writing a business plan
- creating financial projections
- developing marketing plans
- increasing sales
- record-keeping and accounting
- personnel management
- sources of credit financing
- advertising and sales promotion
- understanding financial statements
- industry research
How do SBDCs impact the economy?
Nationwide, small businesses employ 60 million people, which is nearly half of all American workers. With deep roots in their communities, small firms and their employees are the engine driving the American economy. SBDCs provide these local businesses and entrepreneurs with the resources they need to thrive, compete, and succeed.
Check out America’s SBDC most recent Annual Report.
America’s SBDC is the association that represents America’s nationwide network of Small Business Development Centers. According to its website, in 2019, it had provided $5.6 billion in financing and created over 99,124 jobs nationwide. Between 2017-2018, it helped start 16,499 businesses, and in 2019, it generated $7 billion in new sales.
Growth Corp is a Proud Host of the Illinois SBDC for Central Illinois
Growth Corp’s mission as a Certified Development Company is to be a vehicle for economic development, particularly within the small business sector. The Illinois SBDC carries the same objectives and follows a parallel path. Growth Corp wholeheartedly commits to helping the center expand its services to disadvantaged businesses, increasing its community outreach–especially to the surrounding areas, retaining additional staff, and involving more subject-matter consultants. Perhaps now more than ever, central Illinois businesses need this expanded access to the services provided by the Illinois SBDC. These services are desperately needed in our community and Growth Corp wants to do whatever it can to fill that need.
To learn more about SBDC Day, follow the hashtag #SBDCDay, visit AmericasSBDC.org/SBDCDay and for small businesses looking for assistance contact your local SBDC today!
