SACRAMENTO – According to a recently completed annual report compiled by the California Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) from small business client surveys, small businesses experienced substantial growth opportunities due to increased financing in 2014.
The California SBDC is the largest technical assistance provider for small businesses in the state and is part of a national network of nearly 1,000 centers – which are funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Through its 42 centers, the California SBDC provided free on-on-one consulting and low-cost workshops to 60,000 small businesses in 2014. The positive economic impacts of the SBDC program included helping clients’ access more than $535 million in loans and equity investments, a staggering 56 percent increase in capital infusion over the prior year.
In addition, follow up client surveys credited the California SBDC program’s assistance with the creation and retention of 8,624 jobs last year, the launch of 920 new businesses and sales increases of nearly $344 million. Jesse Torres, chair of the California Small Business Development Centers Leadership Council, attributed the upswing in impacts of the SBDC program to several factors including increased funding for services, a statewide initiative centered on helping clients increase loan and investment opportunities as well as an increase in demand for services from technology firms.
“In 2014, the California SBDC Network assisted our clients in achieving more than half a billion dollars in capital infusion,” Torres said. “Through important grants like the Governor’s Capital Infusion program, we were able to expand our confidential business advising and secure our place as a leader in capital infusion assistance. We are grateful to Governor Brown’s leadership on this special funding for our centers and for the state’s ongoing support for small business.”
Last September the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) announced its Capital Infusion Program that would provide $2 million in one-time, matching grants to California SBDC offices to assist small businesses in obtaining capital. The funding came at a crucial time for the California SBDC and provided some assistance in meeting the federal matching funds requirement from the SBA.
Across its 43 centers and more than 100 outreach locations, California Small Business Development Centers provided more than 78,000 hours of free consulting to entrepreneurs in 2014 and conducted 2,515 workshops across the state.
“The SBA’s highly productive partnership with the California SBDC Network has had a significant positive impact in helping small businesses start, grow and prosper,” said SBA Region 9 Regional Administrator Donna Davis. “The SBA’s ongoing commitment to small business and entrepreneurial development not only provides enhanced technical assistance service to the 3.6 million small businesses in California, but also promotes economic development and job growth.”
For more information on California Small Business Development Centers or to find a Small Business Development Center near you, go to www.californiasbdc.org.
About the California SBDC Program
The California Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Program is the leader in providing small business owners and entrepreneurs with the tools and guidance needed to become successful. Local SBDCs provide comprehensive and expert guidance on issues such as start-up basics, financing, business and marketing plan development, procurement and government contracting. One-on-one advising is funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and local partners and is offered at no cost. Consulting is supplemented by low-cost or free seminars and conferences. These services are delivered throughout California via an extensive network of 42 Small Business Development Centers. The California SBDC network serves more than 60,000 small business owners annually. Learn more by visiting: www.californiasbdc.org
About SBA
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. We recognize that small business is critical to our economic recovery and strength, to building America’s future, and to helping the United States compete in today’s global marketplace. Although SBA has grown and evolved in the years since it was established in 1953, the bottom line mission remains the same. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam. www.sba.gov
About GO-Biz
GO-Biz serves as California’s office for economic development and offers a range of services to business owners. Those services include attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, important informational briefings and much more. For more information visit:www.business.ca.gov.
