ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

As the only statewide provider of entrepreneurial and business development services, the Florida SBDC Network plays a vital role in Florida’s economic development by assisting entrepreneurs in every stage of the business life cycle.

Since 1976, Florida SBDCs have assisted hundreds of thousands of emerging and growing businesses by providing the professional expertise, tools, and information necessary to make sound business decisions in a complex and ever-changing marketplace.

In addition to the Florida SBDC’s core service offerings of consulting provided at no-cost, training, and business research, the Florida SBDC Network also provides a comprehensive toolkit of specialized services for qualifying businesses looking to accelerate market growth, including: Growth Acceleration, Capital Access, International Trade, Government Contracting, and Business Continuation.

The Florida Department of Financial Services provides information regarding filing insurance claims for damages incurred due to a natural disaster. A representative from financial services will provide information regarding Florida law affecting insurance claims and other insurance issues related to Florida businesses directly impacted by a natural disaster. For business issues, businesses should FAX business name, mailing address, all insurance information, date of loss, and the names of all interested parties to 850.488.6372. Any repair work to limit damages should commence immediately. Businesses are encouraged to keep all photos, records, invoices of all repairs completed after a natural disaster. Depending on the scale of the damage, disaster adjusters may need extra time to get in contact with claimants.

In addition to the Florida SBDC’s core service offerings of consulting provided at no-cost, training, and business research, the Florida SBDC Network also provides a comprehensive toolkit of specialized services for qualifying businesses looking to accelerate market growth, including: Growth Acceleration, Capital Access, International Trade, Government Contracting, and Business Continuation.

Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) partners with outside organizations to provide small, minority and entrepreneurial companies with training, development and financing options.  EFI has an extensive network of state, federal and non-profit resources ready to assist small businesses in accessing capital, entering new markets, and creating revenue growth and job creation

Selling alcohol in the State of Florida requires obtaining a license. To obtain a license to sell alcohol, please contact “The State of Florida Beverage Department”.

GrowFL matches you with a team of specialists in unique areas to analyze your overall business strategy. A team member is assigned to you, who will work virtually from offices across the state through an online collaboration tool to send you reports, recommendations and data lists to implement at your own pace.

The Florida Virtual Entrepreneur Center is an online directory of resource agencies that serve entrepreneurs like you, organized for each stage of your business. FLVEC is powered by The Corridor, a regional economic development initiative of the University of Central Florida, the University of South Florida and the University of Florida.

SCORE is proud to have the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors. They help thousands of entrepreneurs start and grow their small businesses every year. Our volunteers give back to their communities and pass on their knowledge to the next generation of entrepreneurs.

As a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), SCORE has helped more than 11 million entrepreneurs through mentoring, workshops and educational resources since 1964.

BA provides low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters. SBA disaster loans can be used to repair or replace the following items damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster: real estate, personal property, machinery and equipment, and inventory and business assets. There is also Economic Injury loans (EIL) through SBA, that covers small business operating expenses after a declared disaster.