The Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida (Florida SBDC at UNF) provides no-cost, confidential consulting, resources and training to any prospective or existing small-business owner in North Florida (Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee and Union counties).
The Florida SBDC Network is state-designated as Florida’s Principal Provider of Business Assistance [ § 288.001, Fla. Stat.] and recognized as Florida’s “premier source” for business assistance. With this assistance, clients can become more successful and, in turn, contribute positively to the area’s economic growth and stability. More than 35 SBDC offices operate in Florida from Key West to Pensacola under the guidance of seven state universities, including the University of North Florida, and state colleges.
With funding from the U.S. SBA, the University of North Florida and other public and private sector sources, the Florida SBDC at UNF is able to provide its assistance services at no charge to the client.
Why the SBDC?
More than 90% of all businesses in the U.S. are small. Small businesses are truly the backbone of our economy, employing more than 60% of all workers and creating 80% of all new jobs. Yet small business owners face some tough challenges. The primary causes of failure are undercapitalization and management inexperience. As a result, Congress created the Small Business Development Center program in 1980 to provide this much-needed assistance that many small businesses could not afford in the private sector. The Florida SBDC at UNF started in 1976 as part of an eight-state pilot program, giving it the distinction of being one of the longest-running SBDC programs in the nation.
Primary contact details (email, website, or social links)
- smallbiz@unf.edu
- 800-450-4624
- www.unf.edu/sbdc
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/UNFSBDC
- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-small-business-development-center-at-unf/
- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fsbdc_unf/
- YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SBDCatUNF
