Business

Florida SBDC celebrates 45 years of service helping small businesses

The Florida Small Business Development Center Network is celebrating 45 years of service helping small businesses grow and succeed. The network is sharing “45 Stories for 45 Years” using the hashtag #FloridaSBDC45 to share stories of small businesses, partners, and the greater community.

“Our 45-year story is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our partners, our stakeholders, our dedicated staff, as well as the small businesses that we serve, who are the backbone of Florida’s economy,” said Greg Britton, CEO of the Florida SBDC Network. “We look forward to providing this integral support to our state’s small business community for decades to come.”


In 1976, the Florida SBDC Network was funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration as one of eight SBDC pilot programs in the country. Originating with one man at the University of West Florida overseeing two centers in Northwest Florida and serving a handful of clients, the Florida SBDC Network is now one of the largest SBDC networks in the country. The network has more than 40 centers and 300 employees and provides tools, training and expertise to thousands of Florida’s entrepreneurs annually.


The Florida SBDC has assisted businesses through several crises recently including assisting businesses affected by the Surfside condo collapse near Miami Beach and helping businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020, the Florida SBDC Network has helped thousands of small business owners throughout the state obtain more than $219 million in federal and state disaster assistance, including the Paycheck Protection Program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program.


In Northwest Florida, the Florida SBDC at UWF is a member of the Florida SBDC Network. The Florida SBDC at UWF is based in the UWF College of Business and serves small businesses in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Jackson, Washington, Bay, Gulf and Calhoun counties.


For more information on the Florida SBDC at UWF, visit sbdc.uwf.edu.