EL CENTRO — Director for the Workforce and Economic Development Priscilla Lopez presented opening a Small Business Development Center in Imperial, CA to the local board of supervisors recently. A request for proposal was submitted and a total of $100,000 had been awarded to help the center.

By Kassandra Mendoza, News Reporter for The Desert Review

SBDC is part of the U.S. Small Business Administration

“The core services that the SBDC provides are wide-ranging and they include individualized business advising, technical assisting for new technologies or software, financial assistance, access to capital, general administration to promote small business growth and expansion,” Lopez said.

This would be to provide better access to those services.

What did the SBDC receive?

“There is a cash match equal to the federal amount that is attached to the SBDC grant. In this case, it is for a total of $75,000. During the application process, we did have to submit documentation that demonstrated a commitment by the host agency to provide this cash match. We did receive a letter in that amount and we respectfully request that this board consider providing that funding from the community benefit fund to secure the operation,” stated Lopez.

Why SBDC?

“SBDC is very near and dear to me,” District 1 Supervisor Luis Plancarte said after the board had deliberated.

“I consulted for them as a primary consultant for over 14 years. I really enjoyed serving over 860 clients, with that being said not only do I want to motion that this project goes forward, I commit to doing in-kind work to help you be successful with this project. I really look forward to endorsing this.”

Chairman Jesus Escobar called the motion to be carried and with all four supervisors voting yes, the motion was approved.

View the original story and photo by Kassandra Mendoza.

More Info

The SBDC exists to help small businesses at no charge. Entrepreneurs can reach out to find a business advisor, who works with small business owners one-on-one and for free. Visit SDIVSBDC.org/advising to access an advisor or call (619) 482-6391 if needed. The SBDC website also has other information available such as no-cost or discounted business resources and tools as well as live and on-demand training.

The San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network hosted by Southwestern College is funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (Go-Biz). The SBDC provides free business advising in all realms of how to start, manage and grow a business, and most workshops or training offered are at no cost to small business owners to provide economic impact for our region. The regional SBDC network includes nine service partners in San Diego and Imperial counties.