The Small Business Development Center opened its new offices at Pima Community College last week, returning to its traditional home after budget concerns severed the relationship in 2009.
The rechristened PCC Small Business Development Center is part of a nationwide system of centers that offer a variety of free or low-cost services to entrepreneurs, including financial evaluations, one-on-one counseling and training programs.
Small business is the backbone of the economy, said PCC Chancellor Lee Lambert, and backing the center fits into the college’s goals of student success, community engagement and diversity.
“To support the growth and development of this community and the region, having the natural partnership that flows from education to business is vital,” he said. “I’m just glad that we could make it happen.”
At the inauguration event, Janice Washington, state director for the Arizona SBDC network, said, “This is something that we’ve been working towards for a long time. The partnership between the SBDC and community colleges is a natural one.”
Throughout Arizona, and in most other states, the SBDC is partnered with an educational institution. SBDCs are partially paid for by the U.S. Small Business Administration, with the host institution providing matching funds.
“A decision was made by the previous (PCC) administration to move away from federal programs that require a match,” Washington said. “The economy was getting bad so the college had to make a tough budgeting decision.”
The SBDC moved to the Microbusiness Advancement Center for a few years, but that arrangement also ended, with Maricopa Community College stepping in to provide support over 2015. That move was always seen as temporary, and conversations started in earnest to move the center back to the PCC campus.
“It was never a question whether the SBDC should come back and the value of that, that was always in agreement, really it was working out the details,” said Ellen Kirton, director of the Pima Community College SBDC. PCC’s matching portion will be $104,750 per year during the new three-year contract, officials said.
The Small Business Development Center is an invaluable resource, said Andrew Schmuker, owner of Stamback Septic, which was recognized at the event as an outstanding business.
The center helped Schmuker as he purchased the company and beyond, working on his business plan and making sure his financials are in order.
“It’s been wonderful working with SBDC, very positive, also very much educational on the business aspects with larger picture stuff,” he said. “We’ve almost doubled in size since we took over.”
Even as the hosting situation for the SBDC was in doubt, the center never stopped helping small-business owners in the community, said Kirton.
Last year, the center helped start 31 new businesses and was responsible for 100 new jobs, 62 positions retained, more than $7 million in new capital and $7 million in new growth through its programs and services, officials said.
