The CSU is about to wrap up a memorandum of understanding with the California SBDC to join hands on grant and contract applications, in particular those geared to regional and state-based economic development.
The memorandum also encompasses student internships and job prospects; faculty research programs; educational opportunities aligned with small business, and networking and outreach events held with local business associations.
Humboldt State is one of six lead regional SBDCs, three of them on CSU campuses. Funded primarily by the U.S. Small Business Administration, they are responsible for providing services within their regions, while also collaborating on state-wide initiatives.
“We are very excited to have an opportunity to build on our long-standing, symbiotic relationships within the CSU,” said Humboldt State’s Kristin Johnson, chair of the California SBDC and regional director of the Northern California SBDC Lead Center. “CSU campuses are hotbeds of innovation and vibrancy, which allow our centers easy access to research and talent. We at Humboldt State understand the value of this type of relationship and have enjoyed many successes in programming and services for businesses that have cropped up from our SBDC/HSU collaboration.”
Humboldt State houses the lead center for 10 Small Business Development Centers across northern California. They provide one-on-one business mentoring to thousands of small businesses each year. The centers are funded through grants, including $27 million from the federal government.
Individual centers have small staffs with entrepreneurial backgrounds and general expertise in answering start-up questions, building business plans and navigating applications for SBA or other business loans. Anyone with a small business (fewer than 500 employees) can obtain SBDC services, which beside business plans include:
- Financial Projections & Budgeting
- Operating Challenges
- Purchase or Sale of a Business
- Funding Your Venture
- Loan Packaging
Information about CSU economic development and job creation is posted at http://www.calstate.edu/impact/. The HSU Lead Center address is http://norcalsbdc.org.