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Small Business Resources

 

ESSENTIAL CONTACTS

Business Assistance, Consulting, Workshops

Florida SBDC Network
The Florida SBDC has more than 40 offices from Pensacola to Key West. Please contact the region nearest you to find your local office.
850.898.3479
www.floridasbdc.org/locations

  • Florida A&M University
    Tallahassee
    850.599.3407
  • Florida Atlantic University
    Serving Broward and Palm Beach Counties
    954.762.5235
  • Florida Gulf Coast University
    Fort Myers
    239.745.3700
  • Florida International University
    Miami
    305.779.9230
  • Indian River State College
    Fort Pierce
    772.336.6285
  • University of Central Florida
    Orlando
    407.420.4850
  • University of North Florida
    Jacksonville
    904.620.2476
  • University of South Florida
    Tampa
    813.396.7200
  • University of West Florida
    Pensacola
    850.474.2528

Black Business Investment Corporations (BBIC)

Minority Businesses

  • Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council
    Miami (headquarters): 305.762.6151
    Orlando (regional office): 407.251.7021
    fsmsdc.org

National Entrepreneur Center
407.420.4848
nationalec.org

Prospera
prosperausa.org/central-florida

  • Central Florida
    407.428.5872
  • South Florida
    786.329.5830
  • West Coast Florida
    813.634.6246

SCORE Florida
Contact the SCORE Florida chapter nearest you for free mentoring and workshops.
score.org

  • North Central
    Gainesville-Alachua 352.251.3622
    Jacksonville 904.443.1911
    Lakeland 863.284.5607
    Nature Coast-Lecanto 352.249.1236
    Orlando 407.420.4844
    Space Coast/Melbourne 321.254.2288
    The Villages 352.399.0050
    Volusia-Flagler 386.255.6889
  • Southeast
    Fort Lauderdale 954.356.7263
    Treasure Coast/Fort Pierce 772.489.0548
    Miami-Dade 786.425.9119
    West Palm Beach 561.981.5180
  • Southwest
    Clearwater 727.437.0990
    Fort Myers 239.533.3102
    Manatee-Sarasota 941.955.1029
    Naples 239.430.0081
    New Port Richey 727.842.4638
    Port Charlotte 941.743.6179
    Tampa 813.448.2311

U.S. Small Business Administration
800.827.5722 / sba.gov

Women’s Business Centers

  • Jacksonville Women’s Business Center
    Jacksonville
    904.366.6633
    jaxwbc.com
  • The Florida Women’s Business Center
    Delray Beach
    561.265.3790
    flwbc.org
  • The Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women
    Tampa
    813.251.8437
    thecentre.org
  • weVENTURE at Florida Institute of Technology
    Melbourne
    321.674.7007
    weventure.fit.edu

 

Business Incubators

Florida-based facilities that provide first-stage business incubator services.
fbiaonline.org

East Central Florida

Northwest Florida

Northeast Florida

North Central Florida

Tampa Bay

Southeast Florida

Southwest Florida

 

Export/International Trade

Central Florida International Trade Office
407.420.4860
cfito.org

Enterprise Florida Inc. International Trade & Business Development
enterpriseflorida.com/trade-offices

  • Jacksonville/Northeast
    904.359.9350
  • Miami-Dade/Southwest
    305.808.3670
  • Orlando/Central Florida
    305.240.9717
  • Pensacola/Northwest/Tallahassee
    904.359.9350
  • Tampa Bay
    813.276.9430
  • West Palm Beach/Southeast Florida
    561.832.8339

Florida EXIM Bank
305.526.7435
www.exim.gov/contact/regional-export-finance-centers/eastern-region

Florida Export Finance Corporation
786.845.0400
fefc.biz

Florida SBDC International Trade Services
850.898.3479
floridasbdc.org/services/international-trade

U.S. Export Assistance Centers
export.gov/contact-us/

  • Fort Lauderdale
    954.356.6640
  • Jacksonville
    904.232.1270
  • Miami
    305.526.7428
  • Orlando
    407.275.5527
  • Tallahassee
    904.232.1270
  • Tampa Bay
    727.893.3738

 

Finance

Certified Development Companies
Nonprofit corporations that work with the SBA and private-sector lenders to provide financing to small businesses.

  • Florida Business Development Corp.
    813.348.0660
    fbdc.net
  • Florida First Capital Finance Corp.
    888.320.5504
    ffcfc.com
  • Sunshine State Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO)
    800.850.2504
    sedco504.com

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
Microfinance Guarantee Program, Black Business Loan Program, Small Business Credit Initiative
850.245.7105
800.203.2428
floridajobs.org/smallbusiness

Florida Finance Network
Nonprofit economic development lending organizations that connect Florida small businesses with state and federal financing programs.
floridafinance.org/

Florida’s Microfinance Guarantee Program
407.956.5624
enterpriseflorida.com/small-business/microfinance-guarantee-program

Industrial Revenue Bonds
Tax-exempt, low-interest bond financing to qualified, financially sound manufacturing and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.

SBA Loans
The U.S. Small Business Administration does not make loans directly to small business owners; however, many local lenders can assist with the application process for an SBA-backed loan. For information, contact a district office.

 

Venture Capital Firms
The Florida Venture Forum is a statewide member-based organization that helps entrepreneurs obtain funding through strategic partnering, education and effective networking.
flventure.org

 

Government Contracting

Florida Department of Management Services, Division of State Purchasing
850.488.8440
dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing

Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center
850.898.3485
fptac.org

MyFloridaMarketPlace.com
866.352.3776
dms.myflorida.com/myfloridamarketplace

Office of Supplier Diversity, Florida Department of Management Services
850.487.0915
dms.myflorida.com/agency administration/office of supplier diversity_osd

 

Insurance

Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
888.685.1555
citizensfla.com

Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
888.419.3456
floridahealthfinder.gov

Florida Department of Financial Services

Florida Market Assistance Plan
800.524.9023
fmap.org

Florida Workers’ Compensation Joint Underwriting Association
941.378.7400
fwcjua.com

National Flood Insurance Program
Region IV Liaison
770.220.5407
fema.gov/about/ organization/region-4

 

Intellectual Property

U.S. Copyright Office
202.707.3000 or 877.476.0778
copyright.gov

U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
800.786.9199 or 571.272.1000
uspto.gov

 

Labor & Employment

CareerSource Florida
850.692.6887
careersourceflorida.com

Employ Florida Marketplace
800.438.4128
employflorida.com

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
850.245.7105
floridajobs.org/smallbusiness

Florida Department of Financial Services, Workers’ Compensation
850.413.1609
myfloridacfo.com/division/wc

Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Child Labor Program
850.488.3131
myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/child-labor

Florida New Hire Reporting Center
888.854.4791 or 850.656.3343
servicesforemployers.floridarevenue.com

U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
866.487.9243
dol.gov/whd

  • Fort Lauderdale
    954.356.6896
  • Jacksonville
    904.359.9292
  • Miami
    305.598.6607
  • Orlando
    407.648.6471
  • Tallahassee
    850.942.8341
  • Tampa
    813.288.1242
  • West Palm Beach
    561.640.0474

U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
800.321.6742
osha.gov

  • Fort Lauderdale
    954.424.0242
  • Jacksonville
    904.232.2895
  • Orlando
    407.897.4740
  • Tampa
    813.626.1177

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
202.663.4900
eeoc.gov

  • District Office
    800.669.4000

U.S. Department of Justice, Americans with Disabilities Act
800.514.0301
ada.gov

USF SafetyFlorida
Florida’s official OSHA safety and health consultation program dedicated to serving small businesses; consultants statewide.
866.273.1105
usfsafetyflorida.com

Legal Structure

Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations
sunbiz.org

  • Corporations
    850.245.6052
  • Limited Liability Companies/Partnerships
    850.245.6052

U.S. Internal Revenue Service Publications
800.829.3676
irs.gov/publications

  • Partnerships
    Publication 541
  • Limited Liability Companies/Partnerships
    Publication 3402
  • Corporations
    Publication 542

 

Permits, Licenses

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
800.435.7352
freshfromflorida.com

Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
850.487.1395
myfloridalicense.com

Florida Department of Environmental Protection
850.245.2118
floridadep.gov

Florida Department of Health
850.245.2444
floridahealth.gov/licensing-and-regulation

Florida New Hire Reporting Center
888.854.4791 or 850.656.3343
servicesforemployers.floridarevenue.com

Florida Office of Financial Regulation
850.487.9687
flofr.com

 

 

Taxes

Florida Department of Revenue
800.488.6800
floridarevenue.com/taxes

U.S. Internal Revenue Service
800.892.4933
irs.gov/businesses

Tax Forms and Publications
800.829.3676
irs.gov/forms-pubs

  • Tax Calendar Options for
    Businesses and Self-Employed
    Publication 1518A
  • Tax Guide for Small Business
    Publication 334
  • Circular E, Employer’s Tax Guide
    Publication 15
  • Starting a Business and Keeping Records
    Publication 583
  • Small Business Federal Tax Responsibilities
    Publication 4591
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