SALEM – Oregon’s Small Business Development Centers have helped 626,000 businesses over the course of their existence in this state and House Bill 3410 – which passed in the Senate – would help them have an even greater economic impact. The bill sets aside $3 million for Business Oregon to create a grant program for the state’s SBDC Network – the largest business assistance provider in the state, with 20 centers and more than 43 locations across the state – to help individual centers better meet the needs of small businesses in their local communities. House Bill 3410 contained several components and served as the Legislature’s $60 million Rural Economic Development Package for this session. “Small business is the backbone of our national and state economies,” said Sen. Dick Anderson, R-Lincoln City, who carried the bill to passage on the Senate floor. “In fact any truly healthy economy is multifaceted and based on many small businesses that employ community members, provide valuable products and services and grow wealth. This grant program will help us support startup and ongoing small businesses to not only survive, but nurture them to grow and thrive.” Senate passage was the last step before the bill goes to Gov. Tina Kotek for her signature. The bill passed overwhelmingly through the House of Representatives. Under House Bill 3410, Oregon’s 20 SBDCs, as well as the Global Trade Center and Market Research Institute operated by the network, can apply for grants to fund economic projects such as business incubation for certain industries, extra support for businesses still recovering from the pandemic, regional economic development initiatives and expanding SBDCs’ abilities to serve underrepresented businesses. Results of the grant-funded initiatives will be reported back on a mandatory timeline. Driving economic development and expanding services to small businesses is the goal of the bill. The centers partner with local and regional governments and organizations to ensure small businesses have access to the best technical assistance resources available. Many clients of SBDCs are in the critical early stages when many business ideas are either made or broken. SBDCs provide expert advice and assistance to help good ideas flourish. “The Oregon SBDC network is unique in that it is a direct connection with small businesses, chambers of commerce, economic development agencies and local governments in every county – in every corner – of the state,” Gregory said. “Through its shared resources, it ensures business advising and expertise of the highest caliber is available to Oregon entrepreneurs, no matter their zip code.” SBDCs are the largest provider of business services to underserved populations across Oregon. They each develop programs from the ground up based on the particular needs in their own communities, supported by the resources of the state network, including its roster of more than 150 professional business advisors with a wide range of expertise and professional experience. Many of Oregon’s most successful and innovative high-tech manufacturing firms have worked with their local SBDCs, as have food producers, farmers, contractors, retailers, restaurateurs and more. The network is leading the effort in Oregon to address the state’s childcare crisis by rolling out a successful training program created by the Central Oregon Community College SBDC to centers in counties such as Hood River, Clatsop and Lincoln. For more information about the Oregon Small Business Development Center Network or to find a SBDC nearby, those interested can go online to https://oregonsbdc.org/.
