Small Business Development Office

Small Businesses are encouraged to do business with the City of Little Rock:

The Small Business Development Office (SBDO) designs, implements and monitors programs and activities that facilitate economic development by helping to create, sustain and expand the number of successful small, minority-owned and women-owned businesses. Highlights of the four programs administered by the SBDO are as follows:

SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATOR SERVICE SYSTEM (SBISS)

The SBISS is an economic development tool designed to assist and nurture small companies until in their efforts to move to the next level of business operation. The SBISS currently has __ business clients.

GOALS

• Increased number of stable small, minority-owned and women-owned businesses in the city
• Increase the combined gross sales of SBISS Client businesses
• Increase the number employees of SBISS Client businesses
• Increase leveraged investments by and support for SBISS Client businesses

For a detailed explanation of this program and an application go to SBISS.

RIVER MARKET CAPITAL ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM

The River Market Capital Enhancement Program is an economic development tool designed to assist businesses located in or moving to the River Market Pavilion with the purchase of capital equipment items that will enhance the vendor’s space and overall operations. For a detailed explanation of this program and an application go to River Market Capital Enhancement.

ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING PROGRAM

The Entrepreneurial Training Program is an 11-week course designed to provide practical training in establishing business management systems development and a business plan for start-up and existing businesses.

Goals

• Conducted 2 Entrepreneurial training courses, consisting of a total of 40 participants each fiscal year
• 50% (20 participants) will complete the courses, (the industry norm is a 25% completion rate).

For more information on this program and an application go to Entrepreneurial Training

PROACTIVE PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACT OUTREACH

The City of Little Rock proactively encourages small, minority-owned and women-owned businesses to do business with the City. The city is committed to providing small, minority-owned and women-owned vendors equal access to procurement opportunities and competitive bids for providing goods and services, construction, capital equipment, and professional services purchased by the city.

GOALS

• Sponsor or co-sponsored, 24 marketing and outreach forums each year
• Increase the number of minority-owned and women-owned vendors
• Disseminate over 10,000 pieces of SBDO literature
• Posted ads in local print media on all SBDO sponsored events
• Track and report city’s minority-owned and women-owned procurement activities.

For more information on this program and an application go to PROACTIVE PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACT OUTREACH