Annual Report

Services:

Business Counseling

ASBDC counselors assisted 3372 clients in starting their small business or expanding their existing efforts in FY2006.  Our counseling is provided free of charge to all small businesses. 

Government Procurement

 The Procurement Technical Assistance Program of Alabama assists Alabama businesses in obtaining local, state and federal government contracts using a bid match program which helps business owners gain an edge in selling to the government.  Our Government Procurement specialists have assisted  their clients in obtaining over $1.7 billion in FY2007, which has helped to create or retain approximately 35,000 jobs for Alabama workers.

International Trade

The International Trade Center team of professionals work on-on-one with small businesses to increase export sales and boost the state's economy.  In FY 2006, Trade Center activities created $36.8 million in new export sales.  The center has assisted over 8,000 clients since its beginning in 1979, and continues to grow.

Workforce Training

The ASBDC held over 579 training workshops, seminars and courses in FY2006 with over 17,500 attendees.  ASBDC is committed to the development of a highly skilled workforce that will sustain Alabama's economic vitality.

Loan Package Assistance

Funding your small business is easier with the ASBDC on your side.  ASBDC centers held 80 statewide seminars related to business financing in FY2006.  This assistance aided  small businesses in obtaining more than $16.5 million in business financing.

ASBDC :

A Small Business Development Center (SBDC) counsels and trains business people in a wide variety of business topics and provides comprehensive information services and access to experts in many fields.  Counseling is provided free of charge to all small business owners.  SBDCs develop and maintain partnerships among community organizations and local, state and federal agencies, providing a focal point for a broad network of public and private resources at the community level.  SBDC partnership programs and activities serving small businesses have contributed significantly to economic growth in Alabama and across the nation. 

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) administers the overall SBDC program while implementation of each program rests with the SBDC State Director and the participating organizations within the state. The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency administers the Procurement Technical Assistance Program which is supported by the SBDCs.  In Alabama, 11 state universities host SBDCs. The Advisory Board of the ASBDC is composed of members of the small business community. The Alabama Small Business Development Consortium began operating in 1980.  The Alabama SBDCs make up 12 of the over 1100 SBDC service centers nationwide. SBDCs are located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa.