- The FSBDC at FAMU is one 43 non-profit and community-based organizations, private sector entities, and institutions of higher education to be selected for grants
- FAMU will be forming partnerships to assist and train underserved entrepreneurs
- The FPCRC will serve both small businesses interested in expansion and individuals seeking to start a new business
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT BELOW:
We are in an era where entrepreneurship is the go-to. The issue is some small businesses are in underserved areas. I'm Terry Gilliam, your neighborhood reporter in Southwest Tallahassee. Behind me is a small business, and I'll tell how a federal fund can help grow it
"It's needed, you know the economy has kind of gotten out of whack. So, any kind of help available will be appreciated."
That's Dietrick Sutherland Sr. He's been cutting hair on Tallahassee's South Side for about 15 years.
He knows how much help small businesses need to keep things afloat
"As a business owner we all need a boost. Yeah, sometimes things get hard."
He says he was fortunate to get his shop.
"I used to go in communities and just cut all day. I used to go to homeless shelters, I used to go to FSU campus, FAMU campus, and then God blessed me with this business, you know?”
Growing small businesses is something everyone involved wants to figure out how to do.
That's where FAMU comes in...
They received a three-million-dollar federal fund designed to help grow underserved entrepreneurs and small businesses.
"I think in our study we had about 53,000 minority business owners who are solar entrepreneurs.
Aundra' Mcglockton Is the associate director of the small business development center at FAMU.
"We hope that with our help, as well as the funding we're going to secure for them, that they can grow into multi employed organizations that will hire people to work for them"
He says the program will help those small business owners in the area.
"So that's going to be a real blessing and a boom for the people in Tallahassee, as well as the overall region."
That's something Sutherland thinks will fulfill the need.
"All small businesses need help. It's not really paid attention to, so we appreciate any help that comes"
The grant combined $1 million dollars in FAMU matching funds and will be used to establish the Florida Panhandle Capital Readiness Collaborative to provide technical assistance and programs. In Southwest Tallahassee, Terry Gilliam, ABC27.
