The Office of Economic and Small Business Development (OESBD) provides technical assistance to businesses in Broward County that seek assistance with funding to establish or expand operations. Resources used to accomplish this objective include the following.
DISCLAIMER: The Resources Guide is a list of offerings that we believe may have some use and value to our Small Business Community this includes the Not for Profit Community. Though this information is being shared, it is strongly encouraged that the reviewer, organization or person considering using any of theses services or resources do their own due diligence, review and thoroughly assess the services or resource. The County nor OESBD takes responsibility for any decision that is finally made about using or not using any of these services or resources on this site. The County is not endorsing or warranting any of the services offered or provided by the various entities.
OESBD Services as provided by our office and staff are of No Cost to any of our customers, however some of these services and resources may have a cost, and the use of those services or resources is solely an independent decision of the organization or person deciding to use the service. We are not encouraging you or recommending that you pay any fees. That has to be your own decision based on your review and research.
Broward County's Small Business Financial Resources Guide
(updated November 2024)
SBA Loans
For companies who are looking for more than $50,000, an SBA loan may be the best option. SBA loans are offered through private banks with an SBA guarantee. Some of the bank requirements to qualify for an SBA loan are:
• Business plan
• Capital injection of at least 30%
• Industry experience
Commercial Bank Loans
Commercial bank loans are generally available for existing companies who are seeking to expand their business. To qualify for commercial loans the company and owner(s) must have a good credit history and have a solid financial position.
Local Small Business Financing Programs
Accion, USA
Headquarters:
Cambridge, MA 617-625-7080 | 1-800-931-9951 | Accion East and Online is a microfinance organization that offers:- Small business loans from $500 up to $50,000 and
- Credit and business advice to small business owners who cannot access traditional credit.
Accion assists home-based businesses, retail stores, and small business startups.
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Black Business Investment Fund, Inc. (BBIF)
Headquarters:
Orlando, FL: 407-649-4780
South Florida: 305-454-9915 | BBIF Florida (BBIF) is a non-profit, mission-driven, Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that helps Florida businesses thrive by providing loan capital alongside business development training. We also help to stabilize low-income, distressed neighborhoods by investing in economic development projects that stabilizing communities and create jobs.
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Brickell Capital Finance
Headquarters:
175 SW 7th Street, STE 1900
Miami, FL 33130
786-467-7800
| Brickell Capital Finance (BCF) is located in Miami, Florida. Founded in 2005, BCF has experience in business lines of credit, unsecured business lines of credit, contractor and Sub-contracting financing, SBA loans, Equipment Leasing, Commercial Real Estate Financing, and E-Commerce. BCF helps small businesses with debt structuring.
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Small Business Loans
Email:
info@smallbusinessloans.com
| Business Financial Services focuses on providing small business loans (up to $500k) to a wide range of industries:- Agriculture
- Commercial Trucking
- Construction
- Landscaping
- Medical Practice
Advantage Loan: For start-up companies or have a few dings on their credit but a steady bank balance, then the Advantage Loan may be the best fit.
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Central County Community Development Coorporation
| Small Dollar Loan Fund
Introducing the Small Dollar Loan Fund Program that can range from $2,000 - $9,999. It can be used for working capital, machinery & equipment purchases or technology upgrades.
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Florida Venture Forum
| The Florida Venture Forum is Florida’s largest statewide support and networking organization for venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. To date, Florida-based companies presenting at Forum conferences have raised $10 Billion+ in equity capital. Founded in 1984, the Florida Venture Forum is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to providing educational and networking opportunities for Florida-based entrepreneurs and private companies committed to substantial growth, so that they can successfully achieve their plans and attract and connect with private investment capital sources.
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Fusion Capital
844-499-2899
| Financing alternatives for business owners with less-than-perfect credit. • Working capital from $5,000 to $250,000
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Glover Franchise Consultants
954-420-8257
| Glover Franchise Consultants (GCF) is located in Fort Lauderdale. GCF has experience in franchising, business development, commercial real estate, strategic sales, and sales management. GCF helps small businesses select sites with big-box retail. Services: • Handles all client consultations to obtain franchises. • Manages the online marketing of brands for franchises. • Maintains relationships with funding partners to access capital to obtain franchises. • Researches and prepares brand presentations to clients. • Provide due diligence support to prospective candidates gaining information on franchises. • Provides mentorship to newer Franchise Consultants. • Manages all business financials. • Attends Trade shows and manages the relationship with third-party service providers
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Grants 4 U Inc.
Headquarters:
3401 W Broward Blvd
Lauderhill, FL 33312
954-799-5552
| Grants 4 U Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth and development of small businesses in South Florida. Based in Lauderhill, Florida, Grants 4 U Inc. provides consulting services to assist small businesses in obtaining grants.
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Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance
954-524-3113
| To maintain its world-class business climate, Greater Fort Lauderdale offers relocating and expanding businesses a wide range of benefits, including:- Incentives that provide financial assistance
- Streamlined regulatory processes
- Low taxes
- Innovative and highly ranked workforce development support
The advantages of doing business in Greater Fort Lauderdale carry over to the personal side, where individuals pay no state or local personal income taxes, giving companies an added enticement in recruiting technology specialists, and other talents.
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Grow America
1-800-501-7489
| Grow America (formerly NDC) facilitates the Broward County, Florida Municipal Services District (BMSD) Revolving Loan Fund (RLF). It is a new small business lending program to provide flexible, low-cost capital for existing businesses as well as new start-up businesses in the BMSD.
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City of Lauderhill
954-730-2175
| Lauderhill Micro Loan Program-Currently closed
- Eligible applicants: Lauderhill small business owners
- Up to $10,000
- 20% of the loan is forgiven every year business remains in Lauderhill, up to 5 years (or 60 months) from the initial payout
- Email Economic Development for more information - Ecodev@lauderhill-fl.gov
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Lunch Payments
| Lunch provides push-button net terms financing to businesses on this platform. Lunch provides the capital, compliance, and technology by API to directly integrate the platform with your financing infrastructure.
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MBDA Loans (Coronavirus Response & Relief Business Program
| Access to Capital & Other Financing Services • PPP Loan Forgiveness • Loan packages for working capital, purchase orders, invoices, equipment, Etc. • Business expansion and commercial building acquisition
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Miami Bayside Foundation
305-379-7070
| Miami Bayside Foundation (MBF) is a nonprofit organization designed to advance economic development in South Florida through the support of minority businesses and education.
MBF seeks to do this through the creation and administration of loan programs for minority businesses, through the creation of programs and educational scholarships for minorities, and by providing technical assistance to minority-owned businesses.
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Our Microlending
305-854-8113
| A Community Development Financial Institution, dedicated exclusively to serve the needs of micro-entrepreneurs through microfinance services.- Microfinance Loan Program (up to $50,000)
- Express Loan Business Loans ($1,500 to $20,000)
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Partners for Self-Employment
305-438-1407
| Direct Loan Program for entrepreneurs ready to take their company to the next level (up to $35,000).
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Prospera
786-329-5830
| Prospera is an economic development, nonprofit organization specialized in providing bilingual assistance to Hispanic entrepreneurs trying to establish or expand their business.
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Small Business Administration (SBA)
800-827-5722
| The U.S. Small Business Administration has delivered millions of loans, loan guarantees, contracts, counseling sessions, and other forms of assistance to small businesses.
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South Florida Regional Planning Council
954-954-3635
| Revolving Loan Fund Program for South Florida small to mid-sized businesses ranging from $50, 000 to $300,000.
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Urban League of Broward County
| The Small Business Loan Fund (SBLF) is a community development financial institution (CDFI) whose purpose is to make access to credit more readily available to minority and women-owned businesses in Florida. We provide loans to small businesses statewide however our principal focus is on small businesses in South Florida - Broward, Miami Dade, and Palm Beach Counties. Our diverse team of business professionals has expertise in tailoring loan terms to meet the unique needs of small businesses. Since our inception in 2017, our capital impact exceeds $4.2 million in loan capital to over 50 unique small businesses that have created or retained over 350 jobs across the State of Florida. We lend to a wide range of businesses, offer flexible loan terms to fit your needs, and will be there throughout the life of your loan to make sure you have the tools you need to succeed and grow!
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The Small Business Financial Resource Guide is provided as a courtesy listing that may offer some use and value to small businesses and non-profit organizations. Any person, organization, or reviewing entity considering use of any of these services or resources is encouraged strongly to conduct their own due diligence, thorough review, and assessment of services or resource prior to use. Neither Broward County nor the Office of Economic and Small Business Development (OESBD) take or bear any responsibility for any decision made to use or not use any of these services or resources nor any or any related outcome. Neither Broward County nor OESBD endorse nor warrant any of the services or resources provided by the various entities or their representatives.
While the services and resources provided by OESBD and staff are free, some of these services and resources in the Guide may have related costs and fees for which any use would be solely an independent decision of the individual or organization. Neither Broward County nor OESBD endorse nor recommend any financial commitment related to any such services or resources should you choose to utilize. Please be led by your own decision based on your own independent review and research.
Microbusiness Loans
Typically for small loan amounts, microbusiness loans can provide the much needed start-up capital to launch the next big idea. OESBD can help entrepreneurs identify and contact microlenders and get the new business off the ground. Over $4.5 million in microloans have been disbursed to 28 companies through our partner, South Florida Regional Planning Council, over the last eight years.
SBA Loans
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers several loan programs that provide financial aid to small businesses. A few of the most popular programs are Basic 7(a) Business Loan, Micro-loans and the Certified Development Companies (CDC)/504 Program. Micro-loan lenders and CDCs work with the SBA to provide financing to small businesses.
The Micro-loan Program provides very small loans to start-up, newly established or growing small business concerns. Under this program, SBA makes funds available to non-profit, community-based lenders (intermediaries) that make loans to eligible borrowers in amounts up to a maximum of $35,000. The average loan size is about $10,500. Applications are submitted to the local intermediary and all credit decisions are made at the local level.
OESBD can assist businesses in:
- Loan packaging
- Identifying and contacting qualified SBA lenders
Industrial Revenue Bond Program
Established expressly for existing small and mid-sized manufacturers, and 501(c)(3) non-profit corporations, the Industrial Revenue Bond (IRB) program is marketed and coordinated in Broward County by the OESBD. This is a federal program providing tax exempt financing for qualified capital projects. Bond proceeds must be used for the acquisition of land and/or a building, construction of a new facility, renovation of an existing facility or purchasing machinery or equipment.
The program has a maximum tax exempt financing amount for manufacturers of $10 million per project, $20 million per municipal area, and $40 million nation-wide. Additional expenditures can be financed on a taxable basis. 501 (c)(3) non-profit agencies have no tax exempt limits. Other standard credit requirements apply.
Alternative Lending Programs
OESBD also works closely with the alternative lenders located in the Broward County area. Alternative lending partners include: MetroBroward Economic Development Corporation and the South Florida Regional Planning Council Revolving Loan Fund. OESBD can assist businesses with accessing these organizations in pursuit of non-conventional lending alternatives.
Employee Retention Credit (ERC)
The ERC is a federal government aid program designed to assist companies that retained their employees during the pandemic. The ERC is a refundable tax credit against certain employment taxes equal to 50 percent of the qualified wages an eligible employer pays to employees after March 12, 2020, and before January 1, 2021, up to $26K per employee. ERC differs greatly from PPP and is easy to apply for. Details regarding qualifications and eligibility can be found here. The National Federation of Independent Business hosted an informational webinar on December 9, 2021. Learn more
A number of private companies offer technical assistance in securing the ERC. Bottom Line Concepts is a private for-profit company that offers Fee-for-Service assistance for businesses of any size to secure the ERC, accepting payment only after securing financial benefits for their clients.
