Mayors in coordination with other local elected officials in suburban, rural and urban communities across the state direct and oversee the delivery of diverse caretaker services

to their constituents. Economic development is a core area which impacts on the local, regional and state economy. Policies aimed at attracting and retaining small businesses in localities impact strongly on tax ratables, job creation and a strong, thriving economy as well as a sense of community in the business district.

There are approximately 750,000 small businesses in the state. Two thirds of them are non-employer businesses according to Small Business Administration (SBA) data. Small business creates more than 50 percent of all employment in the state. The New Jersey Small Business Development Centers (NJSBDC) network has been on the front lines assisting small business owners for 28 years.  The NJSBDC, part of a national program, partners with the SBA and the State Commerce, Economic Growth and Tourism Commission.  In addition, this nonprofit entity also works closely with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, local governments, Urban Enterprise Zones as well as other private and public partners.

As a result of NJSBDC’s assistance to entrepreneurs and small business owners, the program generates a high rate of return for the state’s economy.  In 2005, more than $155 million in private sales were generated and at least $10 million in sales tax revenues reached state coffers, notwithstanding other significant economic development benefits.  Yet, NJSBDC receives far less in state funding ($800,000) than the approximate $6.7 million and $2.5 million received by counterpart SBDCs in Pennsylvania and New York, respectively. With almost comparable populations as New Jersey, the Georgia SBDC gets $2.5 million while the state of North Carolina invests $1.7 million in its SBDC.

The NJSBDC network, composed of 11 service centers statewide, is a federal-state educational partnership which not only assists aspiring entrepreneurs to successfully get their businesses off the ground, but also provides assistance to established small businesses so that they can effectively manage their growth and expand their business operations. 

In 2005, this statewide network created and retained 10,000 jobs, facilitated $105.5 million in small business financing (loans and procurement contracts) and served approximately 23,000 entrepreneurs and existing small businesses through personalized one-to-one counseling and training activities.

Whether a town has a downtown main street, special improvement district, industrial/commercial office parks, or urban enterprise zone the regional SBDC in the area will work directly with local small businesses of different types to help them enhance their business plans and strategic planning for the purpose of increasing their sales and capturing new customers and markets. Our regional centers will help small business owners with accounting, financial planning, record-keeping, E-presence, public and private procurement opportunities, human resources, marketing and public relations, financing and much more.

The NJSBDC headquarters, which oversees 11 centers and 27 affiliate locations, is headquartered at the Rutgers Business School in Newark. The headquarters has specialty programs that also include technology commercialization by helping emerging technology firms to bring their products and services from the lab to the marketplace and international trade services to help businesses import and export their goods and services. In addition, the emerging markets program focuses on helping minority and women-owned businesses with potential opportunities in various sectors including construction and the trades.

Over the past year, NJSBDC has sponsored community outreach events called “Listening to Small Business” forums and downtown tours at which time we invite local business owners, state legislators, local elected officials and economic development directors to learn about SBDC services and to take the pulse of the business community concerning their specific interests and needs as well as their public policy concerns.

As the premier provider of comprehensive services and programs for small business and as a key advocate for small business at the state legislature and with our New Jersey congressional delegation, we like to routinely visit communities across the state to promote our assistance and services as well as maximize our level of partnerships with the public and private sectors.

Please engage our program in your locality by calling
 (973) 353-1927. We welcome the opportunity to serve your small businesses. For individual center locations, please see www.njsbdc.com.