Are You Looking to Start or Grow Your Small Business?
Our impact continues to grow each year, reflecting the dedication and resilience of the small businesses we serve.
Since 2023, the San Diego & Imperial SBDC has helped strengthen small businesses in our region create more than a $1.9 billion economic impact including:
About the San Diego & Imperial Small Business Development Center
The San Diego & Imperial Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network is primarily funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) via a cooperative agreement and the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA). Southwestern Community College is the prime agreement and grant holder for the San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network. Southwestern provides significant financial support as well as the different sub-awarded host organizations that make up the network. The SBDC Network is further supported by other local private and public sources. Of the total program funding, 31.4% are federal (SBA) dollars, which currently is $1,355,572 for FFY 2025, $1,800,000 (40.6%) from CalOSBA, and $1,200,000 (28%) from other local public and private sources.
The San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network provides a vast array of support by providing no-cost one-on-one confidential business advising (over 22,000 hours per year) with our team of 100 experts and no- and low- cost trainings to entrepreneurs and small businesses through our locations/sub-contractors.
- North San Diego SBDC (MiraCosta College) in Encinitas
- South San Diego SBDC (Southwestern College) in National City
- Imperial Valley SBDC (County of Imperial) in El Centro
- East County SBDC (East County Economic Development Council) in El Cajon
- Alliance SBDC (Asian Business Association of San Diego) in Kearny Mesa
- International Rescue Committee SBDC in City Heights and El Cajon providing services in different languages, including child care businesses
- Logan Heights SBDC serving the promise zone area in San Diego
- Export SBDC at the World Trade Center San Diego, a specialty SBDC for companies expanding to international markets
- Connect SBDC, a specialty SBDC for innovation-based companies
- The Brink SBDC at the University of San Diego, a specialty SBDC for innovation-based companies
Services include support in access to capital (loans and equity), marketing and market research, business planning, starting a business, IP protection, human resources, sales strategies, navigating government contracting, and much more. Services are also provided in over 10 languages by our expert business advisor team.
The SBDC’s top priority is to empower small business creation and growth to achieve job creation and retention, capital investments, and dynamic innovation that improves the quality of life in San Diego and Imperial counties.
Host Locations
SBDC locations are hosted by local nonprofits and academic institutions which provide the infrastructure, staffing, resources, and tools necessary to carry out our mission of serving the region’s small business owners.
Our Clients Say
“The SBDC’s ongoing support has been nothing short of life-saving! Just a phone call away – they give me the courage to pursue my dreams, knowing there is nothing I can’t do with this incredible team on my side.”
“The Brink SBDC is providing an invaluable service to entrepreneurs by giving guidance and providing connections to both investors and customers. Events such as the San Diego Angel Conference are the icing on the cake, which spreads the spirit of entrepreneurship in the community by bringing entrepreneurs and new investors together, and resulted in an investment of over $100,000 for our company.”
“We moved our company to San Diego from Minnesota, and the SBDC gave us instant access to a huge network of contacts that led to obtaining our startup capital and making other crucial connections. Being the “new guy in town” is never easy, but with their help, we hit the ground running”
“The Brink SBDC and Dr. Martin Kleckner have been invaluable in the success and progress of AccuDava. They dedicated many hours to reviewing and giving advice on our SBIR grant application to the National Cancer Institute, which was successfully awarded $300,000. Their unconditional support continued with extreme efforts that helped us with a $50,000 NIH I-corps grant, which resulted in additional NCI grant funding of $150,000 to extend our diagnostic test application to non-small cell lung cancer.”
In The News
Want to know what SBDC clients and teams have been up to? Take a look at these stories about entrepreneurs, partnering organizations, and other business topics featured in San Diego and Imperial counties’ news.
From Survivor to Innovator
From Survivor to Innovator: Kate Dilligan’s Journey with Cooler Heads How a Breast Cancer Survivor Turned Entrepreneur Overcame Funding Challenges to Revolutionize Chemotherapy
Google Announces $10M Grant to America’s SBDCs for AI Training
Google Announces $10M Grant to America’s Small Business Development Centers for AI Training The new funding is part of Google’s goal to skill
Connect Takeover of Petco Park with Innovation Day 2023
The San Diego Innovation Sector is taking over Petco Park on September 14th. Innovation Day 2023 is the perfect opportunity to experience cutting-edge
Regional SBDC State Star Shines in East County
Small Business Development Center Network recognizes exemplary service for entrepreneurs | SAN DIEGO (Aug. 31, 2022) – East County Small Business Development Center Director Danielle
National City Barber Shop Celebrating 50th Anniversary with Perseverance, Style
Multi-generational family business ‘proof positive’ a small business can thrive | Highland Barber Shop in National City will celebrate an inspiring 50 years in business
Client Broad Street Dough Co. Named to Yelp’s Top 100 Donut Shops in US
By Sophia Hernandez, 10News and Domenick Candelieri, Fox5 | SAN DIEGO — June 3 was #NationalDonutDay and some of the nation's best donuts are found
Sponsors
We are grateful to the sponsors who have continued to support SBDC programs and entrepreneurs across San Diego and Imperial counties.
