City of Tampa Launches Applications for its Entrepreneur Support Hub News Development & Economic Opportunity, News General The City of Tampa has officially launched a new[...]

The City of Tampa has officially launched a new initiative funded through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) called the Tampa Entrepreneur Support Hub. This program will provide a suite of economic development services designed to help microenterprises and small businesses in low to moderate income communities start, strengthen and expand within Tampa.

Through business incubator support, technical assistance and scale-up services, participants will gain access to the tools and resources they need to succeed. Upon successful completion of the program, eligible businesses may also qualify for a microgrant to support their business growth.

Available to microenterprises as small as one or two employees, to small businesses up to 99 employees, the program's criteria is as follows:

Businesses with less than five employees (also known as "microenterprises")¶

• Cannot have more than five employees (including the owner)
• Owner or person developing a new microenterprise must be Low to Moderate Income (LMI)
• Established microenterprises must be located within Tampa city limits
• Persons developing a microenterprise must reside within Tampa city limits

Small Businesses¶

• Must have six to ninety-nine employees (including the owner)
• Businesses must be located and serve everyone in an eligible LMI area within Tampa city limits

The Tampa Bay Women's Business Centre will provide the incubation services through its Startup Academy. Tampa Bay Women's Business Centre and Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at USF will provide microenterprise technical assistance, and Florida SBDC at USF will provide small business scale-up services under its growth acceleration services.

For more information, interested businesses can schedule a consultation with the City of Tampa's Small Business Navigator.

Media will have the opportunity to hear from the City of Tampa's Economic Opportunity Director Javier Marin, as well as interview representatives from the Tampa Bay Women's Business Centre and Florida's Small Business Development Center.