Florida SBDC director details disaster recovery, defense contracting and rural outreach

Greg Britton, state director of the Florida Small Business Development Center Network, told the Committee on Commerce and Tourism that the network provides direct advising, disaster recovery help and government-contracting assistance to small businesses across Florida.

The presentation outlined the SBDC’s statewide footprint and recent impacts. Britton said the network—based at the University of West Florida and nationally accredited—operates roughly 40 offices across nine regions, serves all 67 counties and supports businesses at every stage, from formation to exit planning. He said the network reported $3.9 billion in client-reported sales generated in 2023, $575.9 million in government contracts in 2023 and $346.2 million in capital raised in 2023; the SBDC’s preliminary 2024 government-contract figure for one program was $566 million.

The nut of the presentation was the Florida Apex Accelerator Program (formerly the Procurement Technical Assistance Program), a DoD-funded effort Britton described as focused on rebuilding and securing the defense industrial base and on tech transition and commercialization. “The DoD when they ask about like what grama doing it right, they always say go to Florida—look at their Apex Accelerator grama,” Britton said, describing the program’s role connecting small businesses and defense buyers.

Britton described disaster response as a core mission. The SBDC serves as a primary resource partner under ESF 18, assists with state damage assessments and the small business emergency bridge loan program, and helps business owners apply for SBA disaster loans. He said the network deploys two 38-foot mobile assistance centers (offices on wheels) to provide in-person recovery help to impacted communities.

The director highlighted rural outreach as a continuing priority. He said seven of nine SBDC regions include rural Opportunity Zones (REOs) and that the network captured about 5% of the capital they reported serving from rural communities while those areas represent about 4% of Florida’s population. Britton said the SBDC placed staff inside local development organizations in some counties as a way to reach dispersed small businesses.

Britton gave two brief client examples: Nervous Nellie’s, a longtime client that regained employees after storm recovery, and Roy’s restaurant in Steinhatchee, which used a bridge loan and a food truck while preparing to rebuild. He credited interagency coordination with Florida Commerce, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and CareerSource Florida for creating “one-stop” recovery centers.

During questions, Senator Wright asked how the SBDC differs from SCORE; Britton said SCORE is a volunteer organization while the SBDC is a funded, accredited network that often refers early-stage entrepreneurs to SCORE and then takes over once they are ready for more intensive services. Vice Chair Arrington asked for job counts and wages tied to rural capital impacts; Britton said he could provide jobs counts and would attempt to provide wage information on follow up.

The presentation drew no committee action; members asked for follow-up data on rural job creation and wages.