Kissimmee funds Prospera and UCF National Entrepreneur Center agreements to bolster small businesses

The Kissimmee City Commission on Oct. 7 approved two agreements to support local entrepreneurs: a FY2025–26 funding agreement with Prospera and a separate agreement with the University of Central Florida Research Foundation to continue services offered by the National Entrepreneur Center (NEC).

David Rodriguez said the city’s funding will help sustain Prospera’s bilingual consulting, seminars and access-to-capital services. Katya Medina, representing Prospera, told commissioners the organization provides free, bilingual assistance including one-on-one consulting, training, procurement-readiness support and referrals; local outcomes cited in the presentation included 116 clients served in the current fiscal year, training for about 200 entrepreneurs and facilitation of roughly $620,000 in local loans.

Commissioners pressed staff and Prospera on service scope and reach: a commissioner asked whether Prospera served only Hispanic clients; Medina said the organization’s services are open to anyone and bilingual by design, but that Prospera’s expertise and historical focus has been the Hispanic business community. Commissioners requested clearer year‑by‑year performance breakdowns, stage‑of‑business metrics and data on referrals to incubators such as UCF’s program. One commissioner asked staff to contact BBIF to ensure coverage for sectors Prospera does not serve.

Separately, Roger Colon with the Central Florida International Trade Office presented the NEC’s export and trade assistance work and staff asked commissioners to approve a FY2025–26 agreement with the UCF Research Foundation/NEC to continue export‑focused education and trade supports. The commission approved both agreements.