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Rohnert Park to host Sonoma SBDC office hours under two‑year pilot agreement
Summary
City staff introduced a two‑year $10,000‑per‑year agreement with the Sonoma Small Business Development Center to offer about 50 hours of in‑person advising annually in Rohnert Park; officials said federal matching funds double the program's value and Spanish‑language services will be available.
Kevin King introduced Anna Young, director of the Sonoma County Small Business Development Center, and outlined a proposed two‑year pilot to bring SBDC advising into Rohnert Park.
The contract would fund roughly $10,000 annually from the city, which staff said is matched dollar‑for‑dollar by federal Small Business Administration funds. King said the investment would buy an on‑site presence of about four hours a month (no more than 50 hours a year) at a city facility — initially the People Services Center — plus data reporting on clients and services provided.
"What we're getting for this partnership is that in‑person, that handshake stuff that's really important when you're starting out a business," Kevin King said. Anna Young described SBDC services as a free advising resource paid by the SBA and local funds and said the center already offers Spanish‑language advising: "There will be every opportunity to sign up to get ongoing advising that comes right out of our budget."
Council members asked about logistics, outreach and marketing. Staff said they will produce a flyer and begin targeted email outreach to city business license holders, and indicated that city staff will be available to join meetings when permitting or municipal details require it. Council members praised the accessibility gains for Rohnert Park residents who otherwise must travel to Santa Rosa for similar services.
No formal council vote on the contract appears in the transcript excerpt provided; staff framed the item as an introduction and explained that SBDC will need to meet the conditions of the agreement and schedule the office hours. The city manager later told the audience that documents and project materials for SOMO Village and Reynergy are available on the city's website.
The city described the pilot as an effort to spur local economic development and support new entrepreneurs with services that include business concept planning, permitting, marketing and loan/financing guidance.
The city manager and SBDC staff said they will report back on take‑up and data showing who uses the service and what types of businesses are served. That reporting was described as part of the value the city expects to receive from the $10,000 annual investment.
