The Ohio and Pennsylvania departments of development provide services for individuals who want to start a business as well as businesses that plan to expand in those respective states. Assistance includes help geared at women and minorities, opportunity and innovation zones, and technology based economic development opportunities. Here is a partial listing of what’s available.
OHIO DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT
77 S. High St., 29th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
800 848 1300
Development.Ohio.gov
The ODOD empowers Buckeye State businesses, communities and individuals to succeed. Whether a company is established in the state and looking to expand, a technology company ready to move from the lab to commercialization or an entrepreneur establishing a new small retail business, the department divisions provide resources to assist businesses as they grow, such as strategic investments, community services and research.
Following are a few such programs and services:
MINORITY BUSINESS ASSISTANCE CENTERS
The division supports the growth and sustainability of small, minority-owned and disadvantaged businesses, defined as at least 51% owned and controlled for more than a year by an Ohio resident and U.S. citizen who belongs to an African American, Asian, Hispanic or Native American ethnic group. Resources provided include technical and professional assistance, access to capital, surety bonding and connection to business opportunities through the assistance of the Minority Business Assistance Centers. These services are available at no cost to businesses located throughout the state.
MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP
This division helps Ohio’s small and medium-sized manufacturers increase sales, create jobs and generate cost savings through technological innovation, workforce training and improved management practices. The partnership is a state and federal initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Ohio Third Frontier is a technology-based economic development initiative that works with innovative startup companies across the state, making Ohio the destination for technology entrepreneurs. This network of resources helps take advanced ideas and turns them into new technology businesses. Specific programs deal with financing, early stage entrepreneurial services and regional Innovation hubs. Ohio Third Frontier works to create new jobs and business opportunities.
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS OF OHIO
Ohio’s SBDC program is partially funded by the Ohio Department of Development and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Since 1985, the program has fostered a strong climate for small business growth with many local community
partners, including colleges and universities, economic development agencies, chambers of commerce and other community organizations. Located throughout the Buckeye State, SBDCs offer a wide range of services including business
assessment valuation, cash flow analysis, market feasibility and research, identification of sources of capital and free workshops and training programs.
PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
400 North St., 4th Floor
Harrisburg, Pa. 17120-0225
833 722 6778
DCED.PA.gov
The DCED’s mission is to encourage the shared prosperity of all Pennsylvanians by supporting good stewardship and sustainable development initiatives across the commonwealth. The department provides strategic technical assistance, training and financial resources to help Keystone State communities and industries on such topics as expansion and relocation, tax-free zones, technical assistance, business financing and workforce development. Business links include small business assistance, programs and funding and foreign direct investment.
Listed below are some of the specific business-related programs and services:
Keystone Opportunity Zones have been called the No. 1 economic development strategy in the United States by Business Facilities magazine. Areas in which specific state and local taxes within specific underdeveloped and underutilized areas are eliminated, these zones reflect a partnership among state and local taxing bodies, school districts, economic development agencies and community-based organizations.
There are 29 KIZ regions in Pennsylvania, in which 11,671 jobs have been created since the program’s founding in 2018. These zones, established around institutions of higher education in both rural and urban regions, were designed to address the lack of entrepreneurial activity and knowledge economy growth around the state’s research and development clusters.
Entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses employ about half of the state’s workforce, and the One-Stop Shop was launched in 2018 to support these entities at all stages. Serving as the first point of contact for Pennsylvania business development concerns, the One-Stop Shop connects and guides businesses through all stages of development, from planning and startup to operating and expanding. The website also features a comprehensive Entrepreneur’s Guide and Veterans Resources Fact Sheet.
Helping you expand or relocate your business in Pennsylvania is the purpose of this team of experts, who believe investment in qualified businesses will not only boost business profitability but also the Keystone State’s local economies. Team members, who have direct access to the governor, will work to assemble an assistance package tailored to specific business needs.