Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC is observing this annual event by offering 13 free workshops and events throughout the week aimed at local small business owners (or perhaps future ones). While they are free, many have limited space so be sure to sign up to reserve your spot. Here’s the full list, from the press release:
Sunday, May 5, 2019
Young Entrepreneur Program Pitch Competition
If you like Shark Tank, you won’t want to miss this! Launch at the Library is excited to announce the first ever Young Entrepreneur Program Pitch Competition for high school students (13-18) and young adults (19-25). Watch local teens and young adults pitch their business ideas to a panel of experienced entrepreneurs and venture capitalists for a chance to win up to $5,000 in seed money for their new venture.
Time: 2 – 5 PM
Location: Champaign Public Library (Robeson Pavilion Room A & B) – 200 W. Green Street, Champaign, IL 61820
*The Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC is proud to sponsor this pitch competition.
Monday, May 6, 2019
SBDC + TLC Workshop: Boost Your Marketing for the 2019 Farmers’ Market Season
Your application was approved to participate in the 2019 farmers’ market season. You’re excited and ready for opening day…except…you’re not quite prepared when it comes to social media. You know social media is an important component, but it’s hard to focus on all the things vendors need to know/do PLUS start and grow your social media presence. Natalie Kenny Marquez of Grow Marketing + Communications, LLC (and current Board President of the Illinois Farmers Market Association) will share easy steps to boost your marketing and get prepared for the 2019 season. A Q&A session will follow.
Time: 4 – 5 PM
Location: Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC – 1817 S. Neil Street, Suite 100, Champaign, IL 61820
RSVP: Free to attend – registration required to secure a spot. Limited space available. RSVP online at cusbdc.org/events, email [email protected], or call 217-378-8535.
*This event is hosted by the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC and The Land Connection.
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
SBDC Info Session: City of Urbana – Business Grant Programs
The City of Urbana offers business grants and reimbursements to support new, expanding, and transitioning businesses in Urbana’s Downtown, Philo Road, and along Cunningham Avenue. Businesses in these areas may receive a Development Grant of up to $2,000 after consulting with the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC (SBDC), an Opening Grant of $1,000 after opening and holding a public opening ceremony, and up to $25,000 in reimbursements for completing renovation work. A representative from Urbana’s Economic Development Department will discuss and answer questions on these programs.
Time: 8:30 – 9:30 AM
Location: Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC – 1817 S. Neil Street, Suite 100, Champaign, IL 61820
RSVP: Free to attend – registration required to secure a spot. Limited space available. RSVP online at cusbdc.org/events, email [email protected], or call 217-378-8535. All materials will be provided.
SBDC Info Session: CCRPC’s Financing Programs
The Champaign County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) offers financing for business startups, expansions, and economic development projects. The RPC’s Economic Development Division is a central resource for a variety of innovative financing programs for businesses, organizations, and governments in East Central Illinois. These programs are intended for projects that cannot fully access conventional lending resources. The three programs:
- Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP): Loans for businesses and organizations located anywhere in Champaign County. Loans between $5,000 and $1,000,000; up to 50% of the total project cost. Eligible for working capital, machinery, equipment, inventory, real estate, infrastructure projects, and many other uses.
- Intermediary Relending Program (IRP): Loans for businesses, organizations, and governments in communities of less than 25,000 population in the East Central Illinois counties of Champaign, Douglas, Ford, Iroquois, Piatt, and Vermilion. Loans between $5,000 and $250,000; up to 49% percent of the total project cost. Eligible for working capital, machinery, equipment, real estate, rural government infrastructure projects, and many other uses.
- Champaign County Community Development Corporation (CDC): Financing of businesses located anywhere in Champaign County and surrounding communities. Each CDC loan should be matched by member bank financing. Loans or equity investments; up to 50% of the total project cost. Eligible for working capital, machinery, equipment, real estate, and other uses. Participating member banks include BankChampaign, Busey Bank, Central Illinois Bank, Chase Bank, First Midwest Bank, Midland States Bank, and PNC Bank.
Kathy Larson, RPC’s Economic Development Specialist, will provide an overview of the financing programs, including eligibility details and application requirements. A Q&A session will follow the presentation.
Time: 12 – 1 PM
Location: Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC – 1817 S. Neil Street, Suite 100, Champaign, IL 61820
RSVP: Free to attend – registration required to secure a spot. Limited space available. RSVP online at cusbdc.org/events, email [email protected], or call 217-378-8535. All materials will be provided.
SBDC Workshop: What’s in a Brand
Presented By: Clanin Marketing
Behind every logo lies an invaluable brand that resides within the hearts and minds of customers, clients, and prospects. Why is branding important? Because people often choose products or services based on their perceived value rather than their actual value. Learn what makes a good brand and the best practices for developing your new company’s brand or rebranding an existing one.
Time: 5:30 – 7 PM
Location: Champaign Public Library (Robeson A & B) – 200 W. Green Street, Champaign, IL 61820
RSVP: Free to attend – registration required to secure a spot. Limited space available. RSVP online at cusbdc.org/events, email [email protected], or call 217-378-8535. All materials will be provided.
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Keli Krueger-Huhra, Director of the Illinois Procurement Technical Assistance Center at Bradley University
Need expert assistance with government contracting? We can help. Illinois Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) are resources for small businesses looking to enter the world of government contracting. The centers provide one-on-one counseling, technical information, marketing assistance and training to existing businesses interested in selling their goods and services to local, state, and/or federal government agencies.
Time: 10 AM – 4 PM
Location: Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC – 1817 S. Neil Street, Suite 100, Champaign, IL 61820
RSVP: Small businesses in our area who need expert assistance with government contracting may schedule appointments with Keli Krueger-Huhra, Illinois PTAC Director at Bradley University, by contacting us at [email protected] or calling 217-378-8535.
**To learn more about and/or better understand PTAC services, watch this video: https://youtu.be/_mX88Sr18x8.
Info Session: Ameren’s Business Energy Efficiency Programs
Join us for a Lunch & Learn on Wednesday, May 8 with Ameren Illinois. You are encouraged to attend this event to learn how your business, organization, or public-sector entity can apply for cash incentives to help pay for part of your next electric or natural gas energy efficiency project(s), many of which have paybacks of less than one year. Millions of dollars in cash incentives are available through Ameren Illinois — learn more and start saving. Reserve your place now for this special event, where you will:
- Find out about the variety of cash incentives available for your business, organization, or public facility
- Discover ways Ameren Illinois customers can reduce costs by completing energy efficiency projects
- Learn how, as a trade business, to get cash incentives for your customers
- Receive a FREE Smart Thermostat coupon to our Online Store
- Talk to program representatives to answer any of your questions
If you have questions about Ameren’s energy efficiency programs, please contact John Beintema at 309-677-5079 or [email protected].
Time: 11:30 AM – 1 PM
Location: Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC – 1817 S. Neil Street, Suite 100, Champaign, IL 61820
RSVP: Free to attend – registration required to secure a spot. Limited space available. Lunch will be provided by Ameren Illinois. RSVP online at cusbdc.org/events, email [email protected], or call 217-378-8535.
SBDC Info Session: Export Funding Options
This session, led by Mariel Huasanga (International Trade Specialist of the Illinois SBDC at Champaign County EDC), is designed to help you gain a better understanding of federal and state funding options available to support your export activities. Topics covered:
- Analyze and understand your financial capacity to support your global expansion strategy
- Manage export working capital to meet growing customer demand
- Utilize export credit insurance to protect against non-payment, minimize risk, and offer extended credit terms to international buyers to increase sales
- Obtain working capital loans with U.S. government backing to provide capital for inventory, hiring, and performance bonds to support export sales orders and free up needed capital
- Offer financing at competitive rates to prospective customers to help close the sale
- Take advantage of the ISTEP program (Illinois State Trade and Export Promotion)
Time: 3:30 – 5 PM
Location: Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC – 1817 S. Neil Street, Suite 100, Champaign, IL 61820
RSVP: Free to attend – registration required to secure a spot. Limited space available. RSVP online at cusbdc.org/events, email [email protected], or call 217-378-8535.
Thursday, May 9, 2019
SBDC Info Session: City of Champaign Diversity Advancement Program (CDAP)
The City of Champaign Diversity Advancement Program (CDAP) encourages City departments, contractors, and other vendors doing business with the City to increase the amount of goods and services provided by local businesses owned by minorities, women, and other socially and economically disadvantaged groups. The objectives of the CDAP program are to strengthen the use of businesses owned by women, racial/ethnic minorities, and other identified socially disadvantaged groups as defined in City purchasing and contracting policies, and to build capacity for these businesses through mentoring and training, and to develop and sustain a diverse pool of qualified businesses used by the City of Champaign. CDAP program requirements apply to all City purchases and are part of the City’s purchasing policies. Rachel Joy, the City of Champaign’s Community Relations Manager/Compliance Officer, will provide an overview of program, including how to become a CDAP vendor. A Q&A session will follow the presentation.
Time: 8:30 – 9:30 AM
Location: Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC – 1817 S. Neil Street, Suite 100, Champaign, IL 61820
RSVP: Free to attend – registration suggested, but walk-ins welcome. RSVP online at cusbdc.org/events, email [email protected], or call 217-378-8535. All materials will be provided.
SBDC Info Session: HUBZone Program
Keli Krueger-Huhra, Director of the Illinois Procurement Technical Assistance Center at Bradley University
The Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) program helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities. The federal government’s goal is to award at least three percent of all federal contracting dollars to HUBZone-certified small businesses each year. This workshop, presented by Keli Krueger-Huhra (PTAC Director at Bradley University) will provide an overview of the HUBZone program, including eligibility criteria, how the program works, and maintaining HUBZone certification. Program benefits:
- The government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses in historically underutilized business zones. It also gives preferential consideration to those businesses in full and open competition.
- Joining the HUBZone program makes your business eligible to compete for the program’s set-aside contracts. HUBZone-certified businesses also get a 10 percent price evaluation preference in full and open contract competitions.
- HUBZone-certified businesses can still compete for contract awards under other socio-economic programs they qualify for.
To qualify for the HUBZone program, your business must:
- Be a small business
- Be at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens, a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural cooperative, a Native Hawaiian organization, or an Indian tribe
- Have its principal office located in a HUBZone
-
Have at least 35 percent of its employees live in a HUBZone (view the HUBZone map here: https://maps.certify.sba.gov/
hubzone/map#center=39.828200,- 98.579500&zoom=5)
Time: 11:30 AM – 1 PM
Location: Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC – 1817 S. Neil Street, Suite 100, Champaign, IL 61820
RSVP: Free to attend – registration required to secure a spot. Limited space available. RSVP online at cusbdc.org/events, email [email protected], or call 217-378-8535. Lunch and materials will be provided.
SBDC Workshop: Starting Your Business in Illinois
Presented By: Don Elmore, Director of the Illinois SBDC at Champaign County EDC
Thinking about starting a business in Illinois? This informative workshop helps entrepreneurs understand many of the steps and requirements. You’ll be taken step-by-step through a variety of topics and have the opportunity to ask questions.
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Location: Champaign Public Library (Robeson A & B) – 200 W. Green Street, Champaign, IL 61820
RSVP: Free to attend, registration required to secure a spot. Materials will be provided. RSVP at cusbdc.org, by emailing [email protected], or calling 217-378-8535.
Friday, May 10, 2019
Join us in celebrating the success and impact of small businesses in our community as part of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s National Small Business Week! Stop by our Open House to say hi to our business advisors, ask us questions, learn more about the resources available through our center, and enjoy breakfast pastries & coffee from local small businesses.
Time: 8 – 9:30 AM
Location: Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC – 1817 S. Neil Street, Suite 100, Champaign, IL 61820
RSVP: Free to attend and open to the public. No RSVP required.
Free Headshots at Lodgic Everyday Community, Sponsored by the Illinois SBDC at Champaign County EDC
Back by popular demand, Lodgic Everyday Community and the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC are excited to again welcome talented local photographer Anna Longworth, who will be offering free headshots to the community. Timeslots are available from 10 AM to 12 PM and 1 PM to 4 PM. Each session will be 10 minutes long, and photos will be delivered digitally within 30 days with full usage/printing rights. Please note that time slots are limited, and are first-come first-serve.
*You don’t have to be a Lodgic member or SBDC client to participate; this opportunity is open to the public.
**Please note, this is for professional headshots only. We will not be set up to accommodate family photos, etc.
Time: 10 AM – 4 PM
Location: Lodgic Everyday Community – 1807 S. Neil Street, Champaign, IL 61820
RSVP: Call Lodgic at 217-607-8126 to sign up for a 10-minute photo session and show up looking camera-ready.
SBDC Workshop: Introduction to Quickbooks (Desktop 2019)
Gain a better understanding of QuickBooks accounting software for your own business or your employer’s company with this class, which is geared towards those who are new to or just starting out with QuickBooks. The session will focus on:
- Setting Up a Company File – create, open, modify, and update
- Getting Around in QuickBooks – basic concepts, forms, lists, items, journal entry, etc.
- Chart of Accounts – account names and numbers, types of accounts, working with registers, etc.
- Working with Items – types of items, creating new items, using inventory items, etc.
- Working with Customers – customer center
- Selling – sales forms, invoices, statement charges, billing statements, etc.
- Receiving Payments – sales receipts, recording deposits, etc.
- Working with Vendors – vendor center, creating new vendors, etc.
- Entering Bills – enter an item bill, creating a purchase order, etc.
- Paying Bills – how to pay bills, writing a check, etc.
- Banking – opening and entering payments, entering credit card charges, etc.
- Analyzing Financial Statements – create and customize P&L reports, balance sheets, and cash flow statements
- Setting Up Sales Tax – add sales tax, group single sales tax, etc.
This is designed for users who have less than six months of experience working with QuickBooks Desktop Version. We will also cover the accounting basics that serve as a foundation to operate the software correctly. You are encouraged to bring your computer with you (wifi is available). This class does not cover the cloud/online version of QuickBooks. Attendees will receive a special discount offer from QuickBooks. The session will be led by Mariel Huasanga, a certified QuickBooks instructor.
Time: 12 – 5 PM
Location: Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC – 1817 S. Neil Street, Suite 100, Champaign, IL 61820
RSVP: Free to attend, registration required to secure a spot. Lunch and materials will be provided. RSVP online at cusbdc.org/events, call 217-378-8535, or email [email protected].