Seneca County Board of Supervisors OK’s agreement with Small Business Development Center | News

WATERLOO — The state and federal governments have reduced funding for the Small Business Administration, which is expected to cause a 2025 fiscal year deficit for the SBA Development Center that serves Seneca County.

In response, the county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously July 9 to enter into a three-year agreement with the Small Business Development Centers operated by Onondaga and Jefferson community colleges to provide those small business services for existing and potential entrepreneurs in the county. The cost will be $15,000 for 2025, $15,375 for ’26, and $15,760 for ’27.

The SBDC Regional Center has crafted plans to address the funding cut for 2024, but a shortfall is predicted for 2025 that could lead to a 40% reduction in staffing levels, resulting in an inability to schedule small-business consultations outside of the Syracuse and Watertown offices.

The proposed agreement with Seneca County calls for the county to pay for in-person technical services.

The agreement calls for:

• A minimum of 26 days of scheduled in-person availability to meet with clients in Seneca County at the offices currently supplied by the county Workforce Development Office in the County Office Building.

• A minimum of one fast-track-to-small-business educational experience and a three-day small-business workshop, if demand is sufficient.

• Access to center staff for county residents and businesses will be available virtually and by telephone throughout the year. The center also will seek opportunities to provide additional in-person training experiences to meet local needs, as identified by the county.

Prior to March 2022, SBDC services in Seneca County were sporadic, with irregular meeting schedules and limited training experiences. Since the spring of 2022, SBDC leadership says it has worked to improve its local presence and availability.

Since January 2024, the SBDC has been the technical entrepreneurship training provider for participants in the GrowSeneca grant program, resulting in an increase in clients served, primarily existing business owners. Center Director Bob Griffin provides industry and other research resources to the county Industrial Development Agency staff to assist them with efforts to develop strategies to capitalize on the new Micron project in the Town of Clay, Onondaga County.

Business Advisor Michele Baran is available to meet with Seneca County clients by appointment at the business site or at her office at 2 State St. in Auburn.

The projected cost for an independent consultant to provide small business services is $25,750, plus other fees.

The county will be required to assist with promotion of SBDC services, assist with identifying in-kind space for meetings with clients in a secure, confidential environment, and occasionally providing letters of support or endorsement for the SBDC program to potential grant funding organizations or agencies.