The Iowa Small Business Development Center (SBDC) conducts research, counsels, and trains business people in management, financing, and operating small businesses, and provides comprehensive information services and access to experts in a variety of fields.

Each SBDC regional center encourages unique local efforts, region to region, state to state, and community to community, to meet small business needs in its area. Each of these SBDC offices subcontracts with other universities, community colleges, and other institutions to provide a network of 15 regional assistance centers in Iowa, and over 1,100 full service assistance centers nationally, to the small business community.

The SBDC is the only nationally accredited entrepreneurial development program in Iowa.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides guidance and funding to the SBDC program through cooperative agreements. The statewide SBDC program is hosted by Iowa State University’s College of Business.

SBDC offices develop and maintain partnerships among community organizations and local, state and federal agencies, providing a focal point for broad networks of public and private resources at the community level. SBDC partnership programs and activities serving small businesses have contributed significantly to economic growth in each state.