UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Small businesses are among the economic anchors of communities and the Penn State Small Business Development Center is working to help these businesses navigate the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak.
As a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Penn State SBDC provides small businesses in Centre, Clinton, Lycoming, and Mifflin counties with technical assistance as they complete state and/or federal economic injury loan application processes. SBDC consulting is confidential and provided at no charge by a staff of skilled professionals.
Tim Keohane, director of the Penn State SBDC, noted, “Although our center has moved to remote operations, consulting services are available by telephone and virtual conferences.”
Business owners may request assistance through the online portal, or may contact the SBDC at sbdc@psu.edu or 814-393-2060 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Penn State SBDC has enhanced their website to include information on local, state and federal announcements, disaster assistance resources, and upcoming virtual events that can help small-business owners get answers to their pressing questions. The site will continue to be updated as new information and events become available.
Upcoming webinars for small businesses include:
- COVID-19 Updates: SBA Loans, Business Resources and Tips with Clarion SBDC and North Central PA LaunchBox powered by Penn State Dubois on April 3
- Open Q&A Sessions starting on April 6
- Grow with Google series, continuing May 6 and ongoing throughout the year
SBDCs deliver consulting services and educational programs through a network of 16 centers across Pennsylvania, hosted at colleges and universities. If you live outside of Centre, Clinton, Lycoming and Mifflin counties, contact your local SBDC to obtain information resources and technical assistance to apply for the funding needed to survive this crisis. Also, please check the list of events for upcoming webinars on COVID-19 Disaster Preparedness.
Funding for the Penn State Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is provided by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), Penn State, as well as other sources.