Savannah Chamber

69 Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce 2019 Economic Trends 24 Infrastructure: Small Business Investment & Development Savannah's thriving small business community accounts for a substantial share of total private employment in the Savannah- Hinesville-Statesboro CSA. The Georgia Department of Labor reported a total of 5,738 establishments employing between 5 and 500 employees in the second quarter of 2018. An additional 6,093 firms employed less than 5 employees. Firms with less than 500 employees are responsible for the employment of 168,904 people, or approximately 77% of the workforce. The remaining 31 firms with more than 500 employees provided employment for 49,131 people, or approximately 23% of the workforce. Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Georgia Labor Market Explorer, Area Labor Profile, Accessed 01/02/2019. Several state and local agencies work to strengthen the viability of small businesses, providing assistance that may range from free consulting to training, networking to loans, and other essential small business tools. They promote Savannah's healthy small business climate, their doors always open to assist the region's innovators and entrepreneurs. University of Georgia Small Business Development Center: The Savannah SBDC office provides low-cost training and free consulting services in business plan development, market analysis and marketing strategies, financial analysis, compliance and legal issues. Its businesses consultants help prepare loan submissions for individuals who are starting or expanding their business. georgia.sbdc.org Small Business Assistance Corporation: SBAC is a nonprofit business development organization licensed by the U.S. Small Business Administration and supported by the City of Savannah and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to promote economic growth by offering a number of loan programs for new and existing businesses. sbacsav.com The Creative Coast: Creative Coast provides mentoring and other support to help build and support the creative economy in the city and works with local government, businesses, and individuals to strengthen the economic environment. thecreativecoast.org Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce: The Chamber's Small Business Council works to meet the needs and interests of small businesses and make sure they are recognized for their impact to the community with programs that bring these businesses together with the larger Savannah community, including the Power Hour Luncheon series and Annual Banquet and Trade Show. savannahchamber.com Savannah Economic Development Authority: SEDA leads the Business Retention Action Team, a collection of economic development experts from state and local agencies who work with existing businesses on issues that range from management and human resource issues to training, exporting and operations. seda.org - 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 5-9 20-49 100-249 500-999 Establishment Size Number of Firms by Establishment Size

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