Savannah Chamber

45 Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce 2015 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-Fort Stewart CMSA. The Georgia Department of Labor reported a total of 4,636 establishments employing between 5 and 500 employees in the second Quarter of 2014. An additional 6,004 firms employed less than 5 employees. Firms with less than 500 employees are responsible for the employment of 133,581 people, or approximately 77% of the workforce. The remaining 24 firms with more than 500 employees provided employment for 40,127 people, or approximately 23% the workforce. Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Georgia Labor Market Explorer, Area Labor Profile, Accessed 11/14/2014. 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. www.sbdc.uga.edu 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. www.sbacsav.com Savannah Development and Renewal Authority: SDRA provides planning and other support to help renew, revitalize and beautify distressed areas in the city and works with local government and private businesses to strengthen downtown's economic environment. www.sdra.net 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 SMART Lunch Series and Annual Banquet and Trade Show. www.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. www.seda.org 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 5 9 10 19 20 49 50 99 100 249 250 499 500 999 1000+ Establishment Size Number of Firms by Establishment Size Number of Firms in CMSA

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