Delaware Small Business Gal

18/07/2024

Attention Veteran Small Business Owners! Check out this Veteran Resource Fair happening next week. For More information: https://www.va.gov/wilmington-health-care/events/70486/

16/07/2024

This year the Delaware Division of Small Business is opening their EDGE Grant Competition in early August! They will be hosting an informational webinar on Tuesday, July 23 at 9:30 a.m. Topics that will be covered:
📝 An overview of the EDGE application
💰Financial requirements for the EDGE application from our
Business Finance Director
🏆 Advice from a previous EDGE awardee
💬 Q&A with our staff and partners
Registration is required: https://tinyurl.com/EDGEFall24Webinar

14/05/2024

Accelerate your business vision
You have a vision—now accelerate that vision into reality with a Small Business Grant from Amazon Business.
One grand prize recipient will receive $25,000, 4 finalists will each receive $20,000, and 10 semi-finalists will each take home $15,000. If you’re a U.S. Amazon Business customer with less than $1 million in revenue, then make sure to apply before May 24, 2024.
For more info and to apply visit: https://business.amazon.com/en/small-business/success-studio/blogs/amazon-business-continues-small-business-grants-program-2024

14/05/2024

*Sharing for the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce.
LEGISLATIVE ALERT
HB 55 (new re-write): AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 6 AND TITLE 31 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOMELESS (Homeless Bill of Rights)
Dear Members,
This email is designed to simply give you an update on the progress of this bill.
This Act is the Bill of Rights for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness to ensure that all individuals, regardless of housing status, have equal opportunity to live in decent, safe, sanitary, and healthful accommodations and enjoy equality of opportunities. To that end, this Act sets forth the rights of individuals experiencing homelessness and creates a process by which the State Human and Civil Rights Commission and the Division of Human and Civil Rights may accept and investigate complaints of discriminatory treatment, attempt conciliation, and refer enforcement actions to the Department of Justice where necessary.
While those in favor of his bill are well-intentioned and are seeking to protect the rights of the unsheltered, House Bill 55 is a bill that could have a significantly negative impact on our businesses. This bill will allow unsheltered persons to "camp out" in public places like parking lots, parks, streets, sidewalks, etc., which could potentially create undesirable conditions which could serve as a barrier for would-be customers entering businesses.
This bill has already been heard in the House Judiciary committee, but we are told that it will be coming back to this committee for another hearing in the near future. As a Business Community, we MUST speak out regarding this bill.
While we wait for the hearing to be scheduled, it would be a good idea to do three things:
Reach out to our Kent County legislators and let them know how you feel about this bill and its potential impact on you and your business. Urge them to speak against it. Their contact information is below.
Reach out specifically to the members of the House Judiciary Committee:
Krista Griffith, Chair
[email protected]
Cyndie Romer, Vice Chair
[email protected]
Franklin Cooke
[email protected]
Sean Lynn
[email protected]
Sophie Phillips
[email protected]
Pete Schwartzkopf
[email protected]
Sherry Dorsey Walker
[email protected]
Timothy Dukes
[email protected]
Valerie Jones Giltner
[email protected]
Bryan Shupe
[email protected]
Jeffery Spiegelman
[email protected]
Reach out to other small business leaders and encourage them to do the same. Delaware is a place where voices are heard and just a few phone calls can make a big difference.
Doing these these things will help us to help you.
In addition, when this bill does return to committee, it would be highly impactful if some of you who are on the front lines of business would consider testifying. Your Chamber has been active on this bill on your behalf, but at this point, the message would be strengthened if it came directly from YOU. We will do our best to inform you when we know about the scheduling of this bill.
Feel free to contact us with questions or concerns.
Dina Vendetti
President
+ + + + +
Below you will find the contact information for our Kent County Senators:
Senator Kyra Hoffner: 302-744-4286
[email protected]
Senator David Lawson: 302-492-1511/302-744-4237
[email protected]
Senator Eric Buckson: 302-744-4169
[email protected]
Senator Trey Paradee: 302-659-5850/302-744-4162
[email protected]
Senator Dave Wilson: 302-422-9270/302-270-8707/302-744-4048
[email protected]
Representative Jeff Spiegelman: 302-399-7728/302-744-4171
[email protected]
Representative William Carson, Jr.: 302-653-8642/302-744-4351
[email protected]
Representative Bill Bush: 302-670-2949/302-744-4351
[email protected]
Representative Shannon Morris: 302-632-3197/ 302-744-4171
[email protected]
Representative Sean Lynn: 302-535-2072/302-744-4351
[email protected]
Representative Kerri Evelyn Harris: 302-744-4351
[email protected]
Representative Charles Postles: 302-245-1817/302-744-4081
[email protected]
Representative Lyndon Yearick: 302-387-2510/302-744-4171
[email protected]
Representative Jesse Vanderwende: 302-381-2651/302-744-4171
[email protected]
Representative Bryan Shupe: 302-542-9231/302-744-4171
[email protected]
Let Your Voice Be Heard!!!

13/05/2024

13/05/2024

🔊Attention all food enthusiasts and industry professionals! Do you want to enhance your knowledge and skills to ensure the highest standards of food handling? Join University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Office Entrepreneur Food Safety Training Workshop!

June 5 and 6, 2024, 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

🥐🍲This workshop and certification exam meet food safety training requirements by Delaware Public Health and the Delaware Department of Agriculture for those who want to prepare non-hazardous foods in their own home for sale in Delaware (Cottage Food License). Examples of these foods are baked goods, jams, jellies and preserves.

The workshop takes place over two evenings. Attendees must attend both evenings at the Kent County Cooperative Extension Office: 69 Transportation Circle, Dover, DE 19901

➡️Registration fee is $60, payable online at http://www.udel.edu/0012071

Contact Adrienne Shearer at [email protected]
Registration Deadline is May 28, 2024

26/04/2024

The Delaware Division of Small Business-Highlights Activities for National Small Business Week/Month 2024!
See the activities listings below that the Delaware Division of Small Business (DSB) is highlighting during National Small Business Month, and National Small Business Week (NSBW April 28 – May 4, 2024). Be sure to completely read the details as there are some events that require registration.

DSB has created a landing page on its website with information and resources for small business owners at de.gov/smallbizmonth. Resources include a social media toolkit, fliers and logos in English and Spanish, with more materials in Spanish to be added next week.
Here are activities planned for Small Business Week and Month:
To kick off Small Business Week, DSB and SizeUp are holding a free virtual webinar on how to use its free business analytics and marketing tool, SizeUp Delaware, on Monday April 29th from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. The webinar is free. You can register here at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_I8jGAiYfQa-QN9YMzulTsA #/registration. SizeUp Delaware is an online platform that works for both starting and existing businesses see how they compare to others in their industry, do a demographic analysis on consumers and the workforce in their area, and helps them narrow down their customer base and how to market to them.
DSB and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) are co-hosting a webinar for small business owners about the SSBCI federal loan program on April 30, from 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Register for the webinar at: State's Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Information Session (delawaresbdc.org). SSBCI is aimed at supporting both small and early-stage businesses who are having challenges getting a traditional bank loan, as well as those that are owned by socially and economically disadvantaged persons.
Another resource for small business owners is the U.S. Small Business Administration and SCORE’s NSBW Virtual Summit April 30 - May 1. The event is free, but registration is required for this two-day event. For more information visit the Summit website.
The Division will host a social media webinar for small business owners on Monday May 13, from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. titled “Social Media for Solopreneurs.” The presenter will be Caroline Hermance, Communications Director for the Delaware’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), one of DSB’s key partners. Click here to register for the webinar or visit de.gov/smallbizmonth to view the registration link and QR Code.
DSB is coordinating two activities related to its flagship small business funding initiative - the EDGE grant competition. The Spring 2024 EDGE pitch competition will be May 1 and 2, at the Sussex County Emergency Operations Center, and the Spring 2024 EDGE awards ceremony will be later in the month.

23/04/2024

Yesterday the Delaware Division of Small Business announced their partnership with the Delaware Small Business Development Center to support small businesses with technical assistance to apply for a SSBCI loan. There will be an information webinar hosted next Monday, April 30! For more details: https://tinyurl.com/yedp4tr8

23/04/2024

LOOKING TO LAUNCH OR ENHANCE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS!? LOOK NO FURTHER WELCOME TO THE LAUNCHER PROGRAM!! Register here -https://tinyurl.com/LauncherIntake

22/04/2024

Excellent opportunity to grow your business! https://sbathrive.com/