Upcoming events
Below is a list of upcoming events in Ohio. For more information or to register, please use the links below. Thank you to Alexander Kohls of the SBA for compiling and sharing this list.
December 19, 2016 – DaytonDefense will be hosting a Lunch and Learn in Dayton. This event will feature AFPEO for Agile Combat Support, Lynda Rutledge who will discuss the issues and challenges facing USAF PEOs today, acquisition reforms, and their implications, as well as opportunities for partnering with government and industry. To register, please visit here.
December 20, 2016 – The Dayton Development Coalition will be hosting a UAS Roundtable in Dayton. This FREE event will give participants an opportunity to learn more about the UAS industry and network with others in the industry. To register, please visit here.
December 22, 2016 – Strategic Leadership Solutions will be hosting a Lean Six Sigma Overview in Dayton. This FREE session will demonstrate the benefits of proven Lean Six Sigma methodologies that have helped hundreds of businesses around the globe increase their productivity. To register, please visit here.
January 9, 2017 – The SBDC at North Central State College will be hosting the Small Business Basics Series in Mansfield. This FREE session is titled Networking: Perfecting Your 30 Second Elevator Speech and will discuss ways to effectively talk about your business. To register, please contact Falon Allen at 419-525-3101.
January 10, 2017 – Cultivate will be hosting Funding Growth: Avoiding Investor Red Flags in Grove City. This FREE workshop will cover the top eight things that can kill a good deal fast, ways to proactively mitigate these risks, and what questions to expect during investor discussions. To register, please visit here.
January 10, 2017 – FASTLANE at UDRI will be hosting Women in Manufacturing Koffee Talk in Dayton. This series will be held the second Tuesday of each month and will facilitate real conversations that are focused on topics that matter to women in industry. For more information, please contact Tamara Wamsley at 937-229-1381.
January 13, 2017 – The Ohio SBDC Export Assistance Network at Wright State will be hosting U.S. Export Regulatory 2016 Update and 2017 Outlook in Dayton. This event will cover a variety of topics including general overview of US export regulations, EAR and ITAR harmonization, OFAC sanction updates, and much more! To register, please visit here.
January 16, 2017 – The SBDC at North Central State College will be hosting the Small Business Basics Series in Mansfield. This FREE session is titled What’s Next for My Small Business and will educate attendees on the next steps their business should focus on. To register, please contact Falon Allen at 419-525-3101.
January 17, 2017 – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will be hosting a Working Capital and Export Financing Conference in Eaton. This FREE event will feature the SBA’s capital programs and how small businesses can apply for and utilize them. To register, please contact Gwendolyn List at 513-684-2814 ext. 200.
January 18, 2017 – DaytonDefense will be hosting the DaytonDefense Showcase & Networking Expo in Dayton. This event will provide attendees an opportunity to learn more about doing business with Wright Patterson AFB and connecting with the base. To register, please visit here.
January 18, 2017 – The SBDC at the Clermont County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting DIY Marketing: 5 W’s of Websites in Cincinnati. This FREE workshop will feature Tamara York and will educate attendees about websites and how to create one. To register, please visit here.
January 19, 2017 – The Central Ohio Minority Business Association (COMBA) will be hosting an Access to Capital Info Session in Columbus. This session will allow business owners to get information on how to make their company and lending needs more attractive to a lender or financier. To register, please visit here.
January 19, 2017 – Technology First will be hosting the CIO Forecast Panel Discussion 2017 in Dayton. This event will feature a panel of CIOs who will discuss insights into the challenges they face and their vision going forward. To learn more and to register, please visit here.
January 24, 2017 – The Columbus Council on World Affairs will be hosting U.S. & the Middle East: Policy Changes for the new Administration in Columbus. This event will explore the current hot spots in the Middle East and the U.S. policy implications for the new administration. To register, please visit here.
January 25, 2017 – Technology First will be hosting Women 4 Technology (W4T): Building Effective Teams in Dayton. This workshop will review the DISC personality assessment and highlight productive ways to interact with others based on the different personality styles. To learn more and to register, please visit here.
January 26, 2017 – FASTLANE at UDRI will be hosting Fast Talk: Export Strategies for Manufacturers in Dayton. This FREE program will feature a panel of industry experts who will cover a variety of topics including export readiness, selecting good markets, cultural considerations, export finance, export compliance, and more! For more information, please contact Tamara Wamsley at 937-229-1381.
January 26, 2017 – The SBDC at The Entrepreneurs Center will be hosting Recordkeeping for the Small Business in Dayton. This FREE workshop provides an overview of record keeping and is designed to help participants understand how record keeping can benefit their business. To register, please visit here.
January 26, 2017 – The Ohio SBDC Export Assistance Network at Columbus State will be hosting Global Trade and Investment Outlook in Columbus. This FREE event will identify key issues and trends impacting Ohio exporters and prospective foreign investment into the state in the upcoming decade. To register, please visit here.
January 26, 2017 – The Dayton Business Journal will be hosting the 2017 Economic Summit in Dayton. This event will feature multiple expert speakers in the region who will forecast the next year’s economy to direct attention where efforts should be concentrated for optimal growth. To register, please visit here.
January 27, 2017 – Innovate New Albany will be hosting Sustainability and Business: Past, Present, & Bold Predictions for the Future in New Albany. As part of their Tiger Talk Series, this FREE event will discuss the economic, generational, and other drivers propelling businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable business practices. To register, please visit here.
January 27, 2017 – Clark State Community College will be hosting Work Smart and Live Well in Springfield. This soft skills workshop offers participants engaging insights that help them identify their strengths and eliminate relationship pitfalls. To register, please visit here.
January 31, 2017 – February 1, 2017 – The SBDC at Kent State – Tuscarawas will be hosting Project Management in New Philadelphia. This two-day program focuses on the basic skill, tools, language, and techniques for managing a project. To register, please visit here.
2016-2017 OCDC Seed Grants for New and Emerging Cooperatives is now available!
The Ohio Cooperative Development Center (OCDC) at The Ohio State University South Centers is offering reimbursement seed grants to groups interested in exploring or growing a cooperative. Cooperatives are legal businesses that form when members of the group can do something better together than they can individually.
Seed Grants, up to $8,000 each, will be available to support projects for feasibility and formation activities as well as expansion or implementation activities.
The deadline to submit an application is Monday, December 12, 2016 by 4 p.m. All applications submitted prior to this date will be evaluated following the deadline.
Project activities may begin no earlier than Sunday, January 1, 2017, and must be completed prior to Friday, September 1, 2017. Proper documentation (paid receipts, paid invoices, copy of the work product, etc.) must be submitted to OCDC by 4 p.m. Monday, September 18, 2017 in order to receive reimbursement. Awardees must complete the project and provide proper documentation of the work completed and payment for this work in order to receive reimbursement. This is a reimbursement program and the project must be completed and proper documentation provided for reimbursement.
If your existing or emerging cooperative is interested in applying for this program, email Kimberly Roush at roush.143@osu.edu, call 740-289-2071 x232, or go to http://go.osu.edu/ocdcseedgrant_2016 to access the RFP.
2017 Ohio Export Internship Program
The Ohio Export Internship Program is designed for companies looking to export for the first time or to improve their current export initiatives. This program matched businesses with highly motivated students from Ohio universities and colleges who have taken export-focused coursework. Participating businesses are provided a 50% reimbursement for intern wages. For more information, please visit www.eip.development.ohio.gov.
International Market Access Grant for Exporters (IMAGE)
The Ohio IMAGE Grant, funded by the State of Ohio and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), is designed to increase exports and create jobs. The IMAGE grant offers financial assistance for small businesses to promote their products and services in international markets. The grant will provide a 50% reimbursement up to $10,000 per fiscal year for qualifying activities. For more information, please visit https://development.ohio.gov/bs/bs_image.htm.
Dayton Better Business Bureau and Women in Business Networking Programs
The BBB and WiBN host Hot Topics Koffee Talks in various locations in the region. All Koffee Talks are from 8:00am-9:30am. Below is the on-going schedule:
- 1st Friday – Springboro and Preble County
- 2nd Friday – Centerville and Springfield
- 3rd Friday – North Dayton and West Chester
- 4th Friday – Beavercreek and Oakwood
For information on speakers and how to register, please visit http://www.bbb.org/dayton/events-/.
USDA Rural Development Business & Cooperative Programs
Rural Development is pleased to announce important changes to the Business & Industry (B&I) Loan Guarantee Program. These changes will better serve rural communities by helping lenders provide loans to businesses and helping to increase employment opportunities for rural residents. These changes include but are not limited to:
- Removal of the U.S. Citizenship requirement for companies wanting to use the B&I loan guarantee to increase employment in rural areas. The applicant company will need to demonstrate the loan funds will remain in the United States and will be invested in the rural community to create and retain employment opportunities.
- Owner subordinated debt may be included as equity provided the debt was established in exchange for cash and the debt remains in the company for the life of the guaranteed loan. This change can help applicants meet the minimum tangible balance sheet equity requirements of the program. Minimum tangible balance sheet equity for an existing business is 10% while a startup business is 20%. All financial statements must be prepared according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
- New Market Tax Credit projects are now be eligible for assistance through the B&I program. Subordinated debt made by the Community Development Entity can be considered as equity into a project. This is another means of helping the business meet the minimum tangible balance sheet equity requirements.
- The guarantee fee can be reduced to 1% of the guaranteed portion for businesses that support value added agriculture; promotes access to healthy foods; or is a high impact business development investment.
- Loan guarantees can for agricultural production can be 50% or $5MM, whichever is less, of vertically integrated businesses. This is a substantial increase from the previous agricultural production maximum amount of $1,000,000.
Should you have any questions regarding these changes or if you would like additional information on the B&I Loan Guarantee Program, please contact one the Business Programs Staff listed below. We are willing to provide training or outreach on these new regulations should that be necessary to effectively implement this program within your organization.
Christie Hooks Christie.Hooks@oh.usda.gov 614-255-2397
Cindy Musshel Cindy.Musshel@oh.usda.gov 614-255-2427
Debbie Rausch Deborah.Rausch@oh.usda.gov 614-255-2425
Jennifer Brown Jennifer.Brown@oh.usda.gov 614-255-2423
Randy Monhemius Randy.Monhemius@oh.usda.gov 614-255-2424
SBA webinars and events – For an updated list of SBA webinars and events for Ohio, please visit here. Topics include healthcare, contracting, financing, and more.
Small Business Seminars – The Ohio Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) offer many seminars and workshops to small businesses throughout Ohio. Topics include certifications, mentoring, social media, business strategy, finance, and more! To learn more about these events, please visit here.
Upcoming International Trade Missions and Webinars – The Ohio Development Services Agency and the U.S. Department of Commerce provide numerous opportunities to companies interested in participating in international trade missions. To see a list of upcoming missions through the State of Ohio, please visit here. To see a list of upcoming trade missions through Commerce, please visit here and for upcoming webinars, please visit here.
Alexander Kohls
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Dayton Senior Area Manager
District International Trade Officer
200 West 2nd Street
Office 400
Dayton, OH 45402
614-633-6372