Frequently Asked Questions

Our office’s volume of requests is high, so we are unable to take walk-in appointments!

We are also sometimes out of the office or have limited hours due to vacations, illness, traveling to other towns in the area, national conferences, etc.

To help ensure you get the assistance you need, we also have Live Assistance at our 7 day per week Statewide Call Center. The Call Center will be able to guide you through our online tools & resources, including our VIDEO LIBRARY of on-demand training, and be able to get you connected with the appropriate Advisor or 3rd party for more advanced topics. 

To utilize our full suite of services you need to become a client first! Sign-up is free and only takes a few minutes. Signing up as a client allows our funding partners to know we are working with real people and that their funding dollars are being put to good use. Becoming a client also ensures your information is kept private through our strict client confidentiality policies.

Visit our Become a Client page to get started!

 

Most likely the answer is yes*. We help entrepreneurs thinking of starting a business, business owners needing help growing or making their business more profitable and we also help business owners who are at the stage where they are ready to exit the business thru transitioning leadership to an employee or thru a sell of the business. Not for sure the SBDC can help? Contact us anyway, if we can’t help you we will know who can.

*EXCEPT – we do NOT write business plans. We have templates (view HERE) but otherwise we require you to write your own business plan. 

The majority of our services come at no cost due to our funding partners at the Federal/State/Local levels. Sometimes there are small fees for some of our training classes to help offset the additional costs for food/drink/space rental/user licenses and/or 3rd party presenters. Any fees are disclosed on our course registration pages through JCCC.

Yes!

To use our full suite of services you need to be signed up as a Client. Sign-up is free and only takes a few minutes. Signing up as a client allows our funding partners to know we are working with real people and that their funding dollars are being put to good use.

Becoming a Client also ensures your information is kept private through our strict client confidentiality policies.

Visit our Become a Client page to sign up!

No, the Kansas SBDC is part of the America’s SBDC network with locations serving every state and most US territories.

If you live outside of Kansas but your business is or will be located in Kansas, the Kansas SBDC will help you. If your business is near Kansas and our services are more convenient for you to access, the Kansas SBDC can usually also help you – as part of America’s SBDC network our primary mission is to help U.S. businesses when they need help.

If outside of Kansas, an internet search with your state name & “SBDC” will show local SBDC options.

While our Advisors are knowledgeable about available Loans & Grants and experienced with application processes, we do NOT provide the actual dollars.

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No, the SBDC helps businesses at all stages and phases!

We help entrepreneurs thinking of starting a business, business owners needing help growing or making their business more profitable and we also help business owners who are at the stage where they are ready to exit the business thru transitioning leadership to an employee or thru a sell of the business.

Not sure the SBDC can help? Contact us anyway, if we can’t help you we will know who can. Visit our GROW Your Business section for more information.

We are able to work with all industries that meet SBA eligibility guidelines for a “small” business. More information about eligibility and the SBA’s table of size standards can be found HERE

We are not able to work with businesses involved in illegal activities such as prostitution, drug dealing, etc.

The SBDC can typically help any business up to 500 employees (There are industry exceptions that can decrease/increase that employee number or businesses with really large revenues that are excluded. See the latest info on size standards a SBA as “Small Business” is defined differently for different programs at the Federal Level). 99% of Kansas businesses meet the criteria that the Kansas SBDC can help, so rest assured that we can probably help your business.

More information about eligibility and the SBA’s table of size standards can be found HERE