Our History
How We Got Started
In 1980, Congress enacted the Small Business Act authorizing the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish small business development centers (SBDCs) in all states and territories. The purpose of the SBDCs was to create a broad-based system of assistance to current and prospective small business owners. Virginia was one of the last states to join the program, establishing the Virginia Small Business Development Center (Virginia SBDC) network in 1990.
Virginia’s SBDC program was established in 1988 by the Department of Economic Development (DED) to support local economic growth and create jobs. The program initially started with two centers hosted by Longwood College and James Madison University.
The Hampton Roads SBDC is part of the Virginia SBDC Network, the most extensive business development program in the Commonwealth. The Network is a partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration, George Mason University and premier local host organizations throughout Virginia.
In Hampton Roads, our host organization is the Hampton Roads Chamber with other generous support offered by the Virginia Peninsula Community College Work Force Development Center. For every $1 invested in the SBDC, $2.91 is returned in state and federal tax dollars by the small businesses we serve.