1. Do you help with _______?
      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. Visit our SERVICES & TRAINING section for more detailed information.

  2. Are there any costs associated with the SBDC?
      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 for that                particular class, these will all be disclosed upfront.

  3. Do I have to be a client of the KSBDC?
      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 so they know their funding dollars are being put to good use. Becoming a          Client also ensures your information is kept private thru our strict client confidentiality policies. Visit BECOME A CLIENT for more information.

  4. Do I have to live in Kansas to use the SBDC?
      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, a google search with your state name & “SBDC” will show local SBDC options.

  5. What does SBDC stand for?
      Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

​  6. Does the SBDC help with finding Loans & Grants?
      SBDC Advisors are Loans & Grants experts providing 1 on 1 guidance on prepping the necessary Business Plan & Financial Projections info for
      raising funds via Loans & Grants. While we are experts at the process and available Loans & Grants options, we do not provide the actual                dollars. Visit our FUNDING OPTIONS section for more detailed information.

  7. Is the SBDC only for Startups?
      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 for sure the SBDC can help? Contact us anyway, if we          can’t help you we will know who can. Visit our SERVICES & TRAINING section for more information.

  8. Can the SBDC help any Industry type of Business?
      We are able to work with all industries that meet SBA eligibility guidelines. We are not able to work with businesses involved in illegal activities          such as prostitution, drug dealing, etc.

  9. Does the SBDC only help really small businesses?
        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 at 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.

10. How long does the process take?
         It all depends on your questions and the pace that you are able to go – we typically move at your pace – we have helped clients with Business
         Plans & Financial Projections in as little as a week and as long as more than a year – we are fine with either as we understand life gets in the           way sometimes. We are here when you need us.

11. I live far away from my local SBDC center, do I have to come to your center for help?
        The way you would like to access our SBDC services is totally up to you. You can certainly schedule an in-person meeting at one of our                    locations with us or meet with us remotely via phone/email/videoconference. We also have helpful on-demand training in our Video Library.              While the Video Library will provide you with great info to get started, the true value of the SBDC is our expert local knowledge of available                resources in your area that can help your particular business. For available ways to contact us, please visit our CONTACT page.

12. Who Funds the Kansas SBDC?
       The Kansas SBDC program is funded at the Federal level by the Small Business Administration (SBA), the State level by the Kansas Dept. of           Commerce and at the Local level by Higher Education host institutions (leading colleges & universities for their geographic areas).

13. What happened to all the COVID19 Funding Programs?
       Most of the COVID19 programs all ended by the end of 2021. Visit our DISASTER RELIEF page for more info.

14. How can I get the SBDC to come talk to my town or group or conference?
        The SBDC is always looking for ways to grow awareness of our program. Please contact your local SBDC center to discuss scheduling.                    Contact information can be found on our CONTACT page.

15. I left a message with my local SBDC center and haven’t heard back, who else can help?
        While we try to respond within 24hrs of a message, sometimes we can accidentally drop the ball due to being very busy with other clients,                vacation, sickness, etc. To help ensure you get the assistance you need, we also have Live Assistance at our 7 day per week Statewide Call            Center. While the Statewide Call Center may not be as knowledgeable about your specific location or need like your local center would, 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. We make every effort to be here when you need us                and we truly appreciate your patience when that gets delayed. Additional Contact information can be found on our CONTACT page.

16. Do I need an appointment or can I just show up?
        We value your time & effort in meeting with us, so we recommend setting an appointment to ensure we are available. We sometimes are out            of the office due to vacations, sickness, traveling to other towns in the area, etc., so making an appointment is the safest route. To help ensure          you get the assistance you need, we also have Live Assistance at our 7 day per week Statewide Call Center. While the Statewide Call                    Center may not be as knowledgeable about your specific location or need like your local center would, 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. We make every effort to be here when you need us and we truly appreciate                      your patience when that gets delayed.

17. I’m a Veteran, can you help me with special programs available for me?
        Yes. Visit our GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING & INCLUSION page for more info. You can also visit our VIDEO LIBRARY for helpful on-                  demand program video training.

​18. My Credit Score is terrible, can you help find money for my business anyway?
         If your Credit Score is between 600-650 and you have decent cashflow we may be able to help, more so if its above 650. If Credit Score is               below 600, the first thing that we will need to do is help you repair your credit. Most Lenders & Grant Agencies will require at least a 600                   credit score for their programs. For more information on repairing your credit visit our CREDIT SCORE 101 info.

19. I’m a Black owned Business, can you help me with special programs available for me?
        Yes, visit our Government Contracting & Inclusion page within the Services & Training section for more info. You can also visit our Video                    Library for helpful program video training.

20. I’m a Hispanic owned Business, can you help me with special programs available for me?
        Yes, visit our Government Contracting & Inclusion page within the Services & Training section for more info. You can also visit our Video                    Library for helpful program video training.

21. I’m a Woman owned Business, can you help me with special programs available for me?
        Yes, visit our Government Contracting & Inclusion page within the Services & Training section for more info. You can also visit our Video                    Library for helpful program video training.

22. I’m a Rural based Business, can you help me with special programs available for me?
        Yes, visit our Government Contracting & Inclusion page within the Services & Training section for more info. You can also visit our Video                    Library for helpful program video training.

23. I’ve been trying to get set up for Government Contracting but keep having trouble – Can you help?
        We have Training Videos in our Video Library on Govt Contracting Programs and we have Matchmaking Events for businesses interested in
        getting into Government Contracting. If you are having trouble with the actual setting up of your SAM account, etc, you will want to contact the
        Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) as they are the Govt Contracting Setup experts. Email: KansasPTAC@Wichita.edu

24. I am (or am helping) a Spanish speaker that isn’t as comfortable speaking English, can you help?
        Yes, we have Bi-lingual assistance available via our 7 day per week Statewide Call Center; Spanish toggle for our website info & some of our            Video Library videos translated into Spanish. While our Call Center reps won’t be as knowledgeable as our local centers for specific local                  location info & advanced topics, they will be able to walk through the basic information readily available AND will be able to setup time as a              translator to assist the local center for the more advanced topics as applicable.

​25. I do Economic Development for my community and I heard about the SBDC KIOSK program. Who can        I talk to about signing up for the program to get one in my town?
        The Kansas SBDC KIOSK program is a great cost effective way to provide Economic Development groups an “easy button” for Business                  Support Services within their communities – especially rural and/or underserved urban communities where options are limited and solutions              need to be extremely cost effective. To find out more info on the program, including available support options visit our KIOSKS 
        page. When you are ready to discuss further, email our SBDC Kiosk Program lead, Randy Robinson, at RSRobinson@PittState.edu