Posted on July 10, 2019 by Heather Adams

Wharton University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to Close, Reallocate Funding to Region

bu PA Small Business Development Center

Wharton University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to Close, Reallocate Funding to Region

KUTZTOWN, PA – The Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center (PASBDC) lead office received official notification of Wharton Small Business Development Center’s decision to close their SBDC in an effort to reallocate its grant funding to other centers serving the region.

“I know this decision by Wharton did not come without considerable thought and discussion about what would be best for the region over the long term. On behalf of the PASBDC network, I want to thank the University of Pennsylvania and Wharton for their long history of supporting small business owners,” said PASBDC state director Dr. Ernie Post.

The University of Pennsylvania started the Wharton Small Business Development Center in 1980 when the SBA launched the national SBDC program as a pilot program across the country. Since that time, the PASBDC has grown to include 17 centers across Pennsylvania.

The PASBDC network will continue to ensure that the Philadelphia entrepreneurial community is served by two neighboring SBDC centers: Temple and Widener. This week the PASBDC made a commitment to expand the Widener SBDC service territory to include Philadelphia County. Temple University SBDC will still provide support to city of Philadelphia’s small business owners. Widener SBDC serves the city with bilingual technical assistance for business planning and government procurement services at their Finanta outreach office.

During the past year, the PASBDC lead office increased the funding for Temple SBDC by $183,679 and Widener SBDC by 58,708. Widener SBDC also serves established businesses in the Philadelphia region with their Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP). EMAP provides confidential, no cost consulting services to business owners to educate them on environmental compliance issues.

“Our PASBDC lead office will be working collaboratively this month with the Wharton SBDC, Temple SBDC and Widener SBDC to ensure that all of the existing Wharton SBDC clients are assigned to a Widener or Temple SBDC consultant. Future SBDC clients in need of no cost, confidential consulting can choose between Temple or Widener SBDC. We will announce additional Widener SBDC outreach locations in the coming months,” Post said.

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