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Small and Emerging Business Development Program

Forward progress is the purpose of Louisiana Economic Development's Small and Emerging Business Development Program. With a focus on growth, the program helps Louisiana's small businesses help themselves by assisting with entrepreneurial training, legal needs, marketing, computer skills and accounting. These services are offered through Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), universities and consultants in Louisiana's rural and urban areas.

SMALL AND EMERGING BUSINESS CERTIFICATION
To qualify for the SEBD program, at least 51 percent of a participating company must be owned and controlled by one or more Small and Emerging Business Persons (see below). Additional qualifications include:

  • Principal Place of Business - the firm's principal place of business is Louisiana.
  • Lawful Function - the company has been organized for profit to perform a lawful, commercially useful function.
  • Business Net Worth - the business' net worth does not exceed $1,500,000.
  • Full-Time Employment - managing owners who claim Small and Emerging Business Person status must be full-time employees of the applicant firm (20 or more hours per week).
  • Job Creation - an applicant firm anticipates creating new full-time jobs.

Benefits of Certification:

  • Developmental assistance including entrepreneurial training, marketing, computer skills, accounting, business planning, legal and industry specific assistance
  • Eligibility for the Bonding Assistance Program
  • Additional guaranty support under the LEDC LoanGuaranty Program
  • Consideration for bidding on selective service or product purchases by state agencies
  • SEBs are eligible to participate as a protégé in the Mentor-Protégé Program.

For the SEBD program, a Small and Emerging Business Person must meet these qualifications:

  • Citizenship - the person is a U.S. citizen or legal resident.
  • Louisiana Residency - the person has been a Louisiana resident for at least one year.
  • Net worth - at least 51 percent of the business owners must have a net worth of less than $400,000, excluding personal residence, the business assets and retirement accounts.

Eligibility requirements for certification is twofold. To continue program participation, a firm that is owned and controlled by one or more Small and Emerging Business Persons, as well as its individual owners, must continue to meet all eligibility requirements. Certification is effective for up to 10 years or until the firm no longer qualifies for the program.

CERTIFIED SMALL AND EMERGING BUSINESS DIRECTORY

For more details on how the program works, please click here and download the Small and Emerging Business Development Program (PDF)


REGIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information on the SEBD program, contact a partner in your region. For questions about SEBD Certification, the SEBD Directory or general program information please call 225.342.4320.

Alexandria Metropolitan Foundation
Address: 5411 Coliseum Blvd, Suite A, Alexandria, LA 71303
Primary: Johnie Varnado    
Phone: 318-442-3593    
Email: johnie@kazette.com    
Fax: 318-487-8401    
       
City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge
Address: 4523 Plank Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70805
Primary: Natalie Washington Secondary: Sidney Longwell
Phone: 225-358-4584   225-358-4509
Email: nwashington@brgov.com slongwell@brgov.com
Fax: 225-358-8610    
       
Louisiana Minority Business Council (LAMBC)
Address: 935 Gravier Street, 16th Floor, New Orleans, LA 70112
Primary: Rivers Frederick, III Secondary: Phala Mire
Phone: 504-523-7110    
Email: rfrederick@lambc.org   pkmire@lambc.org
Fax: 504-592-6645    
       
Louisiana State University Shreveport SBDC
Address: One University Place, Shreveport, LA 71115-2399
Primary: Cooper Cochran Secondary: Jane Allison
Phone: 318-797-5144    
Email: ccochran@lsbdc.org   jallison@lsbdc.org
Fax: 318-797-5208    
       
Louisiana Tech University -Technology Business Development Center
Address: P.O. Box 3145, Ruston, LA 71272
Primary: Kathy Wyatt    
Phone: 318-257-3537    
Email: kwyatt@latech.edu    
Fax: 318-257-4442    
       
Loyola University - New Orleans Entrepreneur Center
Address: 6363 St. Charles Ave., Box 134, New Orleans, LA 70118-6195
Primary: Carmen Sunda    
Phone: 504-864-7942    
Email: csunda@lsbdc.org    
Fax: 504-864-7070    
       
Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana (MEPoL)
Address: P.O. Box 44172, Lafayette, LA 70127 (241 E. Lewis St., 70504)
Primary: Corinne Dupuy  Secondary:  Dave Thomas
Phone: 337-482-6714    
Email: cdupuy@louisiana.edu    dave.thomas@mepol.org
Fax: 337-262-5472    
       
Microbusiness Enterprise Corporation of Ascension (MBECA)
Address: 719 South Burnside, Suite B, Gonzales, LA 70737
Primary: Lee Melancon Secondary: Lisa Thibodaux
Phone: 225.268 9610    
Email: mbeca@mbeca.org   lisa@mbeca.org
Fax: 225-752-4855    
       
Northwestern State University SBDC
Address: Dunbar Plaza, Suite 114C, 3600 Jackson Street Ext., Alexandria, LA 71303
Primary: Dion Boyett Secondary: Frances Methvin
Phone: 318-484-2123    
Email: boyettd@nsula.edu sfmethvin@nsula.edu
Fax: 318-484-2126    
       
South Louisiana Economic Council (SLEC)
Address: P.O. Box 2048-NSU, Thibodaux, LA 70310
Primary: Susan Arcement Secondary: Vic Lafont
Phone: 985-448-4485    
Email: sarcement@lsbdc.org    
Fax: 985-448-4486    
       
Southwest Louisiana Partnership for Economic Development (SWLAPED)
Address: 120 West Pujo Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601
Primary: Adrian Wallace    
Phone: 337-433-3632 x206    
Email: awallace@allianceswla.org    
Fax: 337-436-3727    
       
Southern University Shreveport Small, Women, & Minority Owned Business Incubator (SWMO)
Address: 4000 Viking Drive, Bossier City, LA 71111
Primary: Darrin Dixon Secondary: Saundra Williams
Phone: 318-741-2760    
Email: ddixon@susla.edu sdwilliams@susla.edu
Fax: 318-741-2762    
       
University of Louisiana at Lafayette SBDC
Address: 220 E. St. Mary Boulevard, P.O. Box 43732, Lafayette, LA 70504-1514
Primary: Mark Galyean Secondary: Heidi Melancon  
Phone: 337-262-5344    
Email: mgalyean@lsbdc.org hmelancon@lsbdc.org
Fax: 337-262-1223    
       
University of Louisiana at Monroe SBDC
Address: 700 University Avenue, Admin 2-123, Monroe, LA 71209-6530
Primary: Paul Dunn Secondary: Mooi Lee  
Phone: 318-342-1224    
Email: dunn@ulm.edu   mlee@lsbdc.org
Fax: 318.342.3085    
       
Urban League of Greater New Orleans
Address: 365 Canal Street, Suite 2820, New Orleans, LA 70130
Primary: Patrice A.Williams-Smith    
Phone: 504-589-2838    
Email: pwilliamssmith@urbanleagueneworleans.org    
Fax: 504-589-2339