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DEO Announces the First $40 Million in Loans to Florida Small Businesses Through the State Small Business Credit Initiative 2.0

May 22, 2023

Last month, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) announced that more than $40 million in loans to 14 small businesses had already been obligated through the Florida State Small Business Credit Initiative 2.0, which stimulated more than $137 million in private capital lending. This new capital for small businesses and startups has led to more than 340 jobs for unemployed Floridians.

“Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida continues to work urgently to deliver small business and job creation resources into the hands of small businesses, communities, and economic development partners,” said DEO Acting Secretary Meredith Ivey. “For many of Florida’s nearly 550,000 small businesses—the employers of more than 5.1 million Floridians—programs like SSBCI 2.0 can help employers expand operations and jobs.”

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Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Local Workforce Plan Two-Year Modification
January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2024 | Local Workforce Development Area 09

WIOA requires each local workforce development board (LWDB), in partnership with the appropriate chief local elected official(s), to develop and submit a comprehensive four-year local plan to the state. Additionally, local plans must be modified at the end of the first two-year period of the four-year local plan to reflect changes in labor market and economic conditions and other factors affecting the implementation of the local plan. Federal regulations require states and LWDBs to regularly revisit and recalibrate state plan strategies in response to changing economic conditions and workforce needs of the state (20 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 676.135). WIOA emphasizes the importance of collaboration and transparency in the development and submission of local plans. LWDBs provide leadership, and should seek broad stakeholder involvement, in the development of their local plan. Chief local elected officials, LWDB members, core program partners, mandatory one-stop career center partners, and local economic development entities are an integral part of the planning process. WIOA encourages an enhanced, integrated system by including core programs in its planning and performance requirements. Affected entities and the public must have an opportunity to provide input in the development of the plan. LWDBs must make the plan available electronically and in open meetings to ensure transparency to the public.

LWDB 09, CareerSource North Central Florida, is providing this draft of the Two Year Modification to the Four Year Local WIOA Plan for public and stakeholder review, Please provide any public comments on this draft, which will be included in the plan, to Phyllis Marty at [email protected] by September 16th, 2022.

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