In the past few years, the Indiana Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), which houses the Indiana SBDC, went through significant changes in response to COVID-19. As part of this strategic planning project, the Indiana SBDC sought to capitalize on these changes, focus resources, and meet the requirements of its national accreditation.
Small businesses in the U.S. play a crucial role in the overall economy and workforce. In Indiana, 99.4% of businesses are considered small businesses based on the definition of a business with less than 500 employees.
Over the past five years, Indiana SBDC has seen a steady increase in new clients served and clients assisted. They needed to create a new strategic plan that not only met their accreditation requirements but also was responsive to the growing and dynamic needs of small businesses across the state. In addition, they wanted to ensure consensus and alignment of the strategic plan with their ten regional offices.