OATdb Archive

2009 - 2010

Small Business Development Center

Goal
Have A Positive Economic Impact Within The SBDC Seven County Service Area
This economic impact will be measured annually using seven specific objectives established within the SBDC annual federal contract.


Objective
Job Creation
The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will work with established and start up businesses to create jobs.

Indicator
Annual Client Surveys
The indicator for this objective are the jobs documented by SBDC clients.  This documentation is established by a series of surveys that are conducted annually of all SBDC clients within the service area.

Criterion
Job Creation Evaluation
The criteria for this objective is the annual National Impact Survey that the client completes indicating that jobs were created because of SBDC assistance.  The goal for FY 2010 is 221.  It is anticipated that this goal will be increased by 5% for 2011.

Finding
Job Creation Accomplishments
The goal for FY 2010 was 221 and the total job accomplishment for FY 2010 was 239 jobs. This number exceeds the goal by 18 jobs.

Action
Client Follow-Up
The SBDC will continue to work with existing and start up businesses to assist with job creation.

Action
Bank Visits
The SBDC consultants will continue working with bankers to identify existing bank clients that need SBDC assistance.  This assistance leads to the development of new jobs in both existing and start up businesses.

Objective
Spend A Minimum Of 5 Hours Contact With Capital Ready Clients
Capital ready clients are considered good clients with injection capital and a good credit history.

Indicator
Client Surveys And MIS Tracking System
Good clients are carefully reviewed weekly through the University of Houston MIS system. Client surveys also provide quality hours spent with clients.

Criterion
Documentation Of Good Clients
The criteria for this objective is the annual National Impact Survey that the client completes indicating that quality SBDC assistance was provided.  The goal for FY 2010 is 109 capital ready clients.  It is anticipated that this goal will be increased by 5% for 2011.

Finding
Capital Ready Clients With Over 5 Hours Of Contact
The total goal for FY 2010 was 109 capital ready clients.  Total accomplish was 113 clients.  This shows an increase of 4 captial ready clients and goal was exceeded.

Action
Capital Ready Clients
The Center will continue to work with banks, city and county organizations to identify good capital ready clients that can benefit from SBDC assistance.

Objective
Assist Future Entrepreneurs In Starting New Businesses
The SBDC will strive to work with all clients in assisting the development of new businesses throughout the service area.


Indicator
Client Surveys And MIS System
This criteria is measured monthly and is available through the University of Houston MIS System.  The Director weekly monitors the success of this objective by each consultant.

Criterion
Business Start Up Measurement
The criteria for this objective is the annual National Impact Survey that the client completes indicating that businesses were started because of SBDC assistance. 

Finding
Business Start Ups
The total goal for FY 2010 was 40 start ups.  Total accomplishment was 51 start ups and this shows an increase of 11 over the established goal.


Action
Small Business Start Ups
The Center will continue to work with good potential clients to assist in the establishment of new businesses.

Objective
Assist Clients In Obtaining Capital
The SBDC will assist clients during this measureable period in obtaining capital from banks and other financial organizations.

Indicator
Client Feed-Back Through Surveys
Capial formation is monitored weekly through the MIS tracking system and through annual surveys provided by SBDC clients.

Criterion
Capital Formation
The criteria for this objective is the annual National Impact Survey that the client completes indicating that capital was created because of SBDC assistance.  The goal for FY 2010 is $9,149,828.  It is anticipated that this goal will be increased by 5% for 2011.

Finding
New Client Capital
The total goal for FY 2010 for capital was $9,149,828   Total accomplishment was $6,679,870.  This goal was not met because of the economic conditions being experienced by small businesses.  Banks are not making small business start up loans and are not providing expansion capital to existing businesses.  This is a national trend and the Small Business Administration (SBA) is establishing new programs during the coming year to encourage banks to increase loans to small businesses.


Action
Extensive Bank Contact
The SBDC consultants will continue to work with bankers to identify good clients that need capital and SBDC assistance.

Objective
Obtain New Clients During The Fiscal Year
Identify clients within the seven county service area that need SBDC assistance.  The identification with these clients will be done by chambers of commerces, city and county organizations, and walk in clients requesting assistance.

Indicator
New Client Measurement
New client tracking is conducted weekly through the MIS tracking system and the quality of service is measured continuously through client surveys.

Criterion
Successful New Client Assistance
The criteria for this objective is the Annual National Impact Survey and the monitoring of the MIS client tracking system.  The goal for FY 2010 is 165 new clients.

Finding
New Clients
The total goal for FY 2010 was 248 new clients.  We achieved 165 new clients.  This goal was not met because of the economic conditions being experienced by small businesses and banks are not making small business loans and they are not providing expansion capital to existing businesses; thus, the flow of new clients has drastically declined.

Action
SBDC Promotional Activities
The primary action for this goal is to continue marketing the services of the SBDC through selected media throughout the service area.

Objective
Total Clients
To identify good clients and spend a total of 5 or more hours of contact and preparation with that client.

Indicator
Total Client Surveys And MIS System
This criterion is measured monthly and is available through the University of Houston MIS System.  The Director monitors the success of this goal weekly by each consultant.


Criterion
Total Client Measurement
The criteria for this objective is the Annual National Impact Survey that the client completes and the MIS client tracking system. The goal for FY 2010 is 171 clients.  It is anticipated that this goal will be increased by 5% for 2011.

Finding
Total Client Results
The goal for FY 2010 was 171.  There are no findings at this point.  Findings will be posted at the end of the year of 2010.  This is the only objective that is measured in this manner.  All previous objectives are measured by fiscal year only.

Action
Extensive SBDC Marketing
The SBDC will continue its extensive effort to market SBDC services throughout the service area.  The results of impact client activity is tracked and monitored during weekly staff meetings.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

Plan for continuous improvement Weekly meetings are conducted every Monday to discuss goal attainment with the entire staff. Extensive marketing of Small Business Development Center (SBDC) services are being conducted throughout the seven county service areas. Representatives from all of the Chamber of Commerces are provided training schedules and service brochures on a monthly basis. Banks within our service area are provided marketing brochures and replenished as required. Client evaluations are done for all new clients and annually for long-term clients. Issues/recommendations that are outlined in these surveys are discussed and implemented when appropriate. The Director and Counselors attend quarterly training sessions through the University of Houston programs along with state and national conferences conducted annually.