Miami-Dade County is building its first Small and Local Business Comprehensive Plan around the “No Wrong Door” approach championed by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, according to an opinion piece by Manny Cid, assistant director of the county’s Strategic Procurement Department. The goal is to spare entrepreneurs from having to navigate several county offices to find help.
The plan includes RISE Miami-Dade, which offers eligible small businesses loans of up to $75,000 at prime minus one percentage point. The program is administered through Dade County Federal Credit Union and pairs financing with individualized guidance for businesses that may have trouble getting traditional capital.
Another piece, STRIVE305, links entrepreneurs with education, technical assistance, mentorship, funding leads and business partners. Its online HUB, launched with Wells Fargo, is meant to be a single place to find resources and training.
Cid said capital is only part of the challenge. Owners also need help with permits and licensing, customers and procurement. The county offers free permitting concierge assistance and marketing opportunities on the Metrorail system, he wrote.
The county argues that small businesses create jobs, support families and keep money circulating in local neighborhoods. Cid said the program’s success will be measured by businesses launched, jobs created and doors opened.
