Business Community
Small Business Resources
Richland County Resource page for Business FAQs: http://www.richlandcountysc.gov/COVID-19-Business
Columbia Chamber COVID19 Resources: https://www.columbiachamber.com/covid-19-business-resources-information/
Greater Irmo Chamber of Commerce: https://greaterirmochamber.com/covid-19-news/
Greater Cayce West Columbia Chamber: https://www.cwcchamber.com/covid-19-resources.html
CARES Act for Small Businesses: https://www.cwcchamber.com/cares-act.html
South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development: https://www.scaced.org/coronavirus
COVID19: Small Business Guidiance & Loan Resources: https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidiance-loan-resources
Stratlign Accounting COVID19 Resource Center Page (Small Business & Non Profits) https://stratlign.com/covid19/
Industry Specific Reopening Resources https://restoreyoureconomy.org/index.php?submenu=IndustrySectorSpecificResources&src=gendocs&ref=Industry%20%26%20Sector-Specific%20Resources&category=Main
Federal Resources for COVID-19 https://restoreyoureconomy.org/index.php?submenu=Federal&src=gendocs&ref=Federal%20Resources_1&category=Main
Volunteer Form for Economic Recovery in SC https://restoreyoureconomy.org/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=396&category=Main
SC Thrive COVID-19 Resources for Businesses and Nonprofits https://scthrive.org/coronavirus-resources/
Nonprofit Resource Guide
Daily Resource Guide for Nonprofits https://www.togethersc.org/blog/coronavirus-resources
Small Business Webinars
COVID-19 Webinars https://www.iedconline.org/web-pages/accritest/covid-19-webinars/
SCORE Recorded Webinars https://www.score.org/recorded-webinars
SCORE Live Webinars https://www.score.org/live-webinars
The Office of Small Business Opportunity (OSBO)
A major part of GCS efforts in the business community, The Office of Small Business Opportunity provides a race and gender-neutral tool for the County to use in its efforts to ensure that six industry categories of its local business community have an opportunity to participate in County contracts.
The Office of Small Business Opportunity provides the following services:
- Business Development - Develops and coordinates outreach programs designed to attract and encourage local small and minority-owned businesses to compete for Richland County contracts for projects and services.
- Certification and Compliance - Conducts all phases of certification process using numerous verification techniques to ensure applicants meet the eligibility requirements and complies to all aspects of the business. To learn how to get certified (Click Here).
- Project Coordination - Ensures that all solicitations are advertised in a timely manner to County SLBEs. Provides to certified SLBEs and prospective SLBEs information, education, and training on funding sources for small businesses, including future projects; venture capital, small business grants, Small Business Administration loan programs, surety bonds, and Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs).
- Workshops - Scheduled workshops are held monthly (Click Here).
Certified Small Local Business Enterprises (SLBEs)
To view the larger directory of SLBEs (Click Here).
*To download SLBE Directory, under vendor certification, click search registered directory. Scroll to the bottom and click download entire directory.
Contact OSBO
To contact the Office of Small Business Opportunity or schedule an appointment please call (803)-576-1540 or email at osbo@richlandcountysc.gov.