Columbus County Economic Development Commission

Services Provided

Economic and Site Development

• Economic Forecast
• Environmental Compliance
• Lease Review
• Revitalization
• Site Location Assistance
• Tax Credits
• Watershed Planning
• Economic Development (Specialty)

Buying or Selling a Business

• Buying or Selling a Franchise
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Purchasing or Selling an Existing Business
• Tax Services
• Valuation

Business Planning

• Business Plan Consulting
• Business Succession Planning
• Demographic and Census Data
• Diversification
• Feasibility Studies
• Forming a Business
• Identification and Research of Foreign Markets
• Market Plan Development
• Market Research

Financial Resources and Assistance

• Accounting and Bookkeeping
• Angel Investment
• Bonding
• Budget, Financial Statement and Cash Flow Training
• Crowdfunding
• Debt Funding
• Equity Funding
• Government Funding
• Grant Funding
• Insurance Requirements
• Loans
• Matching Funds
• Microloans
• Real Estate Finance
• Revenue Based Financing (i.e. factoring)
• Tax Credits
• Technology Grants
• Trade Show Financial Assistance
• Venture Capital

Human Resources, Workforce and Talent

• Apprenticeship
• Employee Development
• Hiring and Firing
• Industry
• Insurance
• Leadership/Professional Development
• Policies and Templates
• Recruiting
• Retention
• Workforce Incentives
• Workforce Training

Import and Export Assistance

• Certification and Licensing
• Financial Assistance for Exporting Activities
• Identification/Research of Foreign Markets
• Locating Foreign Distributors
• Networking/Exploring Exporting
• Trade Education and Training

Internship Programs and Student Services

• Business Degree Program
• Internship Program
• Student Marketing Projects
• Student Placement
• Student Research Projects
• Student Training
• Youth Entrepreneurship Education

Legal Services

• Contract Review
• Employee Relations
• Environmental Compliance
• Forming a Business
• Labor Relations
• Lease Review
• Patent Seminars
• Patent, Trademark & Copyright Information

Libraries and Research

• Business Research Resources
• Company Data/Prospect Lists
• Demographic/Census Data
• Industry Data
• Lifestyle and Psychographic Data

Management Issues

• Human Resources
• Insurance Requirements
• Leadership/Professional Development
• Recruiting Assistance

Manufacturing, High Tech, Life Sciences Development

• Augmented / Virtual Reality and Holographics
• Commercialization
• Hazardous Waste Generation Avoidance Training
• Health and Safety Training
• High Tech Development
• Industrial Technology Research
• Life Sciences Development
• Manufacturing Development
• Pollution Prevention
• Quality Improvement (Supply Chain, Six Sigma)
• Science/Bioscience Seminars
• Technology Transfer
• Wet Lab Incubator

Marketing and Sales

• Advertising/Brochure Design
• Award Recognition
• Call Center Services
• Competitive Analysis
• Demographics/Census Data
• E-Commerce/Internet Marketing
• Feasibility Studies
• Identification/Research of Foreign Markets
• Market Plan Development and Training
• Market Research
• Student Marketing Projects
• Website Development

Mentoring

• Formal Mentoring Programs
• One-on-One Counseling
• Peer Mentoring

Networking and Associations

• Demographically Based
• Geographically Based
• Home Based
• Industry Specific
• International Trade
• Small Business/General

Nonprofit and Social Enterprise

• Accounting
• Board Development
• Funds Development
• Human Resources
• Organizational Audits
• Strategic Planning
• Technical Services

Space

• Commercial Kitchen Facilities
• Conference/Meeting and Event Space
• Coworking
• Lab Space
• Lease Review Assistance
• Makerspace / Hackerspace
• Office Space
• Retail Space
• Site Location Assistance
• Wet Lab

Operations and Logistics

• Freight and Distribution
• Hazardous Waste Generation Avoidance Training
• Health and Safety Training
• Locating Freight Forwarders/Customs Brokers
• Pollution Prevention
• Quality Improvement (Supply Chain, Six Sigma)

Product Development

• Patent Information
• Product Assembly and Packaging
• Product Design and Development
• Prototype Development
• R&D Support

Public Policy and Government Relations

• African-American Business
• City Business Issues
• Hispanic Business
• LGBTQIA Business Issues
• Native-American Business
• Small Business Policy
• State Business Issues
• Women’s Business Issues

Regulatory Compliance

• Bonding
• Certification
• Codes
• Environmental Compliance
• Government Requirements
• Insurance Requirements
• International Regulatory Compliance
• Patent Information
• Registration, Licenses and Permits
• Trademark and Copyright Information

Selling to the Government and Large Corporations

• Bid Matching and Preparation
• Government and Military Specifications
• HUBZone Certification
• Obtaining Certification
• Obtaining Corporate Contracts
• Obtaining Government Contracts
• Price History
• Registration Assistance
• Selling to Foreign Governments and Businesses
• Subcontracting Opportunities

Starting a Business

• Business Research Resources
• Feasibility Studies
• Forming a Business
• Home-Based Business Training
• Registration, Licenses and Permits
• Site Location
• Startup Business Counseling
• Startup Classes

Tax Services

• State and Federal Tax Training
• State Tax Credit Information
• Tax Credits
• Tax Preparation Assistance
• Tax Registration

Technical Assistance

• Bookkeeping/Accounting Software Training
• Coding Schools, Bootcamps, Classes
• Commercialization
• Design Services
• Industrial Technology Research
• Pollution Prevention
• Technology Transfer
• Virtual Consulting and Online Services
• Website Development

Training

• Bookkeeping/Accounting Software Training
• Budget, Cash Flow and Financial Statements Training
• Business Management Training
• Business Plan Training and Assistance
• E-Commerce/Internet Marketing
• Hazardous Waste Generation Avoidance Training
• Health and Safety Training
• Health Care Training
• Home-Based Business Training
• Human Resources Training
• International Trade Education and Training
• Marketing Plan Training
• Online Courses and Videos
• Startup Classes
• Trade Education and Training

Accelerators and Incubators

• Accelerator
• Incubator

Events and Community Building

• Farmers Market
• Hackathon / Startup Week or Weekends
• Neighborhood Fairs and Festivals
• Pitch Events
• Startup Networking