Statewide economic development program fully accredited with several notes of commendation & best practice
The Maine Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) is pleased to announce that it has earned full accreditation from the America’s Small Business Development Centers, the national accrediting body for the Small Business Development Centers under contract from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
The Maine SBDC is part of a nationwide network of Small Business Development Centers that provide no cost expert business advising and training to entrepreneurs who aspire to start or grow a small business. Over its 41-year history, the Maine SBDC has helped tens of thousands of clients to successfully create jobs, access capital and create new businesses.
A team of reviewers visited the program and conducted a thorough assessment of the statewide program. The accreditation committee voted to fully accredit the Maine SBDC with several commendations and areas of best practices within the national program.
“This accreditation is really a testament to the strength of the Maine SBDC program and the expertise of its business advisors and staff,” commented State Director Mark Delisle. “Our team is truly dedicated to improving Maine’s economy and communities by helping small businesses start, grow and succeed.”
Every five years the program is subject to a rigorous national accreditation examination. The accreditation criteria and standards derive from the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence that ensure effective and efficient program delivery. These standards assess performance on critical factors that drive success and focus on leadership, strategic planning, customers, stakeholders, measurement, workforce and operations.
Reaching full accreditation helps to eliminate inconsistencies between the nationwide network of 1,000 SBDC locations and over 4,000 SBDC business advisors. It creates a standard that defines excellence while providing an approach to achieving high performance.
View coverage from MaineBiz: Maine SBDC earns full national accreditation