Learn more about Business Development Programs
ORLANDO (CityofOrlando.net) – Small business is the backbone of the local economy. Nurturing our small business community is a priority for the City of Orlando and there are a variety of programs designed to help small business owners locate or expand their business within the City.
These programs include:
Business Assistance Program (BAP): Offsets 50 percent of permit fees, impact fees and right-of-way infrastructure improvements for new and expanding businesses with City limits.
The Business Assistance Program is a matching grant program designed to encourage small businesses to locate, expand or redevelop in the City by providing matching funds to assist in off-setting development fees, including sewer and transportation impact fees and building permit fees. Maximum fee assistance is 50 percent of impact fees assessed against the project up to $20,000.
Small Business Façade Program (SBFP): Provides new and existing commercial property and business owners assistance with costs related to physical improvements in the City’s commercial corridors.
The Small Business Façade Program provides an interest free deferred loan for façade improvements to new and existing commercial property and business owners in the City of Orlando to provide assistance with costs related to design and façade improvement expenses such as painting, wall repair or cleaning, window repair or replacement, new or replacement signage, landscaping, lighting, streetscape and door repair or replacement. Businesses must be a small business as defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Applicants must provide at least 50 percent of the project cost. The maximum award amount is $20,000.
Transportation Impact Fee Waiver (TIF): Assists in new business development – and subsequent job creation – by reducing impact fees for small businesses locating or expanding in an existing space.
The Transportation Impact Fee Waiver (TIF) exempts small businesses from paying change-in-use transportation impact fees when locating or expanding in existing space. This reduces financial barriers for businesses seeking to expand or locate within the City and also encourages the development of vacant space, rather than new construction. In addition, exempting the fees allows the business to direct more of their funds to growing their business and creating jobs.
