MIAMI, Fla. — Recognizing that “When we empower our small businesses, our community thrives,” Miami -Dade County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, is launching the District 8 Small Business Academy on Oct.1.  The month-long program, the first of its kind by a County Commissioner, will provide training and resources to local businesses so that entrepreneurs have the tools they need for success.

“My office is dedicated to economic development in South Dade. We created the Small Business Academy with input from the priorities expressed at the South Dade Solutions Summit earlier this summer.”

In 1996, Levine Cava, a member of the Miami-Dade Commission’s Prosperity Council, founded Catalyst Miami (formerly called Human Services Coalition of Dade County), to help low and middle income families through education and advocacy. At Catalyst Miami, she launched the Prosperity Campaign to help people increase their income and savings. That initiative, in alliance with the business community, chambers of commerce, the United Way, and local banks, has brought in hundreds of millions in income tax credits and other programs, money reinvested in the local economy.

“Small businesses are the backbone of South Dade; they provide crucial services, create jobs and are vital community partners. The goal of the academy is for businesses to have the knowledge and resources to increase sales, hire employees and prosper,” Levine Cava added.

The South Dade Solutions Summit was held in June of this year. Summit participants identified investing in our small businesses and encouraging new entrepreneurs as a priority.  The Small Business Academy will feature innovative workshops taught by leading business development agencies in South Florida. Academy participants will be provided with linkages to a network of private and public resources. The first workshop will focus on establishing start-ups for aspiring business owners.

For the academy, Levine Cava is once again collaborating with organizations from the public and private sector; including Partners for Self-Employment, Hispanic Business Initiative Fund, Economic Development Council of South Dade, Miami-Dade County Small Business Development Division, The Beacon Council, CareerSource of South Florida and the Florida International University Small Business Development Clinic, Economic Development Council of South Dade, Palmetto Bay Business Association, South Dade Chamber of Commerce, Chamber South, Greater Kendall Business Association and Cutler Bay Business Association.

http://www.sfltimes.com/news/local/commissioner-daniella-levine-cava-launches-small-business-academy