The travel industry is one of many business opportunities available in Florida.
According to the Minority Business Development Agency, loan denial rates for minority businesses in the United States are three times higher than those for non-minority firms. This belies the fact that women owned businesses in the United States generated revenues of over $940.8 billion and contributed to payroll taxes that amounted to over $173.7 billion, according to a 2002 U.S. Small Business Administration Survey. This extraordinary contribution to the U.S economy motivates both state and federal governments to encourage minority women, in Florida and in other states, to seek assistance in starting businesses.
Access Florida
Access Florida is a state-run grant program helping minority women in Florida with business financing. Access Florida offers low-interest and flexible loans for up to $50,000 to minority women who have limited or no access to traditional business financing. One of its current programs, awarding grant money for the year's best-written business plan, is just one example of Access Florida's support for minority female owned businesses.
SCORE
The SCORE Association is a national small business assistance program funded in Florida through grants provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration and Florida. SCORE operates five different centers in Florida where minority women can find help in developing new business plans, finding loans, and applying for start-up financing. SCORE also hosts a volunteer mentorship program that matches professional business volunteers to new business start-ups. It also provides Spanish-speaking translators when requested.
The Disney Entrepreneur Center
The Disney Entrepreneur Center is an excellent example of how private grants help minority women to start a business. The center offers regular classes on creating, financing, and operating a business. Most classes are offered at little or no cost and the company even encourages existing businesses to provide free business services to the center. Disney also provides a centralized database of all local municipalities and chamber of commerces that support small and minority businesses in their communities.
Procurement Technical Assistance Centers
States give special consideration to minority women-owned businesses that seek to do business with governments. Florida has subsidized a program, through grants, called Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) throughout the state. PTAC assists minority women's businesses to become Certified Business Enterprises through the Department of Management Services in the Office of Supplier Diversity. The PTAC program helps minority women obtain both state and federal government contracts.
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