Navigate the Economic Development Ecosystem

It is often said that Economic Development is a team sport. Small Business owners in the City of Raleigh are at the center of an entrepreneurial ecosystem of highly interconnected City and Partner organizations.

This fiercely collaborative ecosystem increases a small business owner’s probability of success. The City of Raleigh Small Business Development team stands ready to help small businesses make the connections they need, and to navigate the general ecosystem.

City of Raleigh Small Business Development Team

Communities are at their best when neighborhoods and nearby businesses all thrive together. Small businesses are the heart and soul of Raleigh – for example, the storefront businesses that create the City’s unique character. More generally, Small Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) is key to Raleigh’s overall economic resiliency.

To reflect the natural ties between small businesses and surrounding communities, the Small Business Development team is under the Housing and Neighborhoods Department. This organizational structure places the members of the Small Business Development team in immediate proximity to expert colleagues who manage intersecting interests: Affordable Housing (particularly for the local workforce), Community Development, and Neighborhood Enrichment.

In complete alignment with the Economic Development & Innovation pillar of the City of Raleigh Strategic Plan, the Small Business Development team serves as an ally for small businesses throughout our community, whether storefront, office, industrial, home-based, hybrid, startup, or well-established community favorites. The Small Business Development team serves as a resource and a connector for small businesses citywide, with particular attention on women-owned and minority-owned businesses.