Office of Community Development

Business and Economic Development

 The Economic Development And Technical Assistance Center (EDTAC)

This center, funded by the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is established to provide on-site technical assistance to small minority businesses in ten (10) predominately Black counties of South Carolina as well as selected units of government, primarily those affiliated with the South Carolina Conference of Black Mayors. Specifically, EDTAC exists to promote economic development through business development, to research and disseminate information of interest to community leaders and business owners, while providing assistance to enhance development opportunities, and to disseminate information on activities of the Center as the Center works collaboratively with other business and economic entities for maximum services and capabilities.

The Freddie Mac Consumer Credit Education Initiative

This program has two goals: (1) providing Freddie Mac with information concerning the perception of credit among racial minorities; (2) improving the credit worthiness of African Americans. Activities include conducting focus groups composed of students and community residents, designing research surveys, publishing findings from the surveys, and working collaboratively with four other Historically Black Colleges and Universities to develop a curriculum for students and community residents.

The Women, Minority, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program

The purpose of this program is to provide training and technical assistance to the representative groups and enable them to procure contracts in the transportation industry. The program is funded by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

The Business Development Center

Funded by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U. S. Department of Commerce, this Center will feature hands-on training provided by faculty and staff of Benedict College, members of financial institutions, members of the Senior Corps of Retired Employees, and the City of Columbia . Businesses will have access to clerical assistance, a print shop, a communications center, and a revolving loan fund. Current and potential business owners will also be able to participate in workshops and seminars to help them become more effective and more efficient in their delivery of services and products. The Center will be housed in a former Pepsi-Cola bottling plant of 26,100 square feet that will be renovated to house an incubator for small businesses and a minority entrepreneurial development program.

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