The City of Hollywood’s Office of Communications, Marketing & Economic Development (CMED) is ready to assist Hollywood businesses. We encourage you to check the City of Hollywood’s webpage, sign up for City and Business email/text updates, and follow us on Facebook. Our team is available to talk you through any of your business-related issues. Contact us at 954.921.3620 or by email.
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Are You Thinking About Starting a New Business in Hollywood?
Check out our Business Resource Guide for helpful information on key departments in the City available to help you along with other resources to help your business grow and succeed. This guide is designed to be a resource for small business owners, entrepreneurs and established corporations seeking to start or expand their operations in the City of Hollywood. You will also find valuable information on incentive programs and contact information for local development partners available to help your business grow and succeed. View Guide
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Is Your Commercial Property Ready For An Update? Would $25,000 Help?
The Commercial Property Improvement Program (CPIP) is an incentive program designed to improve the facades of publicly or privately owned commercial or industrial buildings along specific commercial corridors. This program is based on the premise that exterior improvements to commercial buildings in highly visible locations will stimulate private investment, attract customers, and result in new economic opportunities. Grant funding is available to commercial and industrial property owners that intend to restore, renovate or improve their property. Click here for more information on CPIP.
Interested participants are encouraged to watch a Public Information Session recording to learn how to apply for this reimbursable grant (see below).
CPIP Public Information Sessions
Wednesday, June 9 • 3:00 p.m. • Watch the Recording
Wednesday, June 16 • 11:00 a.m. • Watch the Recording
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Free Business Assistance Programs For City Residents And Business Owners
The City of Hollywood’s Office of Communications, Marketing + Economic Development partners with Broward SCORE to provide educational and advisory services to City residents and small business owners.
This partnership is a part of the City’s “Backing Business” initiative, as these supportive programs aim to help the City’s economy grow. Resources available to the City’s start-up and small business community include:
| Advanced Business Solutions Team: Broward SCORE provides a team of seasoned business specialists to help your existing small businesses identify growth opportunities, solve problems, and plan for the future. Through a series of meetings, the Advanced Business Solutions Team works with your management team to devise a plan for achieving your objectives.
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| One-on-One Business Mentoring: Broward SCORE offers personal remote mentoring sessions with local seasoned business professionals who are committed to helping our local business community stronger through these difficult times. Book your phone or video mentoring session online. Sessions are typically one-hour in length. Prepare to discuss any opportunities or problems your business may be facing. |
 | Business Education Program: Workshops on a diversity of business topics are scheduled throughout the remainder of the year and will be offered virtually utilizing a live webinar format. Many of the webinars will focus on pandemic recovery topics and led by local business professionals with specific knowledge on starting and running businesses in Broward County and the City of Hollywood. |
Founded in 1964, Broward SCORE is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) with over 70 volunteer mentors, workshop presenters, and business support personnel. The chapter offers a diverse program of business support services throughout the year and is provided at no-cost to start-ups, existing businesses, or those who are thinking of starting a business. More information on these exciting new programs can be found here: https://broward.score.org/city-hollywood-cmed
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We’ve got you covered! Expand your knowledge of federal government contracting, human resources management, marketing, finances, trademark and copyright laws, and more. Generate leads by participating in various webinars offered. Each webinar is free to attend, approximately an hour long, and interactive.
For a list of upcoming webinars, please click here.
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Tell Us How We Can Help You Improve Your Business! Take the Business Visitation Program Survey!We want to hear from you! Nationally, over 70% of employment growth in a community comes from the retention and expansion
of existing businesses. The City and Chamber recognize that Hollywood’s existing businesses make investments in facilities, create jobs, and provide a support network that is at the heart of a strong local economy. The City, in partnership with the Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, have launched a joint venture to survey business owners and stop by to visit businesses Citywide.
The Business Survey and Visitation Programs aims to:
• Strengthen the partnership between the City, local Chamber, and the business community
• Enhance communication, Identify retention and growth opportunities for businesses
• Introduce the community to contacts
• Create opportunities to voice concerns and discuss how the City and Chamber can work more closely with Hollywood business owners
Business owners are encouraged to take a brief survey and will have the opportunity to request a in person visit with City staff. We’ll come over!
Learn more and take the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PXWCC2J |
Program Provides Late Shift Employees Direct Rides to and From Work
Broward County Transit (BCT) recognizes the need for a transportation solution that can provide residents access to/from employment opportunities outside the regular fixed-route service span. Late Shift Connect provides on-demand and direct transportation for late shift workers when regular transit services are generally not available.
Participants can request rides to/from their places of employment and home if their work shift begins or ends between 11PM and 6AM, 5 days per week. Anyone who works the late shift in Broward County is eligible. Your contact information and employer address and contact information are required.
For more information or to enroll, visit lateshiftconnect.org.
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Available Grants and/or Loans and Credit Program
Small business grants exist for entrepreneurs and small businesses that meet the right criteria. Find out how you can use them to start or grow your business.
For a list of grant options, please read below.
- Career Source Broward has launched two great resources:
- Broward Economic and Workforce Study – To augment economic data received from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, CareerSource Broward (CSBD) and its Board procured an economist to conduct an Economic and Labor Market Analysis of Broward County. This information will: 1) assist in better localizing labor market information to guide resource investment recommendations for CSBD's Four-Year Local Plan and other strategic planning efforts; 2) help assess economic conditions in the workforce area; 3) assess workforce capabilities, as this is a fundamental driver of local economic development, and will help with working with education partners in identifying areas for training for emerging jobs, thereby expanding the supply of prepared workers; and 4) provide insight of the occupations with the most supply and demand and their wages. https://careersourcebroward.com/assets/uploads/documents/Broward-Economic-and-Workforce-Study-Final.pdf
- The Broward County Economic and Workforce Dashboard is an interactive dashboard with data on local economic and workforce factors. The interactive dashboard is updated monthly. https://careersourcebroward.com/about-us/dashboard
- U.S. SBA Funding Programs : Explore a list of SBA funding programs.
- SBA Loans: Explore a list of recovery funds from SBA and various organizations.
- Broward Municipal Services District Revolving Loan Fund (BMSD RLF): This new small business lending program provides flexible, low-cost capital for existing businesses as well as new start-up businesses in the BMSD. The Urban League of Broward County is partnering with the Broward County Office of Economic and Small Business Development, and the National Development Council (NDC) to assist existing BMSD businesses and property owners, as well as entrepreneurs that are interested in starting new businesses or relocating to the BMSD.
- Black Business Investment Fund (BBIF):BBIF is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), private non-profit loan fund that specializes in providing loans and financial technical assistance services to Black, minority & underserved small businesses throughout Florida.
The Small Business Readiness for Resiliency Program: This grant program supports and helps small businesses recover from a natural disaster. Businesses can apply here.
- America's Seed Fund is a decades-long grant program powered by the National Science Foundation. The National Science Foundation grant program, open to early-stage companies that need to prove their technology and find their market potential, has made about 3,400 awards to startups and small businesses since 2012, with 153 exits by those companies and $9.1 billion in private investment. Click here to learn more.
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Safe & Clean Pledge: Show Your Commitment to Safely Welcoming Visitors
Thank you to those of you who have taken the Visit Lauderdale Safe & Clean Pledge! More than 350 businesses have taken the pledge. Together we are instilling confidence among residents and travelers that we are committed to their safety and well-being.
If you haven’t already done so, please consider taking the Visit Lauderdale Safe & Clean Pledge today at sunny.org/pledge. Registration takes very little time, and it is FREE. Taking the pledge aligns with CDC recommended guidelines, and your business will be promoted as part of Visit Lauderdale’s marketing efforts on the program.
Upon taking the pledge, you are invited to display the destination’s clearly stated Safe & Clean protocols. You will receive:
• A downloadable Safe & Clean pledge to print and display
• A physical poster delivered to place of business to display
• The Safe & Clean logo will be added to your listing on sunny.org
CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE PLEDGE NOW
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Vacation Rental Changes Are Now In Effect
The City's new changes to the Vacation Rental License Program Ordinance are now in effect. These changes apply to all City properties which currently have a Vacation Rental License, as well as those property owners who are currently using their property as a vacation rental.
To assist property owners with meeting compliance deadlines, the City hosted multiple virtual question and answer sessions in February and March 2021. Staff was on-hand to answer questions related to the vacation rental license program, licensure, inspections requirements and more. You can watch the meeting videos by clicking the links below.
Tuesday, February 23 • 11:00 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. • Watch the recording
Tuesday, February 23 • 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. • Watch the recording
Monday, March 15 • 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. • Watch the recording
Monday, March 29 • 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. • Watch the recording
For more information on the new rules, click here to visit the Vacation Rental License Program webpage. For additional assistance, please contact the Office of Treasury via email at vrl@hollywoodfl.org.
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Upcoming BrowardUP Programming
In addition to Broward College's popular health science courses, BrowardUP is now offering select courses, workshops, and services online and in your neighborhood.
New courses are continually being added. Visit the BrowardUP website today!
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Florida Small Business Emergency Loan Program
View Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan
Frequently Asked Questions
Check Application Status
For questions regarding the loan program, please contact DEO toll-free at 833-832-4494 or email FloridaBusinessLoanFund@deo.myflorida.com.
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Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
Upcoming GHCC Programs & Content: Webinars and online classes, provided by GHCC members and experts, can be viewed here.
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Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance
Businesses can request a virtual meeting with the Alliance regarding business preservation assistance, including low- or no-interest loan opportunities and short time compensation for employers. Additionally, the Alliance has compiled business resources here.
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Additional Online Resources
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Links to these established programs can be found on the City’s Economic Development website. Please continue to monitor www.hollywoodfl.org and www.choosehollywoodfl.com for the latest updates.
Economic Development Division
Raelin Storey, Assistant City Manager
Herb Conde-Parlato, Economic Development Manager
Marina Melo, Economic Development Representative
Hugo Amaya, Corridor Redevelopment Specialist
Janelle Richards, Economic Development Marketing Coordinator
Community Redevelopment Agency - Beach & Downtown Districts
Jorge Camejo, Executive Director
954.924.2980