About Florida Business Development
Provide long-term, fixed-rate SBA 504 financing and related lending programs to help Florida small businesses grow, preserve working capital, and support economic development since 1989.
Focus Areas
Small business loansSBA 504 lendingCommercial real estate financingEquipment financingRefinancing of commercial debtDown Payment AssistanceVeteran business supportBridge lending (504 Velocity)
Who They Fund
local communities (municipalities/neighborhoods)small and micro businessesjob seekers and incumbent workers
Funding Style
About Florida Business Development
Florida Business Development Corp has been funding Florida small-business financing since 1989 through SBA 504 lending and related programs. Its recent grants show a strong economic-development pattern centered on Tampa and other Florida cities, with repeated support for intermediaries and development organizations that serve local businesses. In 2025, the foundation made multiple $62,500 grants, including to Tampa Bay Wave Inc, the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund Inc, and the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Foundation Inc, all tied to economic development. Earlier awards reached $100,000 apiece for Tampa Bay Innovation Hub Inc, The Center for Technology Enterprise & Development Inc, and the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Foundation Inc, indicating sustained support for organizations working with entrepreneurs and growing firms. The foundation also uses program-related investments and active lending programs, so its grantmaking sits alongside financing tools rather than operating as a standalone philanthropy. That mix aligns with its stated role in providing fixed-rate financing, bridge lending, refinancing options, and other capital access programs for Florida businesses.
What Florida Business Development Funds
Economic development is the clearest thread in the recent grants. Florida Business Development Corp gave $100,000 in 2024 to the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Foundation Inc for economic development, and it also supported the Tampa Bay Innovation Hub Inc with $100,000 in both 2023 and 2024. Entrepreneurship and business-support organizations appear repeatedly as well: the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund of Florida Inc received $100,000 in 2024, while Hispanic Business Initiative Fund Inc received $62,500 in 2025. Workforce-adjacent and education-linked support shows up in grants to Rollins College for $62,500 and State College of Florida Foundation for $62,500, both in 2025. The foundation also backed Tampa Bay Wave Inc with grants in 2025 and in both 2023 and 2024, showing a continuing relationship with local business-development intermediaries.
How Florida Business Development Gives
Typical grants cluster tightly around the middle of the distribution: p25 is $62,500, median is $62,500, and p75 is $100,000. The recent grant list also shows repeat recipients across multiple years, including The Center for Technology Enterprise & Development Inc, Tampa Bay Innovation Hub Inc, Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Foundation Inc, Soaring City P Inc, and Tampa Bay Wave Inc. That pattern suggests continuing support rather than one-off awards. The foundation’s structure combines grantmaking with program-related investments and active lending programs, including SBA 504 and bridge-financing products. Unsolicited applications are accepted for the active programs listed.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$535K
Total Assets
$40M
Total Revenue
$15.8M
Total Expenses
$13.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $63K and $100K, with a median of $63K.
25th Percentile
$63K
Median
$63K
75th Percentile
$100K
Geographic Reach
Local4 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
WILLIAM R HABERMEYER
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