About Us
Get help to start, manage, and grow your small business in North Dakota.
You have great ideas. Our job is to use our expertise to help make your small business successful. North Dakota Small Business Development Centers (ND SBDC) business advisors have years of experience and know how to help North Dakotans to start, manage, and grow their business. Your success is our goal!
The ND SBDC network of credentialed business advisors empower North Dakota small businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive. We accelerate business growth in communities across North Dakota by providing customized guidance and resources that help owners and entrepreneurs achieve their goals at every stage of their business life cycle. For over 35 years, our network has supported small business owners and entrepreneurs across the state. When small businesses thrive, communities thrive, North Dakota thrives.
Fully Accredited
ND SBDC is a fully accredited member of the national Association of Small Business Development Centers, a mandatory national standard for all federal SBDC networks. Our national accreditation recognizes and affirms our high-quality small business assistance and is based on the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology of the United States Department of Commerce.
The national accreditation program sets federal SBDC networks apart from other providers of small business assistance and helps to ensure the ongoing quality of our small business services and a process of continuous improvement for service delivery to clients, referral sources and other program stakeholders.
Funding Partners
The SBDC program is a resource partners of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). This federal agency, created in 1953, stimulates and fosters small business development through small business loan and procurement programs, advocacy, and business advising and training. The ND SBDC receives federal funding from SBA with matching funds coming from the Bank of North Dakota, along with local-match partners that include UND, sub-center program hosts, lenders, cities, counties, and economic development programs. A full list of contributing entities can be found in our annual report.
Monthly Newsletter
Our monthly newsletter is meant to keep you informed on small business topics including: webinars/local events for small businesses, new ND programsand opportunities, advisor tips and information, and it features an local small business.
Stakeholder Blog
Our monthly stakeholder blog is meant to keep you informed on the state of small businesses in North Dakota and share how the ND SBDC is working to provide you assistance.
Read or subscribe to our stakeholder newsletter
ND SBDC Staff
Photo | Name & Title | SBDC Location Center | |
---|---|---|---|
Tyler Demars Bismarck Center Director |
Bismarck |
photo courtesy of Jacy Jo Photography |
|
Vacant
|
Bowman | ||
Ashley Louw Business Advisor |
Devils Lake | ashleynpc@gondtc.com | |
Matt Ellerkamp Business Advisor |
Dickinson | matt@ndsbdc.org | |
Paul Smith Fargo & Southeast Center Director |
Fargo & Southeast Region | paul@ndsbdc.org | |
Chris Erwin Business Advisor |
Fargo & Southeast Region | chris@ndsbdc.org | |
Nicole Evans Grand Forks Center Director |
Grand Forks | nicole@ndsbdc.org | |
Alan Gohary |
Minot | alan.gohary@und.edu | |
Keith Olson Williston Center Director |
Williston | williston@ndsbdc.org | |
Cyrena Weeks Business Advisor |
Williston | cyrenaw@ci.williston.nd.us | |
KayCee Lindsey Business Advisor |
Williston - Crosby Satellite Office | dcjda@nd.gov | |
Tiffany Ford State Director |
Lead Center | tiffany.ford@ndsbdc.org | |
Marnie Schuschke Associate State Director |
Lead Center | marnie.schuschke@und.edu | |
Mary Beth Votava Assistant State Director of Programs & Development |
Minot | marybeth@ndsbdc.org | |
Danielle Jones Communications Manager |
Lead Center | danielle.jones.1@und.edu |
The Center for Business Engagement and Development, our department within the Nistler College of Business and Public Administration, also hosts two additional national business assistance and resource programs. Each of the three programs has its own unique mission and set of services, however they routinely work together to help businesses start and thrive.
ND APEX and VBOC of the Dakotas Staff
Photo | Name & Title | Program Location | Column Title 3 |
---|---|---|---|
Dave Kleppe |
ND APEX Accelerator |
david.kleppe@und.edu | |
Cadi Zerr |
ND APEX Accelerator |
cadi.zerr@und.edu | |
Wendi Anderson
|
ND APEX Accelerator |
wendi.anderson@und.edu | |
Michael Danielson
|
VBOC of the Dakotas |
michael.s.danielson@und.edu | |
Doug Sanzone |
VBOC of the Dakotas |
douglas.sanzone@und.edu |