Small Business Development Center offers financial literacy education

MILTON — April is National Financial Literacy Month and the Florida Small Business Development Center, headquartered in Pensacola with an office at the University of West Florida, will offer upcoming financial workshops. These workshops will provide education and training to help both existing and aspiring businesses understand and manage their finances.

In February, UWF received a $1.5 million donation from Consumer Credit Counseling Service of West Florida, Inc. and plans to use the funds to establish the Center for Financial Literacy within the College of Business.

The new center will build on the mission of the SBDC and provide counseling services and educational seminars to students and the public, with the intent of strengthening and disseminating financial literacy for residents throughout the region.

University officials said in a news release that educational content will cover topics including financial skills and knowledge, prudent use of consumer credit, debt management, credit counseling, money management, business ethics, mortgage counseling, retirement planning and income taxes.

The SBDC offers workshops throughout the state, but there are some in the local area including:

• Starting a Business: 12-4 p.m. May 2 at the Santa Rosa County Economic Development Office; $50 fee.
• Record Keeping in Small Business: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. May 8 at the SBDC at the UWF, Building 8; $100 fee.
• How to do Business with Santa Rosa County Purchasing: 9-11:30 a.m. May 9 at the Santa Rosa County Economic Development Office; no fee.
• How to do Business with Gulf Power Company: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. May 23 at the SBDC at the UWF, Building 8; no fee.

To sign up for these courses, visit floridasbdc.org/get-training/#workshops.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Small Business Development Center offers financial literacy education