The Women's Business Development Center (WBDC) is recognized nationally as a leader in small business development. The WBDC provides programs and services to support and accelerate small business ownership, create jobs, fuel economic growth, and build strong communities. A major differentiator for the WBDC is that it is a one stop shop for business development. The WBDC hosts a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) with offices in Downtown Chicago, the Chicago Southland, and Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, a Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), and two Women's Business Centers (WBC) (one in Chicago and one in Aurora, Illinois).
The WBDC has the added distinction of running a Direct Lending Program as well as InventIllinois (SBA’s Federal and State Technology program) to support diverse entrepreneurs in obtaining Federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants. Services are provided in English and Spanish. The WBDC operates several cohort-based programs, including Plan for Profit for startups and the ScaleUp program, which assists high-potential entrepreneurs and growth-oriented small businesses with revenues between $50,000 and $300,000. The WBDC is also a Regional Partner Organization for the Women's Business Enterprise National Council, certifying Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) in nine states for companies wishing to sell to major corporations and governments. Thus, the WBDC delivers a full range of business services for every stage of the business life cycle.