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NMC is again home to Small Business Development Center
To continue to strengthen its efforts in promoting economic development and in advancing entrepreneurial activities in the CNMI, the CNMI Small Business Development Center is now hosted at the Northern Marianas College.
The SBDC, led by SBDC director Nicole Babauta, aims to support the growth and economic development in the CNMI by providing high quality training and one-on-one confidential counseling to small businesses and to small business start-ups.
“We are happy to be once again hosting the SBDC at NMC,” said Frankie Eliptico, interim NMC president. “The SBDC was at the college many years ago and then it was hosted at the CNMI Department of Commerce, where it continued to grow. Now it is back home at its original home at NMC.”
Eliptico said that having the SBDC back at NMC will also help promote entrepreneurial initiatives at the college and among NMC students.
In the past three years, the SBDC was awarded Pacific Islands Small Business Development Center Network’s Center of the Year, Saipan Chamber Member of the Year, and a SBA five-year Reaccreditation.
Babauta was also recognized for her work at the SBDC. In 2019, she was awarded the National America’s SBDC State Star Award and in 2020 was named the Saipan Young Professional of the Year by the Saipan Chamber of Commerce.
Since 2017, the CNMI SBDC has been able to provide more than $6.3 million in capital infusion to businesses, and hosted 93 training events with more than 1,400 participants in total.
To access CNMI SBDC, visit NMC’s Building P on NMC’s As Terlaje campus or visit NMC’s campuses on Tinian and Rota for assistance. Or, email cnmisbdc@pacificsbdc.com or call 237-6888.
SBDC also offers free webinar trainings. A calendar with upcoming training dates can be found at www.pacificsbdc.com. (NMC)
