NH Small Business Development Center

What NH Small Business Development Center does

NH Small Business Development Center (NH SBDC) is a non-profit, publicly funded small business advisory organization founded in 1984 and headquartered in Durham, New Hampshire at the UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics. It operates as the New Hampshire affiliate of America's SBDC network under a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and is jointly funded by the State of New Hampshire's Department of Business and Economic Affairs. The organization delivers free, confidential one-on-one business advising via a team carrying more than 280 years of combined small business experience to entrepreneurs and existing businesses across more than 220 New Hampshire communities.

Its core service offering is individualized business advising, supported by a portfolio of specialized programs including the LeAF legal/accounting/financial consulting program (funded under the SSBCI Technical Assistance Grant Program), an annual Cybersecurity Summit and Cybersecurity Initiative, the NH Export Accelerator and Export Express, the NH Small Business Matchmaker for government contracting, a Business Sustainability Program in partnership with Eversource, Business Resiliency Academies, and Pitch, Polished. Education is delivered via no-cost eCourses (approximately 15 minutes each), live and recorded webinars, and an online Resource Center organized by business lifecycle stage (Think, Launch, Grow, Reinvent, Exit) and topic category.

NH SBDC operates a partnership-led, community-driven go-to-market motion, reaching clients through its lead center in Durham, regional offices (including Southern and North/Central New Hampshire), Zoom-based remote advising, content marketing via blog and newsletters, and social channels (Facebook, YouTube, Twitter). All advising is free to NH small businesses; the organization reports $267.9M in total annual economic impact on New Hampshire in 2025, serving 3,265 entrepreneurs, with $23.67M in new capital raised, 5,024 jobs supported, and $745M in client annual sales. The entity has no traditional equity ownership and is governed jointly through SBA, State of NH, UNH, and private sector partners, with Liz Gray serving as State Director.

Name

NH Small Business Development Center

Legal name

NH Small Business Development Center

Website

https://nhsbdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NH SBDC is a non-profit, publicly funded small business advisory organization founded in 1984 that delivers free one-on-one advising and education to entrepreneurs and SMBs across New Hampshire, funded by the U.S. SBA and the State of NH.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Business Development Services

NAICS

All Other Business Support Services (561499), Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (54121)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Planning & Analysis Support (Budgeting, Forecasting, Management Reporting) (BPAAAGAJ), Small Business & Self-Employment Personal Finance (Income, Expenses, Cash Reserves) (EDAAAJAL)

Keywords

• Small business advising
• Business education
• Entrepreneurship support
• Cybersecurity training
• Export assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal and State Funding: NH SBDC is funded through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and through assistance provided by the State of New Hampshire. The organization is an outreach program of UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics. All advising services are provided at no charge to small businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NH SBDC provides free, confidential, one-on-one business advising and educational programs to small businesses and entrepreneurs across New Hampshire. Core offerings include professional advising services, short-form eCourses, webinars, a categorized online Resource Center, and specialized programs such as LeAF (legal/accounting/financial consulting), the Cybersecurity Initiative, NH Export Accelerator, NH Small Business Matchmaker, and Business Sustainability Program.

Product overview

NH Small Business Development Center is the leading resource for business advising and education for small businesses in New Hampshire (the Granite State). The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of programs and services built around a core of professional one-on-one business advising (at no charge) and online education (eCourses and webinars). Key programs include the LeAF program for legal/accounting/financial consulting, the Cybersecurity Initiative featuring an annual Summit, the NH Export Accelerator and Export Express for international trade, the NH Small Business Matchmaker for government contracting, the Business Sustainability Program partnered with Eversource, Business Resiliency programming including the Resiliency Academy, and Pitch, Polished for entrepreneur training. The center also maintains a Resource Center organized by business lifecycle stage (Think, Launch, Grow, Reinvent, Exit) and business topic categories. In 2025, NH SBDC delivered $267.9M in total economic impact while serving 3,265 entrepreneurs across over 220 communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LeAF: Legal, Accounting, and Financial services program offering up to 5 total hours of free, one-on-one consulting with a Legal, Accounting, or Financial professional for eligible NH SBDC clients.
• Cybersecurity Initiative
• NH Export Accelerator
• NH Small Business Matchmaker
• Small Business, Big Solutions
• Business Sustainability Program
• Business Resiliency Program

Products and services

• Business Advising One-on-one confidential business advising delivered by professional advisors with over 280 years of combined experience, available at no charge to enterprises across New Hampshire.
• LeAF (Legal, Accounting, & Financial Services) Program offering eligible NH SBDC clients up to 5 total hours of free, one-on-one consulting with legal, accounting, or financial professionals.
• Cybersecurity Initiative Program educating NH small businesses on protecting their digital assets, including annual Cybersecurity Summit and no-cost cybersecurity reviews.
• 2025 Cybersecurity Summit Annual cybersecurity event featuring expert speakers covering threat briefings, security roadmaps, risk mitigation, privacy laws, cyber insurance, vendor management, and AI for business.
• NH Export Accelerator Program helping NH businesses expand into international markets through education and one-on-one advising on exporting.
• NH Small Business Matchmaker Program connecting NH small businesses with government procurement officials and prime contractors to open new business opportunities.
• Business Sustainability Program

Quantifiable outcome

• $267.9M total economic impact on NH in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• EversourcemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2019Two-year partnership where Eversource supports the SBDC's Business Sustainability Program, providing energy efficiency expertise, awareness of NHSaves programs, staff training, and connecting businesses to resources. Eversource is NH's largest electric utility serving over 500,000 homes and businesses.
• University of New Hampshire - Peter T. Paul College of Business and EconomicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNH SBDC is an outreach program of the UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics. The university provides institutional support and academic resources.
• NH Tech AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Cybersecurity Initiative, co-hosting the annual Cybersecurity Summit and providing technology expertise for small business cybersecurity education.
• Manchester Community CollegeminorOthersHost venue for the 2025 Cybersecurity Summit at 1066 Front St., Manchester, NH.
• NH Department of Business and Economic AffairsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with NH SBDC on Export Express program, a one-day training program for NH small businesses interested in accessing global markets.
• UNH Paul College - Center for Business Analytics and Voice Z DigitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Small Business, Big Solutions program assisting businesses with digital marketing and AI-driven technology solutions.
• University of New Hampshire Survey CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with NH SBDC to conduct the 2020 Business Resiliency Survey of 1,549 small businesses across NH.
• Grafton Regional Development Corporation (GRDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnected CCF Spray Foam & Insulation LLC clients to NH SBDC and partnered with a local bank to provide equipment financing for the startup.
• Bernstein ShurminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributed cybersecurity article series for NH SBDC blog, providing legal expertise on cybersecurity liabilities for small businesses.
• UNH Cooperative ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnering with SBDC to host regional Small Business Resiliency Academies with tracks for community economic development practitioners and small businesses.
• MetLifeminorOthersAdministers the NH Granite State Family Leave plan for the state's NH PFML (Paid Family and Medical Leave) program. SBDC provides education about this employee benefit to small businesses.
• Vocational Rehabilitation New Hampshire Business Engagement UnitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssists businesses in their efforts to hire, retain and promote individuals with disabilities, partnering with SBDC for business engagement.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• America's SBDC (National Association): National network and association of all US Small Business Development Centers. Directly comparable as the umbrella organization of which NH SBDC is an affiliate; sets standards, lobbying, and federal coordination for the SBDC system.

Direct peers

• SCORE: National SBA-affiliated nonprofit providing free mentoring, workshops, and education to small businesses. Closest functional peer to NH SBDC, also funded via SBA and offering no-cost advising, but relies on volunteer retired executives rather than staff advisors.
• Women's Business Centers (WBC) Program: SBA-funded network of centers providing business training and advising focused on women entrepreneurs. Comparable funding mechanism (SBA cooperative agreement) and free advising model; serves as a complementary resource alongside state SBDCs.
• SCORE New Hampshire: Local NH chapter of SCORE offering free mentoring and workshops in the same geography as NH SBDC. Most direct local competitor for free small-business advising attention in the state.

Regional players

• Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC): State SBDC serving Massachusetts, also part of the America's SBDC network and hosted by UMass. Most directly comparable peer in scale and structure to NH SBDC, but in a larger-state geography.
• Vermont Small Business Development Center (VT SBDC): State SBDC serving Vermont, also part of the America's SBDC network. Directly comparable mission, federal/state funding model, and university hosting arrangement to NH SBDC.
• Maine Small Business Development Centers (Maine SBDC): State SBDC serving Maine, also part of America's SBDC network. Comparable structure (state-funded, university-hosted, SBA cooperative agreement) and similar mix of advising, training, and capital access services.

Others

• New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA): State agency that co-funds NH SBDC and partners on programs like Export Express. A funder/partner rather than competitor, but deeply comparable in mission of supporting NH business growth and economic development.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): Federal parent/funder of the SBDC network. Not a competitor but the upstream entity whose funding and policy decisions directly shape NH SBDC's mandate, programs, and survival.

Emerging players

• Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE): Regional nonprofit providing business advising, training, and lending access for entrepreneurs, with NH/Northeast presence. Comparable advising and education services for underserved SMB segments; a partial-overlap peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nhsbdc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/nhsbdc
• Facebookfacebook.com/NHSmallBusinessDevelopmentCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nh-sbdc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NH Small Business Development Center