The Oregon Coast Community College Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has been named the 2026 Region X Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Center by the U.S. Small Business Administration, a regional honor recognizing exceptional performance and impact in service to small businesses and entrepreneurs.

The award places the Oregon Coast SBDC among the top-performing centers in SBA Region X, which includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska.

The recognition reflects a standout year of service and measurable impact for the Oregon Coast SBDC. According to the Center’s 2025 annual impact report, the SBDC served 287 advising clients, including 105 long-term advising clients, supported 16 new business starts, helped generate 24 jobs, and assisted local businesses with $434,465 in capital infusion across 17 capital transactions. The Center also delivered 32 trainings attended by 218 participants. 

The Oregon Coast SBDC also continued to grow its robust Small Business Management (SBM) Program. For three decades, the SBM program has helped Lincoln County entrepreneurs achieve new levels of success in their businesses. In recent years, the Center has greatly expanded the longstanding program, adding industry-specific cohorts like the Restaurant SBM and Retail SBM programs.

“This recognition reflects the extraordinary work of our SBDC team and the determination of the entrepreneurs and small business owners we are privileged to serve,” said Gregory Price, Director of the Oregon Coast SBDC. “On the Oregon’s Central Coast, small businesses are essential to community vitality, and it is an honor to help people turn ideas into livelihoods and strengthen businesses that already serve our communities so well.”

“Small businesses are essential to the health of our coastal communities,” said Kelliane Parker, Assistant Director of the Oregon Coast SBDC. “We are fortunate to have strong support from Oregon Coast Community College, local partners, and public leaders who understand the importance of entrepreneurship and small business on Oregon's Central Coast. We’re proud to serve small business owners here on the coast, and proud that this work is being recognized across Region X.”

Housed at Oregon Coast Community College, the Oregon Coast SBDC plays an important role in regional economic and workforce development by helping aspiring and established business owners access advising, training, and practical tools for growth and resilience. In addition to offerings like the Small Business Management program, the Center offers a variety of workshops geared towards business owners, along with its key service: no-cost, confidential business advising – available to any business owner in Lincoln County, as

well as anyone just considering starting business here someday.

“We are proud to see the work of our SBDC recognized at this level,” said OCCC President Dr. Marshall Mease Roache. “Small businesses are central to the economic and social fabric of Lincoln County, and this award reflects the care, expertise, and consistency our SBDC team brings to supporting local entrepreneurs.” The Center’s 2025 impact data also highlights the breadth of its service across the county, including women-owned businesses. The report notes that 59% of clients in 2025 were women-owned businesses or women

entrepreneurs. 

As part of the Oregon SBDC Network, the Oregon Coast SBDC helps advance a statewide mission of building Oregon’s best businesses through expert advising, training, and strong community partnerships. To learn more about the Oregon Coast SBDC, click on the center at oregonsbdc.org.