The last 50 years of the 20^th Century marked a great flattening of American communities. The diversity of small businesses gave way to national chains and big companies. While the attraction of large businesses and corporations made Salt Lake City one of the most important cities in the Intermountain West, local, small businesses were often neglected.

Realizing the importance of local business, especially the longevity of dollars retained in the community, the 21st Century has seen a resurgence of support from local government to local, small businesses. In this way, Salt Lake City is seeking a balance to economic development by simultaneously attracting important national companies, while promoting the growth of local business.

Mission

The mission of the Center for Local Business is quite simple: support sustainable economic development in Salt Lake City’s small-business community.

We do this by realigning the focus of economic development to a local scale, concentrating on building community partnerships, connecting businesses to resources, and encouraging the growth of local capitals (such as social, human, environmental, and physical capitals, in addition to financial capital).

This innovative strategy has made the Center for Local Business an approachable partner and has additionally created an atmosphere of participation and collaboration for community stakeholders. This has resulted in many great successes, not only for the Center for Local Business, but for the small business community in Salt Lake City.

The focus on incentivizing local growth where money spent here, stays here, makes Salt Lake City the most attractive place for local business in Utah. In fact, Salt Lake City earned an “A” in a survey of cities and states of small business friendliness from the Kauffman Foundation.

451 So. State Street, Rm. 404 | Salt Lake City, Utah 84114 | Tel. (801) 535-7273 | ed@slcgov.com | Hours: M-F 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM