Lake Land College Teams Up with SBDC at Effingham Technology Center

Effingham, IL – In a significant move to boost local entrepreneurship, Lake Land College announced a new partnership with the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Eastern Illinois University during its May board meeting. The agreement will allow the SBDC to operate out of the newly established Effingham Technology Center.

The SBDC offers free, in-person advising and affordable training aimed at supporting start-ups and small businesses in areas such as planning, funding, and marketing. Funded by the state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and the federal Small Business Administration (SBA), the SBDC serves eight counties in Illinois and plays a critical role in supporting approximately one million business owners across the nation each year.

“We pursued an SBDC and this newer satellite center for Effingham County to support business and economic development of the region,” said Austin Cheney, Dean of the Lumpkin College of Business & Technology at EIU. He expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, highlighting the importance of the newly renovated Effingham Technology Center.

The Effingham Technology Center, a 100,000-square-foot facility acquired by Lake Land College in 2023, aims to expand educational programs and partnerships with local organizations. Under the new partnership, Lake Land will lease space to the SBDC at no cost.

“One of the priorities outlined in our strategic plan is to leverage partnerships just like this to support the local workforce,” said Lake Land College President Josh Bullock. He noted the potential for collaboration with organizations like the SBDC to enhance community strength.

The SBDC will be one of three organizations operating out of the Effingham Technology Center, alongside Patterson Companies and the Creating Opportunities for Regional Employment (CORE) Academy.

For further details about the Small Business Development Center, visit EIU.edu/SBDC.