Public events scheduled in all three counties to discuss Delaware’s economy, economic development

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney and the Delaware Prosperity Partnership (DPP) announced community conversations on economic development efforts scheduled in all three counties. Governor Carney, co-chair of the DPP, will join DPP President, W. Kurt Foreman, as well as DPP staff and board members, to provide an update on the public-private partnership that leads economic development for the state.

The Delaware Prosperity Partnership is responsible for attracting, growing and retaining businesses; building a stronger entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem; and supporting private employers in identifying, recruiting and developing talent in the state of Delaware. The state jointly funds the partnership’s operations with private business.

Governor Carney worked closely with members of the General Assembly to approve the concept and funding for the public-private entity. In August 2017, Governor Carney signed House Bill 226, creating the Delaware Prosperity Partnership and the Division of Small Business within the Delaware Department of State.

Governor Carney signed Executive Order #1 on his first full day in office to create the Economic Development Working Group to explore a new economic development strategy. Governor Carney’s economic development plan was built on recommendations from the Economic Development Working Group. Strategically partnering with the private sector on economic growth was a key recommendation of the Governor’s Action Plan for Delaware.

DPP Community Conversations on Economic Development

Each event is open to members of the public and press.

Tuesday, February 19 – GEORGETOWN

Wednesday, March 20 – DOVER

Tuesday, April 2 – WILMINGTON

DOVER – For the fourth year in a row, the Delaware Department of State has received a State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) award from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA.) This year’s award totals $268,096 and will be used to support the state’s efforts to assist small Delaware companies in entering and developing markets overseas.

The program’s objectives are to increase the number of U.S. small businesses that export and to increase the value of exports from small businesses. The STEP Grant program makes matching-fund awards to states to assist small businesses in the international marketplace. Delaware will match the SBA grant with $89,365, bringing the total available for export efforts to $357,461.

As with previous STEP grants, a significant portion of the grant will be used to directly reimburse small- and medium-sized companies for eligible, pre-approved export expenses such as international travel, trade show activities, international marketing materials and overseas interpreters.

Companies that have participated in the program in previous years report $16 million in new export sales, and project over $109 million in additional export sales in the next two years.

“The STEP Grant funds from the SBA make our strategic export program possible. It’s proven to be a tremendous asset to our small businesses and a significant new source of growth for Delaware’s economy,” said Delaware Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock.

Export Delaware, the state’s official export resource for small businesses, will use the grant to finance export-related marketing activities. Delaware small businesses that are interested in applying may learn more about the program at export.delaware.gov.

This year, Export Delaware is offering business trips to Colombia, Ireland and the UK, Australia, Southeast Asia and South Korea. These trade missions are designed specifically for Delaware small businesspersons, and provide the opportunity for them to meet one-on-one with potential customers and distributors overseas.

Delaware’s international trade representatives work with Export Delaware to organize meetings with targeted customers. Delaware’s trade reps have wide networks in their countries, enabling them to secure meetings with high-level decision makers. Often, the trade reps accompany Delaware businesses in their meetings to help facilitate discussion and overcome any cultural barriers.

The STEP Grant covers professional fees for trade reps, translation costs for presentations (if needed) and in-country transportation and interpreters. In addition, Delaware businesses may apply for STEP Grant funds to cover a portion of their travel costs.

“We are excited to continue to build upon our past success and continue to support Delaware’s small businesses as they grow through exporting,” said Beth Pomper, director of Export Delaware.

To date, 50 companies have participated in export events offered by Export Delaware, 40% of which were minority- or women-owned business.

To learn more about the STEP Grant and how to apply, visit export.delaware.gov or contact Beth Pomper at beth.pomper@delaware.gov.

WILMINGTON – You can now see Delaware like never before with a breathtaking virtual tour of the state’s endless discoveries.

At Nemours Estate Monday, as part of National Travel and Tourism Week (May 6-12), Governor John Carney, Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock and Delaware Tourism Director Liz Keller showcased the experience that takes visitors on a sweeping, 360-degree journey of Delaware.

The virtual reality tour includes the experience of canoeing through Trap Pond State Park, strolling the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk and walking the lavish grounds of Nemours Estate.

The tour is another exciting tool for the Delaware Tourism Office to introduce Delaware to potential out-of-state visitors. It is available to view at VisitDelaware.com to spark travelers’ inspiration as they plan their trips.

“With the launch of this new virtual tour, the Delaware Tourism Office is embracing new technologies when marketing the state’s ‘Endless Discoveries’ at time when, as a state, we are working to grow innovation and the high-tech sector to move the economy forward,” said Gov. Carney.

“The tourism industry is vitally important to Delaware,” Sec. Bullock said. “The sector employs almost 43,000 people thanks in large part to the hard work and ingenuity of small business owners and entrepreneurs, who are a backbone of the state’s economy and who help make the visitor experience here so incredible.”

A record 9 million people visited Delaware in 2016, contributing a record $3.3 billion to the state’s economy, according to the latest Value of Tourism report.

“One of the most important ways the state tourism office works to drive out-of-state visitation to Delaware is by keeping on top of the changing landscape of technology,” Delaware Tourism Director Liz Keller said. “Staying at the forefront means adopting new technologies, listening to customers and engaging with them.”

Nemours Estate expects that being featured in the tourism office’s first-ever virtual tour will help continue the tremendous growth in visitation it has seen recently. The number of visitors grew to 25,000 in 2017, up from 15,000 in 2016.

“The virtual tour will introduce people, who may not yet be familiar with Nemours Estate, to the beauty of our mansion, gardens and grounds,” said John Rumm, executive director of Nemours Estate. “We’re confident that once people see us on a virtual tour they will want to visit us in person.”

Travelers stopping at the Delaware Welcome Center Travel Plaza on I-95 Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. have the chance to put on the headset for themselves to take the tour in celebration of National Travel and Tourism Week.

The Delaware Tourism Office, 99 Kings Highway in Dover, part of the Delaware Division of Small Business, promotes tourism and economic growth in Delaware. For more information, visit the official Delaware Tourism website at http://www.visitdelaware.com or call toll-free at (866) 284-7483.

Media Contact
Gary Haber
Communications Manager
Delaware Division of Small Business
Gary.Haber@delaware.gov
(302) 577-8471 (office)
(302) 222-7114 (cell phone)

DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney on Tuesday issued the following statement on the General Assembly’s final passage of the Angel Investor Job Creation and Innovation Act, which will establish a refundable tax credit for qualified investors in Delaware small businesses to spur job creation and innovation:

“We are focused on doing everything we can to support Delaware’s innovators and entrepreneurs who are leading Delaware’s new economy. I look forward to signing this legislation, which will encourage investments in innovative, Delaware-based small businesses, connect our most talented entrepreneurs with resources they need to be successful, and create new jobs. Thank you to Representative Ramone, Representative Short, Senator McBride, Senator Bushweller and all members of the General Assembly for their support on this important issue.”

Governor Carney called for passage of the Angel Investor Job Creation and Innovation Act in his 2018 State of the State Address.

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Related news:

Governor Carney and Legislators Announce Bill to Spur Investment in Innovative, Delaware-based Small Businesses

Dover is unlocking the potential of its historic downtown with a new marketing campaign highlighting opportunities for small business owners ready to take their business dreams to the next level.

State and local officials led by Gov. John Carney; Linda Parkowski, acting director of the Delaware Division of Small Business and Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen today unveiled the “Unlock the Block” campaign, an effort to fill vacant commercial spaces in downtown Dover.

The “Unlock the Block” initiative assists landlords in finding tenants for those desirable spaces and directs property owners to incentives available for redeveloping their properties.

The initiative focuses on commercial properties along Loockerman Street and adjacent streets.

Tenants will be selected through a pitch competition judged by local experts. Those selected for the program will receive a combination of incentives and assistance, including fee waivers, free business consulting services, technical assistance and cash incentives.

“Unlock the Block” could become a model other Delaware cities and towns use to reduce commercial vacancies in their downtowns, Gov. John Carney said.

“Delaware’s small cities and towns offer an exceptional quality of life and an authentic experience to those who live, work or shop there. They are one of the reasons tourists choose to come to Delaware,” Gov. Carney said. “Small business is a crucial part of Delaware’s economy.  Some 96 percent of businesses in the state have 50 employees or fewer, so an initiative like ‘Unlock the Block’ is key to keeping our downtowns filled with strong small businesses that make those downtowns the kind of place people want to live and visit.”

“Unlock the Block” is the result of a partnership among several organizations – the Downtown Dover Partnership, City of Dover, Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce, Kent Economic Partnership, First State Community Loan Fund, NCALL and the Division of Small Business (Downtown Delaware).

“’Unlock the Block’ is a prime example of a partnership between the Division of Small Business and nonprofits, local government and other stakeholders that helps create an environment across Delaware where businesses of all kinds and sizes can prosper, from the high-tech companies at the University of Delaware’s STAR campus to the destination shops and restaurants filling Delaware’s increasingly vibrant downtowns,” Parkowski said.

A centerpiece of the marketing campaign is a video produced by downtown Dover-based Big River Film Co. showcasing several businesses also in the downtown that already have found success.

Following the kick-off event, Gov. Carney and other officials visited the available commercial properties and toured several downtown businesses including House of Coffi, The Moving Experience real estate office, Petite Sweets, a bakery that makes cake pops, and The Loocke, a women’s apparel shop, whose owner also owns Bel Boutique, also in downtown Dover.

“Downtown Dover has a lot to offer anyone who is considering starting or expanding a business. From financial incentives to accessible government officials, we are a big enough to be a city but small enough to be a hometown.” Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen said. “Through the city of Dover, Kent County and state of Delaware, there are many incentives and grants available to help pave the way. With so many people living, working and playing in and around the downtown Dover area, it is a formula for success.”

To date, four commercial properties are participating in the “Unlock the Block” program, all of which are available for lease. “Unlock the Block” organizers continue to recruit other landlords to participate.

• 1 West Loockerman Street: This landmark building is located at the prominent corner of State and Loockerman streets. The 6,000 square-foot space (sub-dividable) includes a commercial kitchen and bar area.
• 155 S. Bradford Street: This newly renovated office space on the second floor above 33 West offers five flexible offices suites and a shared conference room.
• 204 Loockerman Street: The 1,200 square-foot space is on the ground floor of a four-story apartment building next to Bayard Pharmacy, at the corner of Loockerman and South Governors streets. It would be suitable for retail or office space.
• 147 S. Governors Avenue: This space was formerly occupied by a bakery so it would be ideal for use as a bakery or could be reconfigured for retail or office use.

Applications from prospective tenants will be accepted through July 9. The pitch competition will occur in late July/early August and the winners will be announced by Aug. 15.

To apply for the “Unlock the Block” initiative and information, including updates on properties, related events and project details, visit:  www.DowntownDoverPartnership.com