Pinellas County Economic Development

08/28/2026

Support a business - vote today!

Koozie Group has advanced to the Top 8 in Florida Chamber of Commerce's Coolest Thing Made in Florida and needs your help to make it through to the next round. Visit https://coolestthingmadeinflorida.com to place your vote!

08/28/2026

We've got a great line-up of virtual workshops coming your way in September - all at no cost to you! Join us and learn new ways to help grow your business.

Register today at PCED.ORG/workshops

08/26/2026

Verizon Small Business Digital Ready $10,000 national grant...

Verizon, in partnership with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), will award $10,000 grants throughout the year. Complete any two eligible courses or events to unlock your application. Submit it anytime in 2026 and remain eligible all year.

10 small businesses will be selected for grants each month. If you are not selected in a given month, your application will remain eligible for future selections. Learn more:

Discover and apply for small business grants. Learn eligibility requirements, check application deadlines, and secure funding for your growth.

08/25/2026

CareerSource Tampa Bay (CSTB) and St. Petersburg College (SPC) are expanding their partnership to connect more Tampa Bay residents with affordable education, workforce training, and financial assistance for in-demand careers.

Through this partnership, eligible Hillsborough and Pinellas County residents can explore training opportunities in fields such as health care, advanced manufacturing, information technology, public safety, skilled trades and more while receiving guidance on available funding and career pathways.

Together, we're helping residents gain the skills and support they need to build stable, rewarding careers while strengthening Tampa Bay's workforce.

Read More: https://stpetecatalyst.com/zaps/spc-expands-partnership-with-careersource-tampa-bay/

08/24/2026

Pinellas County's parks and reserves contribute greatly to our incomparable quality of life - just one amazing feature of our !

08/21/2026

Ready to take your business to the next level? Join us Aug. 25 to learn how! We've got two virtual workshops lined up to help you make the most of your great ideas:

~ U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Resources, 10am
~ Writing Winning Proposals, 12pm

Register today! PCED.ORG/workshops

08/20/2026

Impacted by Hurricane Helene or Milton? Funding is still available, but the deadline is approaching.

Eligible Hillsborough and Pinellas County residents may receive up to $5,000 in tuition assistance through the Disaster Worker Grant for training opportunities and career services.

To qualify, individuals must have been unemployed for at least six of the past 13 weeks and complete the required enrollment steps in time to begin an eligible training program before September 30, 2026.

How to Get Started:
1. Register with Employ Florida
2. Attend an Intake Session
3. Bring Required Documentation

We have weekly intake sessions available at 3 of our career centers:

• Tampa Center: Mondays at 10 a.m.
9215 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, FL 33612

• Gulf to Bay Center: Tuesdays at 10 a.m.
2312 Gulf to Bay Blvd., Clearwater, FL 33765

• St. Petersburg Center: Thursdays at 12 p.m.
3420 8th Ave. S., St. Petersburg, FL 33711

Intake sessions are available through September 23, 2026, so don’t wait to get started.

🔗 Learn more about eligibility and required documentation at CareerSourceTampaBay.com/DisasterWorkerGrant

08/20/2026

Congratulations to everyone honored at the Florida SBDC Network Small Business Success Summit, and especially to our team's Kurt Forster and Debra Schweikowsky, who were recognized with Lifetime Achievement Awards in New Business Starts and Capital Access! We are proud partners with the Florida SBDC at USF and are delighted to see our experts recognized for their incredible work supporting business growth in .

08/19/2026

Strengthening academia-industry partnerships and cultivating local talent are key to building a thriving economy.

Dean Maratea, Economic Development Manager from our team, is at Embarc Collective this morning for their Q3 Builder Series featuring University of South Florida President & CEO Moez Limayem, moderated by former USF President Rhea Law.

How can we help you grow your business or connect with education and talent workforce providers? Reach out to our team today at [email protected] or call us at 727.464.7332.

08/17/2026

The Florida SBDC Network is excited to host the fifth annual Small Business Success Summit, August 17-18, 2026 in Charlotte Harbor at the Sunseeker Resort! The purpose of this annual event is to provide small businesses with resources needed to reach new limits and to encourage success and growth. The summit will feature keynote speakers, breakout sessions and networking opportunities that allow small businesses to walk away with strategies and connections to help further their business.