Economic Development Programs
Progressive programs for corporations, entrepreneurs, and small business
Quarterly Venture Capital Roundtable: Union City’s investor roundtable was created for those strapped cast businesses and businesses ready to launch to the next level for the technology start-up, sustainable product business, or alternative energy industry. This unique program offers businesses the opportunity to present their ideas, products, and services to the angle investment and venture capital community. This program is designed to provide these businesses the opportunity to raise funding from $250,000 up to $5,000,000.
Small Business Seminars: Through Union City’s SBS program helps businesses and industries of all sizes increase sales, obtain funding, attract investments, and retain and create jobs. We sponsor seminars that provide skills in the following areas: accounting/finance, international business, general management, purchasing/procurement, human resource management, business succession, e-commerce, and technology management and implementation.
Employer Breakfast Meetings: Union City’s employer breakfast meetings provide information and training in employer mediation, managing diversity, harassment prevention and correction, employment law, no cost recruiting and subsidized employee wages.
Business Site Visits: A healthy local economy and an improved business climate are the goals of the Union City’s visitation program. The program promotes job growth by identifying the concerns and barriers to growth facing local businesses and facilitating solutions. This approach focuses on existing businesses. Research shows that eighty percent of all new jobs are created by existing companies rather than by attracting new businesses to communities. Furthermore, business attraction efforts are less likely to be successful if existing businesses are not happy with the local business and regulatory climate. Union City successfully conducted 59 site visits in 2006 and continues to schedule business site visits as a primary function of our economic development department.
Women and Minority Owned Business Roundtable: Union City values a successful business environment for women and minority owned businesses. This roundtable meeting will provide many business opportunities. The action packed agenda will include certification preparation and facilitation, workshops, marketing opportunities, and special events, such as match making sessions with corporate supplier diversity and procurement professionals from all over the Bay Area. Access to corporate America has just been streamlined.
The Federal Technology Center: The FTC promotes economic development in California by helping small businesses successfully compete for federal, state, and local government contracts through free Courses and Seminars, free one-on-one counseling that provides individualized business plans, identifying marketing opportunities, preparing and submitting RFP’s for government contracts and certifications, researching regulations, pursuing subcontracting opportunities and much more.
AC Hire Program: AC Hire is a subsidized employment program designed to stimulate the local economy by providing a significant subsidy to employers who hire eligible low income Alameda County residents. Participating employers will receive reimbursement of 80% of the eligible employee’s wage and reimbursement of 80% of the employers’ costs for Social Security and Medicare. This unique opportunity is made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. It is scheduled to end on September 30, 2010.
Heavy Industry Energy Efficiency Program: The Heavy Industry Efficiency Program is managed and facilitated by Lockheed Martin Systems Incorporated, and is funded by California utility ratepayers, under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. The program objective is to identify and facilitate the implementation of major process-oriented and other energy-efficiency upgrades for PG&E’s heavy industry businesses. Businesses that install energy efficient systems receive reimbursements (80%) on equipment purchases and incentive based on the annual kHw or therm saving achieved.
Small Business Forum: This forum reaches out to the small business community by providing small businesses with valuable tools and resources. Information disseminated included establishing a business development plan, understand niche opportunities to increase revenue streams, proactive planning and to achieve growth goals, understand e-commerce techniques to reach a global audience, and build banking relationships.
Investor Roundtable and Events: This forum allows entrepreneurs to present to investors in a new innovative format that allows start-up companies to pitch their business products and services for funding. Union City provides quarterly networking events for entrepreneurs and investors, giving each an opportunity to talk about their particular interests, target markets, scientific breakthroughs, and emerging technologies.
Industrial Roundtable: The monthly roundtable brings the local government and business community together to address and discuss issues, challenges and steps to resolution in the areas of fire safety, crime prevention, code enforcement and regulation information, building and land availability, along with other resources. This monthly roundtable meets the 4th Tuesday of each month and is co-facilitated by the Chief of Police, the Fire Chief, and the Economic Development Coordinator.
Technology and Science Symposium: The annual symposium brings together the technology and life sciences industries, business leaders, investors, and elected officials to learn important trends in Northern California. Past topics have included bioscience development, future workforce challenges, and public policy issues.
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