August 2022

The City of Miami Beach Economic Development Department is pleased to provide you with this monthly business newsletter that includes the latest information and resources available for our business community.

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Bold Business Balance

August is National Black Business Month. The annual celebration, created in 2004, by historian John William Templeton and engineer Frederick E. Jordan Sr., supports building awareness of Black-owned businesses operating across America.

National Black Business Month is a time when we focus on boosting Black-owned businesses in Miami Beach. We do this by providing a more welcoming and inclusive environment in which Black-owned businesses can grow, thrive and contribute meaningfully to the Miami Beach business community and with the residents and visitors they serve. Meet Bill Warren, owner of Benefits Design Resources where he is making bold moves.

Click here to read more.

MB NEWS

City of Miami Beach Special Election

The City of Miami Beach will hold a Special Election on August 23, 2022 for the purpose of presenting to City voters 6 ballot measures.

To read the ballot measures in English and Spanish, click here.

BUSINESS & WORKFORCE TRAINING

Miami Beach Business Academy

Upcoming Seminars

Growth Strategy and Analysis

August 25

Do you feel like you’ve reached a plateau in your business? Do you want to keep growing your business but don’t know if it’s sustainable? Learn strategies to help you grow your business effectively and sustainably step by step.

Miami-Dade Business Navigator Small Business Tax Considerations Webinar

Do You Dread Tax Preparation Time Every Year?

Whether you are filing your own taxes or rely on a CPA or accountant, it is important for small business owners to understand tax planning. Key decisions made during the year could make a big difference for your business come tax time. In addition, understanding the process could improve your consistency from year to year and help you maximize your time.

This webinar will take the fear out of your next tax preparation and give you guidance on this annual process.

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AVAILABLE

Looking for retail space? Consider this South Beach location at 1000 17 St or this corner space in the heart of Mid Beach at 3801 Collins Ave. If North Beach is on your list consider this location at 7305 Collins Ave.

To view other available properties, click here.

RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES

Miami Dade Economic Advocacy Trust

Launches 'Support BOB 305' part of Miami Dade County's Black Business Month Celebration in August

To celebrate Miami-Dade County’s declaration of August as Black Business Month, the Miami-Dade Economic Advocacy Trust is launching the ‘Support BOB 305’ campaign to “promote and propel the County’s multi-billion dollar Black-Owned Business community.”

In partnership with the Miami-Dade Black Affairs Advisory Board and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, MDEAT has created a month-long series of networking and educational events designed to promote the value and viability of Miami’s Black-Owned Businesses.

To see the full slate of Black Business Month events and register to participate, click here.

Apply for the Miami-Dade County BizUp Grant

Does your small business have a positive impact on Miami-Dade County? Apply online for the BizUp Grant, brought to you by County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and County Commissioner Jean Monestime. Submit a five-minute pre-recorded pitch for a chance to win up to $100,000 and 12 months of technical assistance, sponsored by StartUp FIU Local and Bank of America. Applications are accepted now through Aug. 28.

To read program requirements and to apply please visit here.

Wish Local Still Accepting Empowerment Program Grant Program Applications

Black-owned businesses can still apply for Wish Local’s Empowerment Program, which rewards selected applicants with grants ranging from $500 to $2,000 to help sustain and grow their small business.

To be eligible, small businesses must:

Be Black-owned (18+ years of age)
Have a brick-and-mortar store in the United States
Have 20 or fewer employees
Have an average annual revenue under $1 million
Join Wish Local, if selected for the program

Click here to apply.

LOCAL EVENTS

City of Miami Beach

Weekly Meetings

Stay up to date on all of our upcoming meetings. From Commission meetings to committee meetings, please click here for a full list with links to participate.

Miami Beach Convention Center

Catalyst 2022

August 24 - 25, 2022

Held in Miami Beach, Catalyst is the leading industry conference where partnerships, ecosystem, and business development teams come to make connections, learn from each other and accelerate growth.

The Catalyst schedule includes Partnership Leaders-hosted activities and a formal conference on Wednesday, August 24th and Thursday, August 25th. Additional partner summits, technology showcases, and networking opportunities will be sprinkled throughout the week.

To purchase tickets click here.

Bronner Brothers International Beauty Show

August 27 - 29, 2022

The world's largest professional trade show dedicated to multicultural beauty! The Bronner Bros. Beauty Show’s goal is to help inspire, educate and elevate cosmetology professionals, students, and the multicultural beauty industry. Register now for access to panels and workshops to help take your creativity and technical skills to the next level!

To purchase tickets click here.

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Miami Beach Emergency Small Business Expense Reimbursement Grant — Funding Still Available

Small businesses in Miami Beach are encouraged to apply for a $20,000 emergency grant to cover rent, mortgage, utilities, payroll and operating expenses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The grants are awarded on a first-come, first-qualified basis. Interested businesses may apply here.

Miami Beach Expedited Plan Review and Permitting Incentive Program

The City of Miami Beach is committed to diversifying the local economy by attracting and retaining companies in targeted industries like, financial services and technology.

As part of this effort, the city is also offering an Expedited Plan Review and Permitting Program to incentivize targeted relocations, including expansions and associated development for companies.

Click here to review full program guidelines.

Miami Beach Film & Production Incentive Program

Making movies and other film projects in Miami Beach has never been easier! A new incentive program brings new guidelines, and fewer restrictions.

To review program guidelines and apply, click here.

Miami Beach Job Creation Incentive Program

The City of Miami Beach is offering the Job Creation Incentive Program (JCIP), a performance-based incentive adopted by the City Commission. The program aims to strategically attract new financial service companies and technology firms while helping existing businesses expand in Miami Beach to increase the number of high-wage jobs.

Click here for more info and application details.

How to Apply for a Business Tax Receipt and a Certificate of Use

The choices you make affect your business operations, taxes, legal requirements, and revenue. View what you need to operate a business in Miami Beach here.

Plastic Free Miami Beach

PlasticFreeMB showcases businesses that have taken action to reduce plastics from their establishment and to help organizations learn and implement best practices in the area of environmental stewardship.

It takes more than 100 years for plastic to disintegrate. Learn why and how we're combating single-use plastic here.

Interested businesses can register here.

Pop-Up Venue Permit

Pop-up venues are temporary retail spaces that can be used to promote and sell products of all types, ranging from food and beverages, clothing or unique gifts. The concept has the potential for low overhead, low risk and is a great way to introduce yourself to the market, generate buzz, increase sales and extend the reach and exposure of your business. To apply for a City of Miami Beach Pop-Up Venue permit click here.

Miami Beach Vacant Storefront Cover Program

The City of Miami Beach relaunched the Vacant Storefront Cover Program in a continued effort to improve the appearance of vacant, street-level commercial buildings and support the lease-up of retail spaces throughout the city.

First unveiled in 2019, this initiative supports property owners, brokers, realtors and property managers by wrapping vacant storefront windows free of charge with one of five artistic designs preapproved by the city.

Click here to learn more about the program and how to get started. Interested brokers, realtors, property owners and managers should apply here and email the completed application to Mbbiz@miamibeachfl.gov.

PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Looking for Bid Opportunities?

If you would like to be notified of available competitive solicitations released by the City of Miami Beach, you must register your company through Periscope S2G, Supplier-to-Government by clicking here.

Registration is easy and will take only a few minutes. Refer to the guide for instructions on how to register and submit an electronic bid here.

Become A Registered City of Miami Beach Vendor

To read more and to register click here.

COVID-19 TESTING & VACCINATIONS

COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Site Near City Hall

Nomi Health continues to operate the testing and vaccination site located on the first floor of the Pennsylvania Garage (G9) at 17 Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. The site operates seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with no appointment necessary. Vaccines are administered until 5 p.m., while testing continues until 6 p.m.

The site is also administering the COVID-19 vaccine for ages 6 months+ and offering single booster doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to those eligible to receive them.

Nomi Health has opened an additional walk-up testing site at 8400 Collins Ave for ages 5 and up. This location also operates seven days a week from 8 a.m.to 6 p.m. with no appointment necessary. It offers both rapid and PCR tests.

Click here for more information.

Help The City of Miami Beach Stop the Spread of Monkeypox

Hurricane Preparedness for Small Businesses

A Business Emergency Response Team (BERT) training program can support and enhance your capabilities in an emergency situation. BERT volunteers can participate in efforts to increase the preparedness and resilience of the workplace and community. A BERT program equips employees with skills that enable them to perform basic disaster response operations in an emergency. Having trained volunteers on staff helps protect the health, safety, and lives of people at your workplace. Volunteers are trained using the FEMA Community Emergency Response Team basic Training curriculum.

Ready.gov provides excellent resources for developing preparedness plans. You can find these resources listed under “Ready Business."

Visit MBBIZ.com or contact the Economic Development team here for more information on resources, finding the perfect location(s) for your business expansion or sharing ideas for future topics.

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

Missed a prior edition? Check out previous newsletters and business spotlight stories here.