SCORE – Local SWFL Resources

12/28/2023

Links to federal, state, and local resources help you start or expand your business.

Federal

Federal Employer Identification Number – Necessary if the entity has employees and/or is a corporation or partnership and/or is a non-profit. 4210 Metro Parkway, Fort Myers, FL 33916, 239-938-7601 131, Phone: 305-536-5521

State

Registration, the State of Florida   For corporations, partnerships, or LLCs.  Office of the Secretary of State Corporate Information Department, PO Box 6327, Tallahassee, FL 32314, Corporations: Phone: 850-245-6052, LLC: 850-245-6051, Partnerships: 850-245-6051,

Florida Dept. of Business & Professional Regulations & Licensing, 1940 North Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399, Phone: 850-487-1395

Florida Department of Revenue, Consult for Corporate Income Tax, Sales and Use Tax, Florida Unemployment Tax, Tax on Out-of-State Purchases requirements.  2295 Victoria Avenue, Suite 270, Fort Myers, FL 33901, 239-338-2416

Florida New Hire Reporting Center, Once an employee, is hired, employers must report such if the employee resides and/or works in the State of Florida within 20 days of hire, whether full-time or part-time, rehires, and/or all returns-to-work.  PO Box 6500, Tallahassee, FL 32314, Phone: 888-854-4791

Florida Dept. of Financial Services. Division of Workers Compensation, For a construction business that has one or more full or part-time employees; for another business that has four or more full or part-time employees:   200 East Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399, Phone: 850-413-1609 or 800-742-2214

County

Lee County Tax Collector, 2480 Thompson Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901, Phone: 239-533-6000

Lee County Community Development, Certificate of Use, Permitting, Zoning, Lee County – Consult if the business is located other than in your home.  Municipalities also have such a requirement. 1500 Monroe Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901, Phone: 239-533-8585

Property Appraiser, Lee County Property Appraiser – Known as Tangible Personal Property Tax, all counties tax the personal property or business equipment of businesses.  2480 Thompson Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901, Phone: 239-533-6100

Cities

City of Bonita Springs, 9220 Bonita Beach Rd., Suite 111, Bonita Springs, FL 34135, Phone: 239-444-6150

City of Cape Coral,1015 Cultural Park Blvd., Cape Coral, FL 33990, Phone: 239-574-0401

City of Fort Myers, 2200 Second Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901, Phone: 239-321-7900

City of Sanibel, 800 Dunlap Road, Sanibel, FL 33957, Phone: 239-472-3700

Town of Fort Myers Beach, 2523 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931, Phone: 239-765-0202

Support Agencies

Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) @ Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Lutgert Hall, 2nd Floor, Fort Myers, FL 33965, Phone: 239-745-3700

Florida Women’s Business Center (FWBC), 401 W Atlantic Ave, Suite 9, Delray Beach, FL 33444, 561-265-3790 x111

Women’s Business Development Center – Florida, For certification of women-owned business status used to connect with companies desiring to do business with such certified enterprises, 13155 SW 134th Street, Suite 205, Miami, FL 33186, 305-971-9446

VBOC Veteran Business Outreach Center   Mission is to help create, develop, and retain veteran-owned small business enterprises.

Florida Association of Nonprofit Organizations (FANO) – Start-up and education services.  7480 Fairway Drive, Suite 205, Miami Lakes, FL 33014, Phone: 305-557-1764 or Facebook.com/FloridaNonprofits​

Southwest Florida Enterprise Center – A business incubator dedicated to assisting start-up and emerging businesses.  3903 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Suite #5, Fort Myers, FL 33916, Phone: 239-321-7086

Goodwillswfl.org/microenterprise/  Goodwill Enterprises of Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise Program

Careersourcesouthwestflorida.com/  CareerSource Southwest Florida

Chambers of Commerce (COC)/Associations

FLchamber.com/florida-2030/   Florida Chamber of Commerce

Greater Fort Myers COC, 2310 Edwards Drive. Fort Myers, FL 33901, Phone: 239-332-3624,

Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral, 2051 Cape Coral Parkway – East, Cape Coral, FL 33904, Phone: 239-549-6900

The Chamber of Southwest Florida, 5237 Summerlin Commons Blvd., Suite 114, Fort Myers, FL 33907, Phone: 239-275-2102,

Estero COC, 9351 Corkscrew Road, Estero, FL 33929, Phone: 239-948-7990

Fort Myers Beach COC, Key Estero Shops, 1661 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, FL 33931, 239-454-7500

SW Florida Hispanic COC, 1400 Colonial Blvd, #250, Fort Myers, FL 33907, Phone: 239-418-1441

Lee County COC, PO Box 60834, Fort Myers, FL 33906, Phone: 239-931-0931

North Fort Myers COC, 2787 North Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers, FL 33903, Phone: 239-997-9111

Sanibel and Captiva Islands COC, 1159 Causeway Road, Sanibel Island, FL 33957, Phone: 239-472-1080

Bonita Springs COC, 25071 Chamber of Commerce Drive, Bonita Springs, FL 34135, Phone: 239-992-2943