Business Resources

The City’s Economic Development Department is tasked with identifying, cultivating and attracting targeted and emerging industries. The department partners with state and federal organizations to help businesses get the most updated information and resources to help them succeed.

The process of starting a small business has been broken down into ten basic steps in the Starting your Business in Deerfield Beach Handbook below. It is advisable to seek the guidance of a mentor, professional tax consultant, accountant and/or attorney to help verify that all legal requirements are met before opening a business.

Other resources such as Business Incentives and Employer Services can also be found on this page.

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Business Startup & Permitting

Deerfield Beach participates in the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance Platinum Permitting Program, created to promote a permit-friendly process to encourage the growth and expansion of select industries in the County. As a Platinum Permitting partner, the City adopted a streamlined permitting ordinance, providing a transparent online tracking system, and designating a staff representative as concierge for a qualifying business going through the permitting process.

The following department and organizations will provide information with the startup, permitting, and growth of your business:

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Business Incentives


Grants

Verizon Wireless - Small Business Digital Ready: 
Business owners that sign up for the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready online community will be eligible to apply for a $10,000 grant. Grant application is open until December 20, 2023.

Feed the Soul's Restaurant Business Development Grant: 
Black and Latino-owned restaurants and related businesses can apply for a financial stipend of $10,000 and free financial education, consulting and marketing assistance through the grant program. Applications open until January 31, 2024. 

Hello Alice "American Dream" grants: 
The small business funding and information platform has set up a new grant program at www.elevatetheamericandream.com, where visitors can nominate a small business (or their small business), making it eligible for $1,000 grants. 

National Science Foundation - America's Seed Fund Program: 
The America's Seed Fund program is open to early stage companies that need to improve their technology and find their market potential. The grant program gives out roughly $200 million per year to eligible businesses.

City Incentives

HireDFB: 
Designed to encourage the hiring and retention of Deerfield Beach residents to new jobs in the City and to help offset onboarding costs. Eligible applicants may receive an award based in increments of $500 per eligible employee for a maximum of 50 awards per business. 

Request the complete guidelines and eligibility requirements by emailing ed@dfb.city

Business Growth Training

The City has partnered with SCORE Broward to offer Free Business Workshops. The goal is to make the workshop series accessible to anyone who may be interested in learning, collaborating with community members, and/or growing their entrepreneurial skills. 

Visit the Business Outreach section to learn about upcoming sessions.

Workforce Training Incentives 

Quick Response Training (QRT):
An employer-driven training program designed to assist new value-added businesses and provide existing Florida businesses with the necessary training for expansion. The company may use in-house training, outside vendor training programs, or the local educational entity to provide training. Reimbursable training expenses include instructors’ and trainers’ wages, curriculum development, and textbooks/manuals. This program is customized, flexible, and responsive to individual company needs.

Incumbent Worker Training Program (IWT):
Incumbent Worker Training is a program that provides training to currently employed workers to keep Florida’s workforce competitive and to retain existing businesses. The program is available to all Florida businesses that have been in operation for at least one year prior to application and require skills upgrade training for existing employees.

Florida Power & Light Rate Incentives 

Economic Development Rider (EDR):
Designed to help attract new investment to the Sunshine State and create more jobs for Floridians. Eligible companies receive discounts on new electric demand for up to five years. 

Commercial Industrial Service Rider (CISR):
This rate was designed to attract new, large power users to the state as part of a competitive site location project.

Sales and Use Tax Exemptions 

The State of Florida has numerous sales tax exemptions for businesses in different industries for different uses: 

  • Aviation
  • Electricity and Steam 
  • Machinery and Equipment 
  • Semiconductor, Defense and Space Technology 
  • Space Industry 

For more information contact the Florida Department of Revenue at 850-488-6387 or visit the Florida Department of Revenue's website.

Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) 

PACE is a long-term, fixed-rate source of financing that allows property owners to do energy conservation and hurricane hardening improvements to their property. Property owners can use PACE financing to cover 100% of the costs involved in installing eligible projects, including all related equipment, materials, and labor. Eligible improvements include energy efficiency, water conservation, renewable energy generation, and resiliency upgrades. A few examples include air conditioners, roofs, windows/doors, water heaters, solar panels, pool heaters, hurricane shutters, and generators. 

C-PACE financing is provided through private capital, which is repaid through a voluntary non-ad Valorem assessment on the property owner’s annual tax bill. Learn more about the C-PACE program.

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Employer Services

The following organization provides resources to include free job postings and referrals; employee recruitment; applicant pre-screening; on-site interviewing facilities; a pool of qualified, professional-level candidates, and much more.