Accessibility Information

Economic Development

Business Support

Cape Coral Community and Government Business Support Networks
Take advantage of government and community resources in our business resource directory created to make your business startup, expansion or relocation successful.

Cape Coral Economic Development Office

business svcThe Cape Coral Economic Development Office (EDO) is staffed with economic strategists and business development professionals who focus on providing the business resources and information that you need for business development and growth. 

Our business resource center promotes Cape Coral as a preferred destination for business and tourism. The EDO offers access to important business resources and maintains data on demographics, communications and utilities infrastructure, transportation and workforce. In addition, the EDO creates and administers economic development incentives, including loans, fee deferrals and cash payments.

The EDO is focused on continuous improvement of the business climate in Cape Coral, with a vision that looks decades into the future. Our government and community resources support the growth of new and expanding businesses.

Cape Coral is the largest city in Southwest Florida, and, because of its size and strategic location, is destined to be the dominant marketplace in the region. Our goal is the creation of a balanced economy in an environment that supports expansion, diversification and job creation. 

Contact the Cape Coral Economic Development Office for access to business resources.

City of Cape Coral Economic Development Office
City Hall
1015 Cultural Park Blvd.
Cape Coral, FL 33990
(239) 574-0444      
ecodev@capecoral.net
www.bizcapecoral.com

Cape Coral Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)
The Community Redevelopment Agency is working cooperatively with property owners to revitalize downtown Cape Coral – the South Cape. Technical and financial assistance is available for exterior commercial building renovations and new construction projects. This assistance is available to business and commercial properties located within the Community Redevelopment Area. The programs are designed to encourage investment through financial incentives, to redevelop, improve and lease out commercial property within the South Cape.

Community Redevelopment Agency
1231 Cape Coral Parkway East
Cape Coral, FL 33904
(239) 549-5615 
info@southcape.net

Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce
The very active Cape Coral Chamber is a not-for-profit membership organization with more than 600 business members. Its office is located in the Visitor Information Center at the foot of the Cape Coral Parkway Bridge. The Chamber provides local business networking, small business resources, small business counseling, education, special events, visitor information and relocation assistance, community resources, and city and county government and business advocacy.


Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce
2051 Cape Coral Parkway
Cape Coral, FL 33904
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 100747
Cape Coral, FL 33910-0747
(800) 226-9609
(239) 549-6900
info@capecoralchamber.com

www.capecoralchamber.com
 

Chamber of SW Florida

This organization’s focus is regional, serving Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades and Hendry counties. It provides community information and conducts business development events, such as the Regional Economic Outlook Conference and the Business-to-Business Trade Fair.

Chamber of Southwest Florida
5621 Banner Drive
Fort Myers, FL 33912
(239) 433-4111
chamberswf@gmail.com

Cape Coral Construction Industry Association
The Cape Coral Construction Industry Association (CCCIA) is serving the Cape Coral Community since 1971. CCCIA is here for the benefit of those engaged in construction-related industries in the City of Cape Coral. Cape Coral contractors, realtors, financers, electricians, plumbers, roofers - virtually any business related to the construction industry, will enjoy many benefits with a membership to the CCCIA. Members represent the finest business leaders in the Cape Coral area - leaders that care about our community and work proactively to promote and protect it. CCCIA can help you to connect with local business partners by providing industry resources and networking opportunities.

CCCIA
611 Southeast 11th Street Suite B
Cape Coral, FL 33990-2809

(239) 772-0027
information@cccia.org
www.cccia.org 

 

Fort Myers Regional Partnership
Lee County Economic Development Office

The mission of the Lee County Economic Development Office is to serve the citizens of Lee County by marketing the county as the preferred location for targeted industries, resulting in diversification of the economic base. The office administers a number of economic development incentive programs and serves as staff to the Horizon Council and the Industrial Development Authority.

The Horizon Council is an advisory board to the Lee County Commission comprised of leaders from business, government, education and community organizations. Its mission is to develop policy that will support retention and expansion of existing businesses, improve the business environment in Lee County, and attract new and diversified employment to the area.

The Industrial Development Authority (IDA) administers the Industrial Bond Program, through which qualified industries use revenue bonds to finance capital projects. Established by Florida Statute in 1975, the IDA issues both taxable and tax-exempt bonds, subject to approval by the Lee County Commission.

Fort Myers Regional Partnership
Lee County Economic Development Office

2201 Second Street, Suite 500
Fort Myers, FL  33901
(800) 493-4396 
edo@leegov.com
http://www.leecountybusiness.com/

Enterprise Florida

This is a not-for-profit, government-business partnership established to guide the development of Florida's economy. Its mission is to increase economic opportunities for all Floridians by supporting the creation of quality jobs, a well-trained workforce and globally competitive businesses. While not a state agency, Enterprise Florida is funded by the State of Florida and by donations from the private sector.

Enterprise Florida operates as a single point of contact for information about business assistance programs available in Florida. Enterprise Florida focuses on companies that are created in Florida and coordinates efforts in partnership with existing local and regional economic development organizations. Enterprise Florida's main office is located in Orlando, Florida. It also has offices in Tallahassee and Miami, several field offices, plus 12 offices worldwide.

Enterprise Florida, Inc.
Headquarters
800 N. Magnolia Avenue, Suite 1100
Orlando, FL  32803
(407) 956-5600
www.eflorida.com

 

Small Business Development Center
The SBDC is a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Center for Leadership and Innovation, a division of FGCU’s College of Business and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBDC sponsors free and low-cost seminars on significant business development issues, from acquiring capital to marketing.

SBDC also provides small business development resources, as well as free on-site counseling plus training and technical assistance in all aspects of small business management. Their trained staff can help you with developing a business plan, marketing or production issues, engineering and technical problems, or with feasibility studies. The SBDC can also provide assistance in obtaining contracts with government and federal agencies.

Please contact the SBDC for an individual appointment or register for one of their valuable seminars

SBDC Cape Coral
Russ Winstead
Small Business Development Center
1020 Cultural Park Blvd. S. #3
Cape Coral, FL 33990
(239) 573-2737
Contact Russ Winstead
Small Business Development Center

Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau
The Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau is devoted to maintaining and building year-round tourism in Lee County. To achieve this goal, the VCB works closely with the local industry to increase domestic and international visitation through integrated programs targeting key markets. Local tourism businesses are encouraged to actively participate in all of the programs and grassroots outreach efforts, such as marketing meetings, booking engine participation, media initiatives and trade/consumer shows.

Among many others programs and activities, the VCB offers the Guests First Customer Service Training Program for frontline support and management employees. Guests First provides training workshops complimentary to hospitality and allied industries.

In addition to the VBC’s website, www.fortmyers-sanibel.com, the VCB has four off-site sales offices (Washington, D.C.; Minneapolis, Minn.; United Kingdom and Germany) and media/public relations representation in France. Domestic and international efforts are supplemented by contracted representatives.

Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau   
2201 Second Street Suite 600
Fort Myers, FL 33901
239-338-3500
800-237-6444
www.leevcb.com
 

Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council
The regional planning council is recognized as Florida’s only multi-purpose regional entity that plans for and coordinates intergovernmental solutions to growth-related problems on greater-than-local issues, provides technical assistance to local governments, and meets other needs of the communities in each region.

Since its designation as an Economic Development District in 1992, the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council (Council) has worked to promote economic development in the six-county region (Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee and Sarasota) it serves. The Council has accomplished this by working closely with the cities and counties in the region and by implementing its work program that is submitted annually in the application to the Economic Development Administration. 

These efforts will continue and are expected to increase based on the range of projects identified in this Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). The Council maintains its own website where most of this information is available.

SW Florida Regional Planning Council
1926 Victoria Avenue
Fort Myers, FL 33901
Phone: (239) 338-2550
www.swfrpc.org

 

SW Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SWFLHCC)

The Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SWFLHCC) is a non-profit, non-sectarian, and non-partisan organization for the purpose of promoting, advocating, and facilitating the economic advancement of its members and the Hispanic community of Southwest Florida. The SWFHCC has developed a central database of business information and acts as a contact center for businesses interested in the local, national and international Hispanic and non-Hispanic markets.

The SWFHCC strives to promote the development of the Hispanic community by assisting in the development of Hispanic-owned businesses and markets and serving as the central information source for the general business community regarding Hispanic trends in Southwest Florida. The SWFHCC is a network of Hispanic business associations and firms that are committed to expanding business opportunities, encouraging mutually beneficial ties with the public and private sectors, serving as an active and visible advocate in the Hispanic business arena, and promoting trade between the Hispanic-American business community and their Latin American counterparts.

Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 
10051 McGregor Boulevard Suite 204 
Fort Myers, Florida 33919 

Phone: (239) 418-1441
Fax:     (239) 418-1475
E-Mail:  info@hispanicchamberflorida.org
Web:    www.hispanicchamberflorida.org

Southwest Regional Manufacturing Association (SRMA)

SRMA is a non-profit membership organization comprised of corporations, partnerships and individuals engaged in manufacturing in Southwest Florida in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades and Hendry Counties. The association encourages the cooperative exchange of information and assistance among its members to help them manage more effectively, efficiently and profitably. Find important Business Development Reources at the SRMA today.

Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association
12800 University Drive, Suite 300 
Fort Myers, FL 33907

Phone: (850) 391-0706 
Fax:     (239) 472-7256
E-mail: srma@srma.net