Yuma small business fair connects entrepreneurs with funding, support resources

More than 25 agencies and organizations packed the Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Career Center on Wednesday, giving Yuma entrepreneurs a rare chance to sit down with the people who can help them move from idea to operating business. The free fair ran from 4 to 6 p.m. at 300 S. 13th Ave. and was open to anyone looking to build or strengthen a company.

The event came during National Small Business Week, which ran May 3 through May 9 this year and has been recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration for more than 60 years. In Yuma, the timing underscored a practical message: local businesses do not grow on inspiration alone. They need financing, licensing help, marketing support, and clear answers about where to find the right permits, contracts and technical assistance.

SBDC Director Crystal Mendoza said entrepreneurs need to make connections and understand what resources are available, and the fair was built around that idea. Attendees could talk directly with representatives from participating agencies and get one-on-one guidance instead of trying to navigate the process alone. The event listing also said prizes were available, which added another draw for first-time owners and established operators alike.

For Yuma County, the stakes are larger than one afternoon of networking. The Arizona Western College Small Business Development Center says its network provides bilingual one-on-one counseling, resource assistance, training and help with capital formation in Yuma and La Paz counties. The broader Arizona SBDC and Arizona Procurement Technical Assistance Centers network also helps businesses pursue federal, state and local contracting opportunities, opening doors that can be hard for a small shop to reach on its own.

That support matters in a county where small businesses drive much of the local economy. A recent local report said the Arizona Western College Small Business Center won the SBA Excellence Award for Regional Impact after helping launch 41 Yuma businesses and 121 jobs in a single year, a reminder that even modest counseling and outreach can translate into payrolls, storefronts and new spending in town.

The fair also fit into a broader push to keep dollars circulating close to home. In 2025, the SBDC launched a “Please Buy Local” campaign with bright yellow banners across Yuma County, aiming to keep residents shopping with local operators. Wednesday’s fair took that idea a step further by giving entrepreneurs direct access to the support systems that can help a business survive its first year and start hiring locally.