America's SBDC awarded a $2.9M Grant from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs for the Small Business Network of Americas (SBNA) Partnership Program

BURKE, Va., Dec. 5, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- America's SBDC is leading an international initiative to strengthen and connect over 4,000 small business service providers in countries throughout the Americas which together serve more than 2 million businesses. For the SBNA Partnership Program the America's SBDC has partnered with the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Institute for Economic Development's International Trade Center, the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA), and the Central American Regional Center for the Promotion of Micro and Small Enterprises. (CENPROMYPE).

The grant will fund a three-year project to support efforts in the Americas, promoting the viability and sustainability of micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and local and regional economic development. The project focuses on the SBNA goals of connecting and strengthening the more than 4,000 small business development centers (SBDCs), incubators, accelerators, and other service centers by providing matchmaking services through the SBNA Partnership Program and providing scholarships to Central American entrepreneurs through the La Idea Incubator program. The project will promote and support job creation in MSMEs and encourage greater trade among these businesses throughout the Americas. 

"We are thankful to the U.S. Department of State and our collaborating partners for this grant, which will allow America's SBDCs, UTSA, InBIA and CENPROMYPE to continue to strengthen communities globally by utilizing the effective and powerful Small Business Development Center (SBDC) model." said Charles "Tee" Rowe, President & CEO, America's SBDC.

There are currently 118 SBDCs operating the Latin America and the Caribbean, and plans to establish a total of 350 SBDCs serving over 100,000 businesses every year. Incubators, accelerators, and other types of service centers also make up a substantial part of the small business support infrastructure, with targeted programs for startups with rapid growth potential.

About America's SBDC and Small Business Development Centers: America's SBDC represents the Nation's 63 Small Business Development Centers, a national network of partnerships uniting higher education, state and local nonprofit economic development organizations, private enterprise and government. It is the Small Business Administration's largest partnership program, providing management and technical assistance to help Americans start, run and grow their own businesses. Learn more at www.AmericasSBDC.org

April Youngblut | (703) 408-5403 

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SOURCE America's SBDC

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http://www.AmericasSBDC.org