SBA Announces Women's Business Center Funding Opportunity

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced the availability of two new grant opportunities for established and aspiring Women's Business Center host organizations to provide outcome-oriented business services for women entrepreneurs.

The first grant funding opportunity is the Women's Business Center Initial Phase Grant (#OWBO-2017-01-1) that will provide $75,000 for up to six eligible nonprofit organizations to help establish new WBCs in the geographic areas of the SBA's six District Offices that do not currently have a Women's Business Center in their respective service area. 

Those areas include:

• Alaska District Office (AK) – State of Alaska
• San Diego District Office (CA) – Counties of San Diego, Imperial
• Boise District Office (ID) – State of Idaho
• South Carolina District Office (SC) – State of South Carolina
• Dallas/Fort Worth District Office (TX) – (specific counties are applicable)
• Lubbock District Office (TX) – (specific counties are applicable)

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to provide grant dollars for up to six nonprofit organizations to start new, community-based Women's Business Centers within one of these six geographic areas.

Eligible applicants must be private, nonprofit organizations with 501(c) tax-exempt status from the U.S. Treasury/Internal Revenue Service and must provide services to the population within the specified areas.

The second grant funding opportunity is the Women's Business Center Initial Phase Grant (#OWBO-2017-01-2) that will provide $75,000 to already existing WBC host organizations that have met their performance goals to open new Women's Business Centers in underserved areas.

Eligible applicants must be existing private nonprofit organizations of a Women's Business Center that have met their performance goals and are in good standing with both performance and compliance.  The new Women's Business Center must be located in an area that is currently not being served or is inadequately served.  The host organization must also have sufficient matching funds to meet the match requirements of any existing grants, along with any new grants.

The SBA's WBC program is a catalyst for the growth of in-depth, substantive, outcome-oriented business services for women entrepreneurs, and the SBA's funding to open new centers where they are needed most will help to serve even more entrepreneurs.  During fiscal year 2017, the WBCs provided business assistance to nearly 150,000 individuals.

Applicants can find out more at
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html?keywords=owbo.

To submit an application for either grant opportunity:

• Go to the www.grants.gov portal.
• Click on "Applicants" tab.
• Then click on "Apply for Grants". 
• Follow the "Search" tab and type in "OWBO" in the keyword block to pull up the grant announcements:  OWBO-2017-01-1 and OWBO-2017-01-2.
• Select the appropriate opportunity number.
• Click on the "Package" tab, and then click on "Apply" to fill out the application forms.

Applications submitted via other channels, including the SBA's website, will be rejected and will not be evaluated.

Applications must be submitted via grants.gov no later than 11:59p.m. EST on Monday, February 12, 2018. 

Direct any questions about the WBC funding opportunity to the SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership (OWBO) via email at [email protected].

About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 and since January 13, 2012, has served as a Cabinet-level agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, the SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. To learn more about SBA, visit www.sba.gov.

Contact: Cecelia Taylor (202) 401-3059   
Internet Address: www.sba.gov/news 
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Release Number: 18-01

SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration

Related Links

http://www.sba.gov