SBA To Fund Expansion of Women’s Business Centers

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced grant funding and the launch of 20 new Women’s Business Centers (WBC) across America. These centers will serve rural, urban, and underserved communities. It will and expand the footprint and partnership with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) like Jackson State University. This is the home of one of the Women’s Business Centers.

Women Business Center

The SBA’s Women Business Centers is a national network of 136 centers that offer one-on-one counseling, training, networking, workshops, technical assistance, and mentoring to female entrepreneurs. They cover numerous business development topics, including business startup, financial management, marketing, and procurement. The SBA is also launching Ascent. This is a free digital e-learning platform geared to help women entrepreneurs grow and expand their businesses.

These centers will be pivotal to the success of women-owned businesses as they continue to recover during this time.

Here’s what SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza had to say about this announcement:

Expanding the WBC program is part of this Administration’s longstanding commitment to the success of female entrepreneurs and women-owned small businesses.  Adding these new Women’s Business Centers to the already existing network of centers across America will boost timely resources to our nation’s female economic drivers, providing them with local training and counseling.”

The new business centers

The 20 new WBCs began opening on January 1, 2021. Below is a list of the new centers. Click on each state to view small business grants.

• Alabama
  Regional Economic Assistance for Communicating Hope (REACH) Catalyst Women’s Business Center – Clanton, Alabama
  
• Arizona
  Chicanos Pro La Causa, Inc. (CPLC’s) Women’s Business Center – Phoenix, Arizona
  
• California
  El Pajaro Regional Women’s Business Center – Monterey, California
  Mission Community Women’s Business Center serving Kern County – Bakersfield, California
  
• Georgia
  Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs (ACE) Savannah Women’s Business Center – Savannah, Georgia
  
• Maine
  Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI) WBC South – Portland, Maine
  
• Mississippi
  Women’s Business Center at Jackson State University (HBCU) – Jackson, Mississippi
  
• Missouri
  New Growth Women’s Business Center, West Central – Springfield, Missouri
  
• Nebraska
  GROW Nebraska Women’s Business Center (GNWBC) – Omaha, Nebraska
  
• New York
  Women’s Enterprise and Development, Mid-Hudson – Hudson, New York
  
• North Carolina
  Winston Salem State University (WSSU) Women’s Business Center (HBCU) – Winston Salem, North Carolina
  
• Ohio
  Women’s Business Center of Central Appalachia – Portsmouth, Ohio
  
• Pennsylvania
  Women’s eBusiness Center of Excellence – Erie, Pennsylvania
  
• Tennessee
  The Women’s Business Center South – Memphis, Tennessee
  
• South Carolina
  South Carolina Women’s Business Center – Charleston, South Carolina
  
• South Dakota
  South Dakota Women’s Business Center (East) – Sioux Falls, South Dakota
  
• Texas
  Women’s Business Center of Montgomery County, East Harris County, and West Chambers County – Houston, Texas
  
• Virginia
  Women’s Business Center of Richmond – Richmond, Virginia
  
• Wisconsin
  Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation Southwest – La Crosse, Wisconsin

Women seeking assistance with starting or growing their business can find a WBC by clicking here. If you are seeking grant funding for your startup or small business, then go to Grants for Small Business right here on GrantWatch.com.