Office of Entrepreneurial Development

The Small Business Administration's Office of Entrepreneurial Development (OED) operates as a key division within the SBA dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship, business growth, and economic development throughout the United States. The OED administers various programs designed to provide training, counseling, and technical assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on helping them start, grow, and compete in the marketplace. Through its management of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network, the OED supports a nationwide infrastructure of business assistance centers hosted primarily by universities and state economic development agencies.

The OED's recent contracting activity reveals investments in both human capital development and digital learning platforms. In September 2024, the agency awarded a $13,168 Blanket Purchase Agreement Call to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities for intern recruitment services, supporting diversity initiatives within the SBA's workforce development efforts. This contract leverages HACU's network of Hispanic-Serving Institutions to connect diverse talent with federal internship opportunities, enhancing the agency's workforce representation. The OED also made a significantly larger investment in digital infrastructure through a $4.5 million Firm Fixed Price Delivery Order to Analyticx LLC, an 8(a) certified small disadvantaged business, for the MYSBA Learning Platform.

This technology investment demonstrates the OED's commitment to modernizing its educational resources through digital platforms. The five-year contract for the MYSBA Learning Platform, running through September 2029, indicates a long-term strategic approach to providing digital learning resources to the small business community. The fact that this contract was awarded through the 8(a) STARS III Government-Wide Acquisition Contract highlights the agency's utilization of procurement vehicles designed to support disadvantaged businesses while meeting its own technology needs.

The OED's grant-making activity is predominantly focused on funding the nationwide network of Small Business Development Centers, with over 50 Project Grant awards identified in 2025. These grants, awarded under CFDA 59.037, range from $171,111 to over $1.8 million and support universities, colleges, and state economic development agencies in providing comprehensive management counseling, training, and technical assistance to small businesses. Recipients include a diverse range of institutions such as the University of Delaware, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, California State University Fullerton, Vermont State University, and Grand Valley State University, demonstrating the nationwide scope of the SBDC program. The grant awards typically cover a one-year period from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, indicating an annual funding cycle.

The services funded through these SBDC grants include one-on-one business advising, training workshops, market research assistance, export support, cybersecurity training, and access to capital guidance. Notable aspects of the grant distribution include consideration for geographic diversity, with funding allocated to institutions in territories such as Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands, as well as to Hispanic-Serving Institutions and other minority-serving institutions. The grant structure appears designed to create a nationwide infrastructure of small business support centers tailored to local and regional economic needs, with larger awards typically going to more populous states or institutions serving as lead organizations for regional SBDC networks.