Cooperative Agreement SBAHQ24W0139

The U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Office of Entrepreneurial Development awarded a $150,000 Cooperative Agreement on Sep 30, 2024 under the Women's Business Ownership Assistance program (CFDA 59.043) to the Carolina Small Business Development Fund, a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). The funding will support the organization's delivery of comprehensive entrepreneurial development services, including business training, counseling, technical assistance, and access to capital, to assist socially and economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses. As a prime grantee, Carolina Small Business Development Fund has also passed through federal grant funds to subrecipients like the City of Asheville to operate initiatives such as the Western Women's Business Center, further expanding support for women entrepreneurs in underserved communities. The federal grant aligns with the program's strategic focus on establishing Women's Business Centers across diverse geographical regions and industry contexts to remove discriminatory barriers and foster the growth of women-owned small businesses.