Award type: project grant

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) was awarded a $5.2 million federal Project Grant from the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Entrepreneurial Development under the Community Navigator Pilot Program (CFDA #59.077). The award will support IRC's Small Business Community Navigator Pilot Program to provide business counseling, financial literacy education, coaching and assistance accessing pandemic relief programs to socially and economically disadvantaged small business owners in five regions across the U.S. through February 2023.

IRC will serve as the primary grantee and partner with fifteen local organizations serving as sub-awardees. Sub-awardees will deliver direct technical assistance, training and support to a combined total of up to 3,000 small businesses, with a focus on immigrant and other entrepreneurs with limited English proficiency or digital access. The program aims to increase participation in SBA and other COVID-19 recovery resources among historically underserved small business communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

Activities

Provide high quality support and technical assistance with pandemic relief programs and recovery services to small businesses.; deliverables: grantees will provide reports on activities and progress toward stated goals to SBA on a quarterly basis.

Expected outcomes

Increase awareness of and participation in programs of the u.s small business administration and other government agencies.

Intended beneficiaries

Small businesses and entrepreneurs that fall into a historically underserved category, including minority entrepreneurs (black, indigenous, and people of color), entrepreneurs with disabilities, lgbtq entrepreneurs, rural entrepreneurs; veterans and military entrepreneurs (including spouses), women entrepreneurs, innovative startups, micro businesses, and socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses

Subrecipient activities

Grantees (hubs) and their contractors (spokes) will provide high quality support and technical assistance with pandemic relief programs and recovery services to small businesses. This support takes the form of 1:1 counseling and group trainings.