Award type: project grant

The Small Business Administration Office of Entrepreneurial Development awarded a $2,495,679 Project Grant to the National Disability Institute Inc. under the Community Navigator Pilot Program (CFDA 59.077). The grant will support the delivery of high-quality technical assistance and pandemic relief services to small businesses through December 2023. As part of the American Rescue Plan, the Community Navigator Pilot Program provides $100 million for outreach, education, and assistance targeting historically underserved small business owners.

Under the award, the grantee and eleven sub-awardees will operate as "hubs" and "spokes" to deliver services like one-on-one counseling and group training on Small Business Administration and other government programs. Sub-awardees include organizations supporting entrepreneurs with disabilities, minority-owned businesses, and various community groups. The funding and coordinated delivery network aim to increase participation in pandemic relief programs, with a focus on reaching historically underserved small businesses and entrepreneurs.

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.