Award type: project grant

The US Small Business Administration Office of Entrepreneurial Development awarded a $5.12 million Project Grant to the USBC Community Economic Development Corporation through the Community Navigator Pilot Program (CFDA #59.077) to provide technical assistance and support services to small businesses through November 2023. As a primary awardee, USBC CEDC will deliver counseling, training and pandemic relief outreach both directly and through subrecipients, referred to as "Hubs" and "Spokes," focused on underserved groups including minority, women, veteran and rural entrepreneurs. This funding furthers the American Rescue Plan's goal of ensuring equitable access to recovery resources for socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses through local navigation support.

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.