Award type: project grant

This two-year, $942,796 Project Grant from the Small Business Administration's Office of Entrepreneurial Development will fund Minnesota State University Mankato in delivering Community Navigator services under the Community Navigator Pilot Program (CFDA #59.077). As a Hub organization, the university and its subrecipient contractors will provide high-quality technical assistance and support to small businesses and historically underserved entrepreneurs on pandemic relief programs and recovery services through individual counseling and group trainings. The grant aims to increase awareness and participation in Small Business Administration and other government programs among beneficiaries such as minority-, veteran-, and women-owned micro and socially disadvantaged small businesses. Quarterly reports will track progress toward expanding outreach on SBA initiatives through December 2023.

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.