Catalyst center for business & entrepreneurship, the (prism 2023-2024)

The Catalyst Center for Business & Entrepreneurship received a $150,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Office of Entrepreneurial Development under the Women's Business Ownership Assistance program (CFDA 59.043), awarded on September 30, 2025, with a completion date of September 29, 2026. This funding supports the center's operations as a Women's Business Center (WBC) dedicated to providing comprehensive business development services and technical assistance to women entrepreneurs in Alabama, with particular emphasis on socially and economically disadvantaged business owners.

The grant funds delivery of entrepreneurship training, business counseling, and technical assistance across critical business areas including finance, management, marketing, and federal contracting readiness. The Catalyst Center leverages this SBA funding to help women entrepreneurs start and expand ventures, with specialized support for women-owned small businesses seeking to access federal contracting opportunities and programs such as the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) initiatives. The organization maintains client activity records and financial documentation to track service delivery and demonstrate economic impact in support of the SBA's national network of Women's Business Centers.