Small Business Development Centers
Active
- Assistance listing
- 59.037
- Grant awards
- 1,410 $2,212,969,814 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- SBDC
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Block Grant
- Formula Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 73-0400-0-1-376
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Small Business Administration funds management counseling, training, and technical assistance delivered through a network of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) under Assistance Listing 59.037, with the most recent grant awards made on September 30, 2025. The program distributes $2.21 billion in combined federal obligations across 1,410 awards since 2001, with annual award volume holding steady at 55 to 82 awards per year over the past five years.
SBDCs provide individualized business advising, problem-solving assistance, and technical services to small businesses and pre-venture entrepreneurs in areas including business planning, financial management, capital access, technology adoption, marketing, export assistance, and operations improvement. The program operates through 63 recipient organizations—one in each state, plus networks in Texas (four regional) and California (five regional), alongside the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Each recipient establishes a lead center and a network of partner service centers covering its service area.
Assistance is predominantly Cooperative Agreements (88 percent of awards, 1,234 total), with smaller shares of Project Grants (11 percent, 158 awards), Block Grants (1 percent, 10 awards), and Formula Grants (1 percent, 8 awards). The Small Business Administration Office of Entrepreneurial Development leads funding by both count and dollars, awarding 667 cooperative agreements totaling $1.3 billion in federal obligations, followed by the SBA Office of Performance Management and the Chief Financial Officer (149 awards, $250 million) and the SBA Office of Government Contracting and Business Development (18 awards, $34.5 million). Recipients must demonstrate ability to match funds and provide technical assistance, counseling, training, and specialized services to the small business community.
Recent awards show wide geographic distribution. The Florida SBDC received $8.393 million (January 1, 2025 award), New York SBDC received $7.872 million, Pennsylvania SBDC received $5.067 million, and Humboldt SBDC received $4.888 million, all effective through December 31, 2026. A September 30, 2025 Project Grant to the National Institute of Minority Economic Development (Richmond) was funded at $150 thousand. Combined total obligations across all awards reached $5.84 billion when accounting for non-federal cost-share contributions.
Notice of Funding Opportunity SB-OEDSB-25-001 (Cooperative Agreements) posted April 21, 2026 with a due date of April 22, 2026 solicits annual proposals from state governments, higher education institutions (public and private), and 501(c)(3) nonprofits for calendar year 2025 SBDC operations. Applicant eligibility is restricted to current SBDC lead centers and specified categories of institutions of higher education, women's business centers, and regional entities. The program renews annually subject to funds availability, with recipients required to update proposals and budgets each cycle.
Objective and description
- Objective
To provide management counseling, training, and technical assistance to the small business community through a network of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs).
- Description
To provide management counseling, training, and technical assistance to the small business community through a network of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs).
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
The Administration is authorized to make grants (including contracts and cooperative agreements) to any State government or any agency thereof, any regional entity, any State-chartered development, credit or finance corporation, any women's business center operating pursuant to section 29, any public or private institution of higher education, including but not limited to any land-grant college or university, any college or school of business, engineering, commerce, or agriculture, community college or junior college, or to any entity formed by two or more of the above entities (herein referred to as "applicants") .
- Beneficiary eligibility
Current and potential Small business persons.
- Uses of assistance
Funds restricted to the use of assisting small businesses.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Cooperative agreements are issued each year with a 2-year period of performance. Payments are made by cost reimbursement or in advance as specified in the Notice of Award. Method of awarding/releasing assistance. Automated Clearinghouse Deposits.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Additional information available on SBA's website at www.sba.gov.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
(1) Ability to match funds and (2) Ability to provide technical assistance, training, counseling, and specialized services to the small business community.
- Award procedure
SBA headquarters executes cooperative agreements to approved applicants.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Varies with individual proposals.
- Renewals
This program is on-going and is renewed annually subject to availability of funds. SBDCs are required to update their proposal and submit a current year budget.
- Appeals
Varies with individual proposals.
Grant opportunities
Show all 32
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 1,410 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University Of West Florida | $124,448,669 | 6% |
| 2 | The Research Foundation For The State University Of New York | $88,859,269 | 4% |
| 3 | Illinois Department Commerce & Economic Opportunity | $83,742,696 | 4% |
| 4 | Ohio Department Of Development | $75,267,052 | 3% |
| 5 | CAL Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation | $69,917,677 | 3% |
| 6 | University Of Georgia | $63,195,264 | 3% |
| 7 | Grand Valley State University | $62,859,522 | 3% |
| 8 | North Carolina State University | $59,305,723 | 3% |
| 9 | Rutgers, The State University | $58,013,009 | 3% |
| 10 | The University Of Texas At San Antonio | $53,392,880 | 2% |
10 of 90 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $17,354,074 |
| FY2025 | $128,486,100 |
| FY2024 | $138,697,474 |
| FY2023 | $137,749,449 |
| FY2022 | $134,323,986 |
| FY2021 | $133,611,450 |
| FY2020 | $316,260,362 |
| FY2019 | $123,894,853 |
| FY2018 | $125,264,069 |
| FY2017 | $124,367,100 |
| FY2016 | $116,886,393 |
| FY2015 | $114,013,850 |
| FY2014 | $113,254,738 |
| FY2013 | $101,753,395 |
| FY2012 | $116,545,725 |
| FY2011 | $98,525,254 |
| FY2010 | $112,810,784 |
| FY2009 | $5,788,179 |
| FY2006 | $51,704,899 |
| FY2005 | $765,385 |
| FY2004 | $187,977 |
| FY2001 | $691,605 |
Show all 22
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 59.037?
Assistance Listing 59.037 is Small Business Development Centers, a federal grant program run by Small Business Administration.
What is the CFDA number for Small Business Development Centers?
Its CFDA number is 59.037: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 59.037 awarded?
1,410 grant awards under 59.037 have obligated $2,212,969,814 in federal funds to 90 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 59.037?
The recipients obligated the most under Small Business Development Centers are University Of West Florida ($124,448,669), The Research Foundation For The State University Of New York ($88,859,269) and Illinois Department Commerce & Economic Opportunity ($83,742,696).
How much did 59.037 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 59.037 obligated $128,486,100 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 59.037?
2 listed opportunities under 59.037 are open or forecasted. The latest, 2027 Small Business Development Centers CORE, was posted on October 21, 2026.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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