Women's Business Ownership Assistance
Active
- Assistance listing
- 59.043
- Grant awards
- 1,397 $324,214,295 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- Women’s Business Center (WBO)
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Block Grant
- Formula Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 73-0400-2-3-376
- 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's Office of Women's Business Ownership is funding the operation and expansion of Women's Business Centers nationwide under CFDA 59.043, with 60 awards issued in 2025 through September 30 and the most recent grant opportunity closed on September 13, 2026.
The program funds nonprofit organizations that operate Women's Business Centers (WBCs) — community-based entrepreneurship centers providing technical assistance to women entrepreneurs. WBCs deliver training, counseling, and resource navigation in finance, management, marketing, and business certification (Women-Owned Small Business and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business programs). Recent awards to organizations such as Jackson State University, Mi Casa Resource Center, Center for Women & Enterprise, and Coastal Enterprises Inc. each received $150,000 to operate or expand service delivery. The program emphasizes serving socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs and can function within larger economic development organizations provided it operates as a clearly identifiable separate program. Awardees must maintain detailed client activity records and financial records for three years after final report submission.
Awards since 2000 total 1,397 grants obligating $324.2 million in federal dollars, with a combined federal and non-federal obligation of $555.3 million. The portfolio is predominantly Cooperative Agreements (63 percent of awards) with a significant share of Project Grants (37 percent). The Small Business Administration Office of Entrepreneurial Development funds 64 percent of awards by count ($227.7 million in federal dollars), with the broader SBA accounting for another 30 percent ($73 million), and two smaller SBA offices funding the remainder. Annual award volume has ranged from 60 to 150 awards over the past five years, with 150 awards in 2024 and 60 awards in 2025 (through September).
Eligible applicants are private nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and prior experience providing technical services to women and other entrepreneurs. Faith-based organizations are eligible provided they comply with federal nondiscrimination requirements and may maintain their religious character. Selected awardees must provide non-federal matching funds: one non-federal dollar for each two federal dollars in the base period and first option year, and one non-federal dollar for each federal dollar in years three through five, with at least 50 percent of the non-federal match in cash or program fees.
The program offers multiple award pathways: Initial Phase grants (typically five years with four one-year options) for new or reestablished centers; three-year Renewal grants for existing centers that complete an initial five-year term; and specialized initiatives targeting modernization, minority-serving institutions, and specific geographic gaps. Recent open opportunities include SB-OEDWB-26-001 (FY26 renewal announcement, July 29 deadline, now closed), SB-OEDWB-26-002 (modernization initiative for Florida, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and Wyoming; August 10 deadline, now closed), and SB-OEDWB-26-003 (Georgia-specific modernization; September 13 deadline, now closed). The Georgia opportunity required applicants to establish a Lead Center Model coordinating statewide service delivery.
Objective and description
- Objective
Women's Business Centers (WBCs) are a part a national network of entrepreneurship centers throughout the United States and its territories, which are designed to assist women in starting and growing small businesses.
- Description
Women's Business Centers (WBCs) are a part a national network of entrepreneurship centers throughout the United States and its territories, which are designed to assist women in starting and growing small businesses.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Applicants must be a private non-profit organization certified under § 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and have experience providing technical services to women, and other entrepreneurs. To the extent that they satisfy all eligibility criteria the same as all other applicant organizations, Faith based Organizations are entitled to compete for Federal financial assistance (grants and/or cooperative agreements) used to support government programs. Generally, such organizations are not required to alter their religious character to participate in a government program, nor to cease engaging in explicitly religious activities outside the program, nor effectively to relinquish their Federal statutory protections for religious hiring decisions.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Women entrepreneurs starting their own business or expanding their existing business.
- Uses of assistance
To establish women's business centers (WBCs) for the benefit of small business concerns owned and controlled by women. The services provided by the women's business centers must include financial, management, procurement and marketing assistance to start-up or established concerns, as well as mentoring and Internet services. Program participants that successfully complete the initial 5-year grant may apply for a 3-year renewal grant. Successful participants may renew the grant every 3 years.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Initial and option year awards are issued annually, without recompetition, through the five-year grant term to compliant centers.
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
As stated in each solicitation for proposals, but including: B. EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR WBC APPLICANT TECHNICAL PROPOSAL a. Mission Alignment and Experience (up to 10 points), b. Organizational Experience and Capacity (up to 15 points), c. Market Assessment for Services Provided (up to 15 points), d. Project Objectives and Milestone (up to 20 points), e. Plans for Marketing and Collaboration with SBA and Other Community and Small Business Organizations (up to 10 points), f. Sources and Leverage of other Funds (up to 5 points), g. Financial Management Capability and Confirmation of Match (up to 15 points), h. Program Evaluation and Economic Impact (up to 5 points), and i. Technological Capabilities (up to 5 points).
- Award procedure
Proposals of eligible applicants are evaluated by a review panel. Candidates for sustainability awards also undergo a site review as appropriate. The SBA/Office of Women's Business Ownership issues an award to each approved applicant.
- Renewals
Continued annual option awards are issued to successful award recipients through a five-year term without recompetition and also through a three-year term for the renewal recipients.
- Appeals
Additional information available at SBA's website at www.sba.gov.
Grant opportunities
Show all 43
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 1,397 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Women's Economic Self-Sufficiency Team, Corp. | $14,846,123 | 5% |
| 2 | Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation | $9,460,082 | 3% |
| 3 | Womens Business Development Council, Inc. | $7,416,272 | 2% |
| 4 | Economic And Community Development Institute, Inc. | $7,278,654 | 2% |
| 5 | National Institute Of Minority Economic Development | $5,499,398 | 2% |
| 6 | Coastal Enterprises, Inc. | $5,147,422 | 2% |
| 7 | University Enterprises Corporation At Csusb | $4,620,651 | 1% |
| 8 | Business Outreach Center Network, Inc. | $4,405,319 | 1% |
| 9 | Northeast Entrepreneur Fund, Inc. | $4,358,167 | 1% |
| 10 | Women's Business Development Center, Inc. | $4,339,656 | 1% |
10 of 169 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2025 | $17,649,694 |
| FY2024 | $24,106,289 |
| FY2023 | $21,065,367 |
| FY2022 | $21,392,757 |
| FY2021 | $27,010,039 |
| FY2020 | $62,448,023 |
| FY2019 | $6,938,150 |
| FY2018 | $10,456,829 |
| FY2017 | $14,518,106 |
| FY2016 | $16,269,172 |
| FY2015 | $14,197,506 |
| FY2014 | $13,856,254 |
| FY2013 | $12,766,612 |
| FY2012 | $13,339,573 |
| FY2011 | $14,103,973 |
| FY2010 | $12,027,948 |
| FY2006 | $2,941,821 |
| FY2005 | $1,673,063 |
| FY2004 | $2,427,800 |
| FY2003 | $2,254,805 |
| FY2002 | $3,330,468 |
| FY2001 | $7,570,488 |
Show all 22
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 59.043?
Assistance Listing 59.043 is Women's Business Ownership Assistance, a federal grant program run by Small Business Administration.
What is the CFDA number for Women's Business Ownership Assistance?
Its CFDA number is 59.043: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 59.043 awarded?
1,397 grant awards under 59.043 have obligated $324,214,295 in federal funds to 169 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 59.043?
The recipients obligated the most under Women's Business Ownership Assistance are Women's Economic Self-Sufficiency Team, Corp. ($14,846,123), Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation ($9,460,082) and Womens Business Development Council, Inc. ($7,416,272).
How much did 59.043 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 59.043 obligated $17,649,694 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 59.043?
No opportunity listed under 59.043 is open now. The latest, SBA WBC Modernization Initiative FY26 - Georgia, was posted on August 13, 2026.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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