Shapiro-Davis Administration Invests More Than $21 Million to Create Small Business Assistance Service Centers Across Pennsylvania

Funded through the Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program, the 11 new Business Assistance Service Centers will provide support to a variety of small businesses in every region of the Commonwealth.

The Shapiro-Davis Administration is committed to ensuring our small businesses have access to the tools and insight they need to succeed and thrive here in Pennsylvania.

Harrisburg, PA - Today, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger announced the Shapiro-Davis Administration is investing $21,445,823 to provide new support for small businesses across Pennsylvania by creating 11 new Business Assistance Service Centers through the Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program.

These Business Assistance Service Centers will provide technical assistance and business support services to increase access to capital, promote economic empowerment, and boost the overall number of Pennsylvania's historically disadvantaged small businesses.

"Small businesses are the backbone of Pennsylvania's economy, which is why the Shapiro-Davis Administration is finding new ways to offer meaningful support directly to our small business owners," said Lt. Gov. Davis. "Many of our small businesses could succeed and even expand if they were able to build out their networks and grow their skill sets - these new Business Assistance Service Centers will bridge those gaps. Every Pennsylvanian deserves a fair shot to achieve their own American dream and we'll continue to make strategic investments that will help build ladders of opportunity for everyone."

"Economic development is a team sport, and programs like the Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program help ensure that our small businesses have the right tools and the right partner to help them succeed. Today's announcement sends a clear message that the Shapiro-Davis Administration is here to support small businesses," said DCED Secretary Siger. "Through these new Business Assistance Service Centers, we will provide resources directly to the small businesses in Pennsylvania that need it the most, managed in collaboration with the organizations and people that best know the needs of their local communities."

"I'm proud to see our Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program continue to grow and help business owners who don't typically get the support they need to thrive," said Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair. "These grants will make a real difference for small business owners, the Pennsylvanians they employ, and the communities they serve. This is what it looks like to deliver for people who are not billionaires. This is putting people and our local economies first."

The new Business Assistance Service Centers will provide direct support that can include one-on-one business counseling, business accounting assistance, employer responsibility training, contract procurement support, as well as help identifying opportunities to leverage local resources already available to assist small businesses. The centers will also hire bilingual staff and offer translation services to ensure these resources are accessible to everyone and easy to use.

The full list of award recipients creating Business Assistance Service Centers are:

• $1,979,133 to the Chester County Economic Development Council to support Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Lebanon, Montgomery, and Perry counties.
• $1,800,000 to Covation Center, INC to provide support statewide to all 67 counties.
• $1,635,097 to the Duquesne University Small Business Development Center to support Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.
• $1,222,500 to the Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation to support Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Venango, and Warren counties.
• $2,190,524 to Greenline Access Capital to support Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties.
• $2,156,887 to Lehigh University to support Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties.
• $943,337 to North Side Industrial Development Company to support Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.
• $1,948,736 to the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance to support Bradford, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Montour, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne, and Wyoming counties.
• $5,840,690 to the Pennsylvania CDFI Network to support Adams, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clinton, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Snyder, Union, and York counties.
• $1,136,200 to Seton Hill University to support Allegheny, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.
• $592,719 to the Women's Opportunities Resource Center to support Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties.

Each of the 11 Business Assistance Service Centers will partner with various local economic development organizations, institutions of higher education, and non-profit organizations to provide support. The full list of the recipients' partner organizations is available online.

The Shapiro-Davis Administration's commitment to creating opportunity for small businesses is delivering results: the Commonwealth is now directing more contracting dollars to small and small diverse businesses than ever before - including a 45 percent increase in spending with Black-owned and Latino-owned businesses over the past two years. For the first time, the Commonwealth has surpassed $1 billion in contracts with small businesses, small diverse businesses, and veteran-owned business enterprises two years in a row.

From day one, Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Gov. Davis have worked to spur economic development through historic investments in site development, main streets, small businesses, and workforce development, while speeding up the Commonwealth's permitting, licensing, and certification processes.

The Shapiro-Davis Administration is delivering real results - and building on that momentum. Governor Shapiro's 2025-26 budget proposal calls for new and expanded investments to advance the Economic Development Strategy and boost Pennsylvania's competitiveness, including:

• $12.5 million dedicated to WEDnetPA to expand our workforce and close critical workforce gaps
• $2 million for the creation of Career Connect to build internships at Pennsylvania companies
• $10 million for AdvancePA tax credits to create high quality jobs across PA
• $3 million to the Marketing to Attract Business program, which supports programs targeting business attraction, retention, and marketing initiatives
• Expediting the Corporate Net Income Tax (CNIT) cuts by two years, reducing the current tax rate each year by 0.75 percent

Read more about Governor Shapiro's 2025-26 budget proposal. Explore the Governor's 2025-26 Budget in Brief 2025-26 Budget in Brief online, or visit shapirobudget.pa.gov to learn more.

For more information about the Department of Community and Economic Development, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

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