SBA Awards $5.3 Million to Expand National Women’s Business Center Network

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced five grant recipients under its new Women's Business Center (WBC) Modernization Initiative, awarding a combined $5.3 million to expand statewide support networks for women entrepreneurs in Florida, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. The Initiative is designed to augment resources in states where existing WBC funding has not kept pace with the number of women entrepreneurs.

"Nearly four decades ago, President Ronald Reagan helped establish the Women's Business Center Program to help women entrepreneurs start, grow, and compete," said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. "Today, the Trump Administration is building on that legacy by modernizing the program and expanding its reach in states where demand for WBC services has outpaced existing resources. Through coordinated statewide networks, these awards will bring counseling, training, and access to capital closer to the women starting businesses, creating jobs, and strengthening their communities."

Building on the SBA's nationwide network of 138 existing Women's Business Centers, the Modernization Initiative funds private organizations that will create State Lead Centers supported by local Service Centers. This new model, which is funded by statutorily obligated funds, will bring counseling, training, and technical assistance closer to women entrepreneurs. Each State Lead Center will serve as a statewide hub, working with local Service Centers to deliver assistance directly to entrepreneurs - reducing fragmentation, improving coordination and efficiency, and ensuring that women business owners can more easily access the SBA's resources at every stage of business ownership.

The Women's Business Center Modernization Initiative grant recipients are as follows:

Florida Institute of Technology Inc.

Geographic Scope: Florida

Total Proposed Budget: $1,540,617

Description: Florida Tech educates global thinkers, resilient problem solvers, and future leaders, ready to support industry and societal needs by responsibly integrating science, technology, and other key disciplines. Florida Institute of Technology Inc. has expertise in supporting entrepreneurs and growth-oriented small businesses throughout Florida's Space and Treasure Coast regions through programs designed to scale with businesses. Florida Institute's trademarked IGNITE 360™ program provides eight unique programs to support every business stage by providing clients with the resources and coaching in a timely manner. In addition, through continued partnership with Florida Tech's Vertex Applied Innovation hub, Florida Institute can provide capabilities to support innovative business acceleration, applied research, and the launch of advanced manufacturing ventures.

Women's Business Enterprise Center East

Geographic Scope: Pennsylvania

Total Proposed Budget: $930,077

Description: WBEC-East is an advocate for small business owners and entrepreneurs throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Southern New Jersey. Through certification, entrepreneurial education, training, networking, and strategic partnerships, WBEC-East helps entrepreneurs start, grow, and scale successful businesses. WBEC-East supports entrepreneurs through workshops and consulting in supply chain readiness, certification, government contracting, business growth strategy, and access-to-capital education. WBEC-East connects Pennsylvania's entrepreneurs with corporate, government, and economic development partners that fuel America's industrial growth and competitiveness.

Proof Programs

Geographic Scope: Tennessee

Total Proposed Budget: $494,329

Description: Proof Programs strengthens entrepreneurs, businesses, and communities through practical education, technical assistance, capital-readiness support, rural business development, and coordinated partnerships. Proof Programs will provide women entrepreneurs in all 95 counties with a coordinated entry point to counseling, training, capital preparation, and specialized resources. Through virtual services, regional Service Centers, local outreach, and referral partnerships, access will be expanded in rural and economically distressed communities while strengthening coordination among existing providers.

Better Business Bureau Education Foundation

Geographic Scope: Texas

Total Proposed Budget: $2,084,765

Description of Training Services: The Foundation for Better Business (FBB) propels the potential of Texas entrepreneurs by delivering essential education, vital resources, and powerful networks that spark growth, fuel leadership, and strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Texas. Through its affiliation with BBB Heart of Texas, which is staffed by more than 100 employees, FBB draws on an established 105-county platform, relationships with more than 14,000 Accredited Businesses, and a record of delivering scalable entrepreneur education throughout Texas.

Economic and Community Development Institute Inc.

Geographic Scope: West Virginia

Total Proposed Budget: $250,000

Description: ECDI of West Virginia will bring unique value to the state by serving some of the state's rural and underserved areas. The region's limited broadband access and dispersed population centers create barriers to entrepreneurship that are not as prevalent in more suburban or urban areas. The programming offered by ECDI is tailored to address unique geographic challenges in West Virginia. By meeting clients where they are, whether through in-person outreach in county seats, hybrid programming, or virtual services designed around limited connectivity, ECDI will ensure that geography and infrastructure gaps don't determine who gets to start, sustain, or grow a business.

This Modernization Initiative operates as a stand-alone project and does not change existing WBC funding. All 138 current WBCs remain in the program and continue receiving their FY26 base awards under their existing cooperative agreements. In states selected to participate in the Initiative, Lead Center awards will overlay current funding. Questions about these grant opportunities should be directed to the Women's Business Ownership Office at [email protected].

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About the Women's Business Ownership Office (WBOO)

The Women's Business Ownership Office (WBOO) mission is to enable and empower women entrepreneurs through outreach, education, and support. Since it was established in response to an Executive Order in 1979, WBOO has provided training, counseling, technical assistance, access to credit and capital, as well as marketing opportunities to women.

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit https://www.sba.gov.