WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Hillary Scholten (D-MI-03), member of the House Small Business Committee (SBC) and Vice Chair of the Democratic Women's Caucus, introduced the Women's Business Centers Improvement Act of 2026 alongside Representative Sharice Davids(D-KS-03).This bill would reauthorize the Women's Business Center (WBC) program to ensure that women entrepreneurs across the country have access to essential advising and technical training services.

"Women's Business Centers have advanced women's entrepreneurship and strengthened America's Main Streets for nearly 40 years," saidCongresswoman Scholten. "They support over 241,000 jobs and $16 billion in wages across the country, and generate $23 in economic activity for every taxpayer dollar invested. Despite this incredible rate of return on investment, WBCs face a complete funding cut in upcoming budget packages, which is unacceptable. My bill would protect this critical program and provide the funding it deserves."

"Supporting women entrepreneurs isn't just the right thing to do - it's smart economic policy. When we help more small businesses grow and succeed, we create jobs, strengthen local economies, and keep America competitive. This legislation will help connect more women business owners with the resources they need to keep building the next generation of successful businesses," said Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS-03).

"Women are at the center of the American economy, owning an estimated 42 percent of all U.S. businesses. For decades, Women's Business Centers have given these entrepreneurs the counseling, training, and access to capital they need to start and grow their companies, including in rural and underserved communities where few other resources exist," said Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY-7), Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee. "This program delivers real results, sustaining hundreds of thousands of jobs and returning many times what taxpayers put in. Yet instead of building on that record, the administration wants to zero out its funding. This bill strengthens and updates the WBC program so women entrepreneurs across the country can continue to access these services for years to come. I thank Reps. Scholten and Davids for their leadership, and I'm proud to support this legislation."

"The Association of Women's Business Centers is grateful to see legislation introduced to reauthorize and modernize the Women's Business Center program in a way that reflects our network's priorities. This bill enacts reforms our centers have long championed, including five-year grant terms, an updated grant cap, and a formal accreditation program. In 2025, Women's Business Centers supported and sustained more than 241,000 jobs and generated $23 in economic activity for every taxpayer dollar invested. This legislation ensures the program can keep pace with the needs of the 15.7 million women entrepreneurs we serve. We thank the bill's sponsors for their leadership," said Corinne Goble, CEO of the Association of Women's Business Centers.

Women's Business Centers (WBCs) are part of the Small Business Administration's (SBA) broader entrepreneurial support program. The program supports over 130 nonprofit organizations nationwide that offer advising and training focused primarily on women entrepreneurs, including 3 in Michigan. To make these services more accessible, many WBCs offer support in multiple languages, hold hours in the evenings and on weekends for clients balancing full-time work, and let mothers bring their children along to training sessions. Despite the success of this program, SBA's proposed FY 2027 budget would cut all funding for the program. Continued funding is essential to ensure women entrepreneurs can keep accessing these services.

This bill reflects the Congresswoman's ongoing efforts to support small business owners in Michigan and across the country. Earlier this year, Congresswoman Scholten's bipartisan Investing in All of America Act was signed into law, and her Main Street Competes Act unanimously passed the House.

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