The U.S. Small Business Administration today announced grant funding and the historic launch of 20 new Women’s Business Centers (WBC) across America to serve rural, urban and underserved communities alike.
The opening of the 20 new WBCs is the largest single expansion of WBCs across America in its 30-year tenure, and these centers will be pivotal to the success of women-owned businesses as they continue to recover during this time. The WBCs will be hosted in rural and underserved markets and widen the footprint and partnership with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
“Over the past several months, we have seen Women’s Business Centers provide aid to our nation’s innovative and determined entrepreneurs, allowing countless small business owners to pivot with confidence to stay afloat during the pandemic,” said SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza. “Expanding the WBC program is part of this administration’s longstanding commitment to the success of female entrepreneurs and women-owned small businesses. Adding these new Women’s Business Centers to the already existing network of centers across America will boost timely resources to our nation’s female economic drivers, providing them with local training and counseling.”
SBA’s WBCs are a national network of 136 centers that offer one-on-one counseling, training, networking, workshops, technical assistance, and mentoring to women entrepreneurs on numerous business development topics, including business startup, financial management, marketing, and procurement.
In addition to opening these 20 new WBCs, SBA will launch Ascent, a free digital e-learning platform geared to help women entrepreneurs grow and expand their businesses. A live webinar is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET this Thursday, Jan. 7. Register here.
The 20 new WBCs began opening Jan. 1 in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Georgia, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.
To learn more about SBA’s programs and services for women entrepreneurs, visit online at www.sba.gov/women, and to find other WBC locations and SBA resources, visit www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance.
