FY 2024 SBDC Program

Background
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is inviting proposals for funding from entities that are current recipients of an SBA Small Business Development Center (SBDC) award. The SBDC Program is the SBA’s largest matching grant-funded program providing quality service to the small business community. It has 63 Recipient Organizations, one in each state, and is responsible for establishing a Lead Center and a network of partner Service Centers to cover its designated area of service. The program links the resources of Federal, state and local governments with the resources of the educational community and the private sector to provide assistance to the small business community.

Grant Details
The purpose of this funding opportunity is to fund an SBDC Program to deliver professional, high-quality, individualized business advising and technical assistance to existing small businesses and pre-venture entrepreneurs.
The SBDCs will provide problem-solving assistance to help small businesses access capital, develop and exchange new technologies, improve business planning, strategy, operations, financial management, personnel administration, marketing, export assistance, sales, and other areas required for small business growth and expansion.
Applicants selected for awards are required to maximize their efforts to leverage SBA funding by working in conjunction with SBA District Offices and other Federal, state, local and tribal government small business development programs and activities; SBA resource partners such as SCORE, Women’s Business Centers (WBCs), Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOCs), SBA Community Navigators, 7(j) Technical Assistance providers, Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs), U.S. Export Assistance Centers (USEACs), Certified Development Companies (CDCs) and SBA lenders; universities, colleges, and other institutions of higher education; and private organizations such as chambers of commerce.

Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for this funding opportunity an Applicant must be an existing SBDC Lead Center currently funded by SBA and meet the Accreditation requirement for SBDC Program renewal under § 21(k)(3)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. § 648(k)(3)(B)). An organization may NOT submit more than one proposal per geographic community in response to this Funding Opportunity.

Period of Performance
The period of performance for this award is two years starting from January 1, 2024.

Grant Value
The funding amount for the SBDC Program for fiscal year 2024 will be funded at the level appropriated by Congress. Awards will be made for a two-year period of performance with a matching requirement where funds are distributed among the States on a per capita basis subject to the amount of appropriation in any given fiscal year.

Place of Performance
The specific geographic location(s) where the grant will be performed include each state with a Lead Center responsible for establishing a network of partner Service Centers.