The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced it would hold a national competition for $6 million in grant funding.
The competition is part of a new Women’s Business Center (WBC) Modernization Initiative, that will establish state Lead Centers supported by local Service Center in selected states to create a network of support for small business formation and growth. The competition is funded by statutorily obligated funds and is limited to applicants in states and territories where existing WBC funding has not kept pace with the number of women entrepreneurs: Florida, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
“Amid record business formation in 2026, the WBC Modernization Initiative is designed to deliver a broader range of statewide resources for women entrepreneurs where business starts are growing the fastest – but where funding has fallen behind. By building coordinated networks of Lead and Service Centers, SBA is aligning counseling, training, and access to capital in a single, connected statewide system that keeps pace with entrepreneurs’ needs and helps more women start and grow businesses that create jobs and strengthen communities nationwide,” SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said. “American taxpayers deserve to know that any dollar deployed is being managed for return on investment.”
Established during the Reagan Administration, the WBC Program offers training and resources to advance women’s entrepreneurship. Since then, officials said, the demand for WBC services has outgrown its original footprint. The Modernization Initiative uses a population-based formula to help state with limited WBC coverage build statewide networks to expand access to counseling, training and capital for entrepreneurs.
The grants will be available to organizations in the selected states and territories, but the eligible applicants must provide services, especially technical support, to entrepreneurs; be organized and incorporated in the U.S.; be a private not-for-profit or non-profit corporation with an active tax-exempt status certification from the IRS, and have an internal financial management system that meets federal requirements.
Proposal submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 10.