To fund private, nonprofit organizations to assist,
through training and counseling, small business concerns owned and controlled
by women, and to remove, in so far as possible, the discriminatory barriers
that are encountered by women in accessing capital and promoting their
businesses.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
To establish women's business centers (WBC) for the benefit of small business
concerns owned and controlled by women. The services and assistance provided
by the women's business centers must include financial, management,
procurement and marketing to start-up or established on-going concerns. Annual
awards are issued through a 5-year term to successful applicants. Also,
Previously funded centers that have completed an award cycle may compete to
receive additional funding through a 5-year term under the 4-year pilot
program established under the Women's Business Center Sustainability Act of
1999. Women's Business Center awards are not individuals for starting or
expanding a business.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility: Private, nonprofit
organizations having experience in effectively training and counseling
business women. Public educational institutions and State and local
governments are not eligible.
Beneficiary Eligibility: Women entrepreneurs
starting their own business or expanding their existing business.
Pre-application Coordination: This program is
excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure: Applications are accepted
in accordance with and up to the date specified in the annual program
announcement. The applicant must complete the Application for Federal
Assistance (Standard Forms 424, 424A and 424B) and submit a written proposal
addressing all of the selection criteria stated in the program announcement.
The applicant must submit applications/proposals by the application closing
date to the SBA Office of Procurement and Grants Management, 5th Floor, 409
3rd Street, SW., Washington DC 20416.
Award Procedure: Proposals of eligible applicants
are evaluated by a review panel. Candidates for sustainability awards also
undergo a site review. The SBA/Office of Procurement and Grants Management
issues an award to each approved applicant.
Deadlines: Applications/proposals must be
submitted by the date indicated in the Program Announcement.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Within 120
days from filing deadline.
Appeals: Not applicable.
Renewals: Annual option awards are issued to
successful award recipients through a 5-year term without re-competition.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements: Of the
appropriation made available to the WBC program, administrative costs ranges
from 1.6 to 2 percent from fiscal years 2000 through 2003. During that period,
the following percentages must be reserved for sustainability awards: (1) for
Federal fiscal year 2000, 17%; (2) for fiscal year 2001, 18.8%; (3) for fiscal
year 2002, 30.2%; (4) for fiscal year 2003, 30.2%. Remaining program funds
must be issued to annually award recipients of new and continuing projects.
The recipient organization must obtain cash contributions from nonfederal
sources to match the Federal award. Up to one-half of the nonfederal matching
assistance may be in the form of in-kind contributions. The match requirement
for recipients through the 5-year term is as follows: one nonfederal dollar
for each two Federal dollars in the first and second years; and one nonfederal
dollar for each Federal dollar in the third, fourth and fifth years. The match
requirement for sustainability awards is One nonfederal dollar for each
Federal dollar each year through the 5-year term. The Administration may
disburse up to 25 percent of each year's Federal share awarded to a recipient
organization after notice of the award has been issued and before the
nonfederal sector matching funds are obtained.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: The annual
performance period begins July 1 and ends June 30 of the following calendar
year. Successful projects may be funded through a 5-year term without
re-competition.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports: Quarterly performance and financial reports
are due in October, January, April and July of each 12-month performance
period. Each project report must include statistical data. Two reports,
January and July, must include a narrative description of project activities.
The Administrator prepares an annual report to the Committees on Small
Business of the House of Representatives and the Senate on the effectiveness
of all projects. Performance report must provide WBC client information
concerning: (1) The number of individuals assisted; (2) the number of hours of
counseling and training provided and workshops conducted; (3) the number of
startup business concerns formed; (4) any available gross receipts of assisted
concerns; (5) increases or decreases in profits of assisted concerns; and (6)
the employment increases or decreases of assisted concerns.
Audits: The SBA will conduct an annual
programmatic and financial examination of each Women's Business Center. Also,
the award recipient must follow audit requirements as prescribed in OMB
Circular No. A-133, as applicable.
Records: The awardee shall maintain and submit
detailed, complete and accurate client activity records to reflect clearly the
nature and variety of services provided. Financial records must be kept until
3 years after the completion and submission of the final report.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification: 73-0100-0-1-376.
Obligations: (Cooperative Agreements) FY 01
$9,000,000; FY 02 est $12,000,000; and FY 03 est $12,000,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance: From $75,000 to $150,000.
In fiscal year 2001, training and counseling was offered at 71 centers across
the nation. In addition to regular services, centers provided mentoring and
internet services. All centers provide content and maintenance services to the
Online Women's Business Center on the Internet, www.onlinewbc.gov.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
OMB Circulars A-110, A- 122, A-21, A-133.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office: Women's Business Ownership
Representative. See Appendix IV of the Catalog for a listing of the Small
Business Administration offices.
Headquarters Office: Small Business
Administration, Office of Women's Business Ownership, 409 Third Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20416. Telephone: (202) 205-6673. Use the same number for FTS.
Contact: Sally Murrell.
Web Site Address: http://www.sba.gov/womeninbusiness.
EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
A typical project funded is the Women's Economic Self Sufficiency Team in
Albuquerque, NM. The project provides in-depth and quality training and
counseling to women entrepreneurs in Las Cruces and Farmington, NM.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
As stated in each solicitation for proposals, but including: (1) Applicant's
experience in conducting programs or ongoing efforts designed to impart or
upgrade the business skills of women business owners or potential owners; (2)
present ability of applicant to commence a project within a minimum amount of
time; (3) ability of applicant to provide business development, management and
technical assistance training and services to a representative number of women
who are both socially and economically disadvantaged; (4) location for the
women's business center site proposed by the applicant; (5) services and
activities to be offered to small businesses owned or controlled by women or
women entrepreneurs and other clients; (6) internal organization, structure,
and activities of applicant; (7) plans for coordination with SBA and other
community and small business organizations; (8) plans for raising matching
funds and other financial plans; and (9) States and territories without a WBC.
