Women’s Business Center - Initial Phase Grant | OWBO 2019 01 1

Opportunity Information: Apply for OWBO 2019 01 1

The Women’s Business Center (WBC) - Initial Phase Grant is a Small Business Administration (SBA) funding opportunity designed to launch a new, community-based Women’s Business Center serving the state of Idaho. The SBA intends to make one award to a single nonprofit organization that will establish and operate this new center, with a focus on delivering hands-on business technical assistance to women entrepreneurs at different stages, including both aspiring (nascent) business owners and established small business operators. The grant is structured to help create a clearly identifiable WBC program that can either stand alone or operate within a larger economic development organization, as long as the WBC remains a distinct and recognizable project with its own services and outcomes.

The assistance funded through this program centers on practical training and advising that helps women start, grow, and manage businesses. Core service areas explicitly include finance, management, and marketing, with the flexibility to provide other forms of technical assistance as allowed in the announcement. A key requirement is that the WBC’s client base must include a representative number of socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, meaning the center’s outreach and service delivery should intentionally reach populations that face barriers to business ownership and growth.

The award is issued as a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, which generally indicates a closer working relationship with the SBA during implementation and oversight. The performance period begins with a 6-month base period meant to support the initial launch phase. After that, the SBA may choose to exercise up to four additional 12-month option periods (effectively allowing support for multiple years), but those extensions depend on continued availability of federal funding and satisfactory performance by the WBC during prior periods.

Financially, the opportunity has an award ceiling of $150,000, and the SBA expects to make one total award. The program falls under CFDA (Assistance Listing) 59.043 and is categorized under Business and Commerce. The legal authority for the program is grounded in the Small Business Act, specifically Sections 2(h) and 29 (15 U.S.C. 631(h) and 656), as amended.

A major component of this opportunity is the cost-sharing (matching) requirement for non-federal entities. For the base period and the first option year, the recipient must provide one non-federal dollar for every two federal dollars (a 1:2 match). For years three through five, the match becomes dollar-for-dollar (1:1). At least 50% of the required match must be provided in cash, which can include program income such as fees earned from services. The remaining portion of the match may be met through in-kind contributions, allowing the organization to count certain non-cash support (such as donated space, equipment, or volunteer professional services) toward the requirement, consistent with federal cost principles.

Administratively, the opportunity was posted by the SBA with a creation date of February 12, 2019, and an original closing date of March 28, 2019. Eligibility is limited to a nonprofit entity (described in the announcement as “Others,” with additional eligibility details provided in the FOA), and the intent is to select an organization capable of building a sustainable WBC presence in Idaho that delivers measurable technical assistance and maintains the program’s distinct identity even if housed within a broader host organization.

• The Small Business Administration in the business and commerce sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Women’s Business Center - Initial Phase Grant" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 59.043.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 12, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 28, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for OWBO 2019 01 1

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