Funding Wizard

South Dakota Only - The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 provides that STEP grants may be awarded only to “States,” meaning any of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. Therefore, only non-Federal entities that meet this definition are eligible to apply for, and administer an award under this Notice of Funding Opportunity. For purposes of this Notice of Funding Opportunity, the term “eligible non-Federal entity” means a State agency or other entity that, prior to the date of application for this Announcement, has been officially designated by the State Governor, or equivalent thereof (e.g., Mayor of the District of Columbia), as the sole applicant and lead entity for conducting the State’s trade and export activities.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity is to invite proposals for funding from eligible non-profit organizations, local and state government agencies, private sector firm and institutions of higher education to provide quality training and counseling to veteran small business owners and entrepreneurs. A key component of this Funding Opportunity is for applicants to provide training to transitioning military personnel and spouses through the Boots to Business (B2B) Training Program and to veterans and military spouses through the Reboot Training Program. Additionally, applicants will provide counseling, training, technical and financial skill development, comprehensive business assessments and mentoring services to veteran, active duty, Reserve, National Guard, military spouse and family member entrepreneurs, and small business owners interested in starting, expanding and diversifying small businesses. This Funding Opportunity is subject to the availability of funding.

In 2021, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received 847,376 complaints regarding cyberattacks and malicious cyber activity with nearly $7 billion in losses, the majority of which targeted small businesses. Small businesses are attractive targets because they have information that cybercriminals want, and they typically lack the security infrastructure of larger businesses. According to a recent SBA survey, 88% of small business owners felt their business was vulnerable to a cyber-attack. Yet many businesses can’t afford professional IT solutions, have limited time to devote to cybersecurity, or they don’t know where to begin. The Consolidated Appropriations Acts, 2022 and 2023, authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration to make grants to States, and the equivalent thereof, to carry out projects that help new small business concerns with tools to combat cybersecurity threats during their formative and most vulnerable years.

Eligible organizations (as defined in Section 3.2) may apply to SBA for awards under this Funding Opportunity to fund projects to provide management and technical assistance to firms eligible to receive 7(j) assistance (as defined in Section 8.1.1). This Funding Opportunity seeks proposals that are unique and innovative in the substance of the assistance to be provided to eligible participants, and/or the methodology by which the assistance is provided. Applicants may not propose efforts which duplicate SBA’s ongoing array of management and technical assistance services, in substance and/or method of delivery. Accordingly, SBA is seeking proposal of efforts that: · Outline innovative approaches to address the current, unique challenges facing 8(a) and 7(j) eligible firms. · Provide one-on-one assistance, either in-person, virtually, or a combination, as appropriate, to SBA’s 7(j) eligible small businesses. Assistance should include one-on-one consulting in a wide range of activities and topics including but not limited to the following areas: accounting, marketing, strategic and operational planning, financial analysis, business development, contract management, compliance, and business-related software.

The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (HR 644), signed into law on February 24, 2016, made the State Trade Expansion Program a permanent provision of the Small Business Act to make grants to States, and the equivalent thereof, to carry out projects that support develop exports by eligible small business concerns (ESBCs) (as defined in Section 8.1.5). The objective of STEP is to increase (1) the number of U.S. small businesses that export, (2) the dollar value of exports, and (3) the number of U.S. small businesses exploring significant new trade opportunities (as defined in 8.1.15).

Under 15 U.S.C. § 649(l), the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) authorizes SBA to make grants to States, and the equivalent thereof, to carry out projects that help develop exports by eligible small business concerns (ESBCs) (as defined in Section 8.1.5) . The objective of STEP is to increase (1) the number of U.S. small businesses that export, (2) the dollar value of exports, and (3) the number of U.S. small businesses exploring significant new trade opportunities (as defined in 8.1.15).

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity is to invite proposals for funding from experienced microlending organizations, national and regional nonprofit organizations that have demonstrated experience in providing training support for microenterprise development. Funding awarded under this announcement will be used to provide technical assistance for intermediaries participating in the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan Program to ensure that such intermediaries have the knowledge, skills, and understanding of microlending practice necessary to operate successful SBA microloan programs.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity is to invite proposals for funding from eligible non-profit organizations, local and state government agencies, private sector firm and institutions of higher education to provide quality training and counseling to veteran small business owners and entrepreneurs. A key component of this Funding Opportunity is for applicants to provide training to transitioning military personnel and spouses through the Boots to Business (B2B) Training Program and to veterans and military spouses through the Reboot Training Program. Additionally, applicants will provide counseling, training, technical and financial skill development, comprehensive business assessments and mentoring services to veteran, active duty, Reserve, National Guard, military spouse and family member entrepreneurs, and small business owners interested in starting, expanding and diversifying small businesses.

The purpose of this Program Announcement is to invite proposals for funding from eligible private and non-profit organizations, state, local and tribal agencies, and institutions of higher learning to further build their capacity to market and deliver their existing entrepreneurship training program(s) to service-disabled veteran, veteran entrepreneurs and Reserve Component members who aspire to be small business owners or currently own a small business.

The mission of SBA’s Office of Innovation & Technology, which bears responsibility for administering the FAST program, is to strengthen the technological competitiveness of small businesses across the country through coordination and oversight of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The primary mission of the FAST program is to help underrepresented entrepreneurs successfully compete for SBIR/STTR awards.