Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2014

Summary: Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2014 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Small Business Act with respect to the authority of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to use certain SBA programs, including the small business development center (SBDC) program, to provide grants, financial assistance, loans, export assistance, and subcontracting opportunities on federal contracts to specified small businesses, organizations, state governments, universities, companies, and other entities that provide assistance to smaller enterprises. Declares that the SBA shall only use such programs to deliver entrepreneurial development services, entrepreneurial education, business incubation services, growth acceleration services, support for the development and maintenance of clusters, or business training. Makes such program requirements inapplicable to services provided to assist small business concerns owned by an Indian tribe. Directs the SBA to report annually to specified congressional committees regarding all entrepreneurial development activities undertaken in the current fiscal year. Requires such report to include: (1) a description of the process used to award grants under each program and activity; (2) a list of all awardees, contractors, and vendors; and (3) the amount of funding obligated for the current fiscal year for each program and activity. (Sec. 3) Bars the SBA from prohibiting applicants receiving grants under the SBDC program from marketing and advertising their services to individuals and small businesses. (Sec. 4) Revises privacy requirements under such program to specify that SBDCs (including consortia and affiliated contractors or agents) are prohibited, subject to existing exceptions, from disclosing the name, address, or telephone number of any individual or small business concern receiving assistance to any state, local, or federal agency or third party. (Sec. 5) Directs the SBA to consult with SBDC associations to develop documents governing data collection activities related to applicants receiving grants. Requires the SBA to report annually to specified congressional committees regarding such data collection activities. (Sec. 6) Prohibits participation in private partnerships and cosponsorships with the SBA from limiting SBDCs from collecting fees or other income related to the operation of such partnerships and cosponsorships. (Sec. 7) Removes a limitation on the amount of funds the SBA may use to pay the examination expenses of the SBDC accreditation program. (Sec. 8) Prohibits the SBA from awarding grants (including contracts and cooperative agreements) under the SBDC program to any entity other than those that: (1) received such grants prior to September 30, 2014, and (2) seek to renew such grants after such date. Exempts not-for-profit institutions of higher education from such prohibition. (Sec. 9) Authorizes the SBA to permit SBDCs to provide certain problem-solving assistance to a small business concern located outside the state, without regard to geographic proximity, if it is located in a presidentially-declared major disaster area, during the period of the declaration. Requires a SBDC that provides counselors to such an area to ensure continuity of services in any state in which the SBDC otherwise provides services. Requires the SBA to permit SBDC personnel to use any SBA designated site or facility for use to provide disaster recovery assistance. (Sec. 10) Requires SBDC services to include educating unemployed individuals on entrepreneurship and working with them to start new businesses.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Small Business Development Centers 
Improvement Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. USE OF AUTHORIZED ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.

    The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end the following:

``SEC. 48. USE OF AUTHORIZED ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.

    ``(a) Expanded Support for Entrerpreneurs.--
            ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        law, the Administrator shall only use the programs authorized 
        in sections 7(j), 7(m), 8(a), 8(b)(1), 21, 22, 29, and 32 of 
        this Act, and sections 358 and 389 of the Small Business 
        Investment Act to deliver entrepreneurial development services, 
        entrepreneurial education, business incubation services, growth 
        acceleration services, support for the development and 
        maintenance of clusters, or business training.
            ``(2) Exception.--This section shall not apply to services 
        provided to assist small business concerns owned by an Indian 
        tribe.
    ``(b) Annual Report.--Beginning on the first December 1 after the 
date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall annually 
report to the Committee on Small Business of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Small Business and 
Entrepreneurship of the Senate on all entrepreneurial development 
activities undertaken in the current fiscal year. This report shall 
include--
            ``(1) a description and operating details for each program 
        and activity;
            ``(2) operating circulars, manuals, and standard operating 
        procedures for each program and activity;
            ``(3) a description of the process used to award grants 
        under each program and activity;
            ``(4) a list of all awardees, contractors, and vendors 
        (including organization name and location) and the amount of 
        awards for the current fiscal year for each program and 
        activity;
            ``(5) the amount of funding obligated for the current 
        fiscal year for each program and activity; and
            ``(6) the names and titles for those individuals 
        responsible for each program and activity.''.

SEC. 3. MARKETING OF SERVICES.

    Section 21 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
    ``(o) No Prohibition of Marketing of Services.--The Administrator 
shall not prohibit applicants receiving grants under this section from 
marketing and advertising their services to individuals and small 
businesses.''.

SEC. 4. CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIREMENTS.

    Section 21(a)(7)(A) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
648(a)(7)(A)) is amended by inserting after ``under this section'' the 
following: ``to any State, local or Federal agency or third party''.

SEC. 5. DATA COLLECTION.

    (a) In General.--Section 21(a)(3)(A) of the Small Business Act (15 
U.S.C. 648(a)(3)(A)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (ii), by striking ``as provided in this 
        section and'' and inserting ``as provided in this section,''; 
        and
            (2) by inserting before the period at the end the 
        following: ``, and (iv) governing data collection activities 
        related to applicants receiving grants under this section''.
    (b) Annual Report on Data Collection.--Section 21 of the Small 
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648), as amended by section 3 of this Act, is 
further amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(p) Annual Report on Data Collection.--The Administrator shall 
report annually to the Committee on Small Business of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Small Business and 
Entrepreneurship of the Senate on data collection activities related to 
the Small Business Development Center program.''.

SEC. 6. MATCHMAKING AND OTHER EVENTS.

    Section 21(a)(3)(C) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
648(a)(3)(C)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(C) Such participation in private partnerships and 
        cosponsorships with the Administration shall not limit Small 
        Business Development Centers from collecting fees or other 
        income related to the operation of such partnerships and 
        cosponsorships.''.

SEC. 7. EQUITY FOR SBDCS.

    Section 21(a)(4)(C)(v)(I) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
648(a)(4)(C)(v)(I)) is amended--
            (1) in item (aa), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
        period; and
            (2) by striking item (bb).

SEC. 8. AWARD OF GRANTS TO SBDCS.

    Section 21 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648), as amended by 
sections 3 and 5 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end 
the following:
    ``(q) Limitation on Award of Grants.--Except for not-for-profit 
institutions of higher education, notwithstanding any provision of law, 
the Administrator shall not award grants (including contracts and 
cooperative agreements) under this section to any entity other than 
those that received grants (including contracts and cooperative 
agreements) under this section prior to September 30, 2014, and that 
seek to renew such grants (including contracts and cooperative 
agreements) after such date.''.

SEC. 9. DISASTER REFORMS.

    Section 21(b)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648(b)(3)) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``(3) At the discretion'' and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(3) Assistance to out-of-state small businesses.--
                    ``(A) In general.--At the discretion''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) Disaster recovery assistance.--
                            ``(i) In general.--At the discretion of the 
                        Administrator, the Administrator may authorize 
                        a small business development center to provide 
                        assistance, as described in subsection (c), to 
                        a small business concern located outside of the 
                        State, without regard to geographic proximity, 
                        if the small business concern is located in an 
                        area for which the President has declared a 
                        major disaster under section 401 of the Robert 
                        T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
                        Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), during the 
                        period of the declaration.
                            ``(ii) Continuity of services.--A small 
                        business development center that provides 
                        counselors to an area described in clause (i) 
                        shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
                        ensure continuity of services in any State in 
                        which the small business development center 
                        otherwise provides services.
                            ``(iii) Access to disaster recovery 
                        facilities.--For purposes of this subparagraph, 
                        the Administrator shall, to the maximum extent 
                        practicable, permit the personnel of a small 
                        business development center to use any site or 
                        facility designated by the Administrator for 
                        use to provide disaster recovery assistance.''.

SEC. 10. INCLUSIONS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING FOR UNEMPLOYED 
              INDIVIDUALS.

    Section 21(c)(3)(A) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
648(c)(3)(A)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (iii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in clause (iv), by inserting ``and'' at the end; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(v) educating unemployed individuals on 
                entrepreneurship and working with such individuals to 
                start new businesses;''.