State Small Business Credit Initiative 

Technical Assistance Application Approvals

Announced November 2023

1. Alaska: Alaska, approved for $654,712 in SSBCI allocation formula-based technical 

assistance (TA) grant funding, will work with the Alaska Small Business Development 

Center (Alaska SBDC) within the University of Alaska at Anchorage to provide legal, 

accounting, and financial advisory services (TA services) to companies preparing to 

apply for support from state and/or federal small business programs, including connecting 

companies directly with the state’s SSBCI-supported loan and equity programs. The 

Alaska SBDC will provide mentorship, networking opportunities and one-on-one 

training, including multi-lingual services to meet the needs of underserved businesses and 

VSBs and connect them directly with support for TA services. The Alaska SBDC 

anticipates assisting 250 companies through the TA grant program and estimates that this 

will result in 210 applications for funding and 105 successfully funded applications. 

2. Arizona: Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), approved for $3.8 million in technical 

assistance grant funding, will provide legal, accounting, and financial advisory services to 

companies preparing to apply for support from state and/or federal small business 

programs, including connecting companies directly with its SSBCI-supported debt and 

equity capital programs. The ACA will provide TA services through peer groups, group 

mentoring, and one-on-one support and will supplement these services through outreach 

events and assistance provided by partner CDFIs, ultimately connecting underserved 

businesses and VSBs directly with support for legal, accounting, and financial advisory 

services. The Arizona Commerce Authority anticipates assisting 400 companies through 

the technical assistance program and estimates that this will result in 100 successfully 

funded applications. 

3. Arkansas: Arkansas, approved for $2.0 million in SSBCI allocation formula-based 

technical assistance (TA) grant funding, will utilize the Arkansas Small Business and 

Technology Development Center (ASBTDC) based at the University of Arkansas at 

Little Rock to provide legal, accounting, and financial advisory services (TA services) to 

companies preparing to apply for funding from state and/or federal small business 

programs and connect companies directly with its SSBCI-supported capital programs. 

The ASBTDC will provide training events for potential SSBCI loan applicants on topics 

such as business credit, financial literacy, and the capital acquisition process. These 

events will help the ASBTDC identify borrowers in need of one-on-one consulting before 

submitting their application to a lender. The ASBTDC anticipates training 750 small 

businesses throughout the five-year program and providing individual consulting to 875 

small businesses, resulting in 230 applications to the state’s SSBCI capital programs. 
4. Idaho: Idaho, approved for $1,031,720 in SSBCI Technical Assistance grant funding, 

will work with the Idaho SBDC at Boise State University to provide legal, accounting, 

and financial advisory services to companies preparing to apply for support from state 

and/or federal small business programs, including connecting companies directly with its 

SSBCI-supported capital programs. The technical assistance program will combine 

traditional in-person advising with an online educational platform designed to educate 

underserved and VSBs on the SSBCI-funded capital program and to connect them with 

legal, accounting, and/or financial advisory services. The Idaho SBDC anticipates 

meaningfully engaging nearly 800 small businesses and maintaining a 90% client 

satisfaction score for the provision of these services.

5. Indiana: Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), approved for $2.8 

million in SSBCI allocation formula-based technical assistance (TA) grant funding, will 

provide legal, accounting, and financial advisory services (TA services) to companies 

preparing to apply for state and/or federal small business capital programs including 

connecting companies directly with the IEDC’s lending-based SSBCI capital programs. 

The TA services provided will specifically focus on providing financial counseling and 

training to underserved and very small businesses submitting applications under the 

state’s SSBCI capital programs. The IEDC anticipates that it will serve 1,000+ businesses 

over the 5-year period of performance and plans to track the applications submitted to 

SSBCI and other capital programs with the goal of increasing the number of applicants 

and successful loan applications. 

6. Iowa: Iowa, approved for $1,396,269 in SSBCI allocation formula-based technical 

assistance (TA) grant funding, will work with America’s Small Business Development 

Center (SBDC) Iowa to provide legal, accounting, and financial advisory (TA services) to 

companies preparing to apply for support from state and/or federal small business 

programs, including connecting companies directly with the state’s SSBCI-supported 

loan participation and venture capital programs. The SBDC will provide outreach and 

training events as well as one-on-one counseling to connect underserved and very small 

businesses directly with TA providers. America’s SBDC Iowa anticipates that it will 

provide training to 620 companies, engage 1315 clients in one-one-one counseling, and 

assist 205 companies with the submission of applications to the state’s SSBCI capital 

programs. 

7. Louisiana: Louisiana, approved for $3.0 million in SSBCI allocation formula-based 

technical assistance (TA) grant funding, will utilize the Louisiana Department of 

Economic Development (LED) to provide TA services to companies preparing to apply 

for support from state and/or federal small business programs and connect companies 

directly with the state’s SSBCI-supported capital programs, particularly the collateral 

support, micro-lending, and loan guaranty programs. LED will identify resource 

providers, programs, and events throughout the state in order to create a searchable listing 
of the small business ecosystem in the state to make these resources more accessible to its 

small businesses. LED will also build upon its multi-layered approach to assist small 

businesses based on development stage, with services including mentoring, classroom 

training and peer-to-peer roundtables, to work with small business support organizations 

across the state as partners in the delivery of TA services through training offerings, as 

well as direct one-on-one counseling. This assistance will focus on preparing underserved 

and very small businesses to access capital to increase in the number of successful 

applications to the state’s SSBCI capital program, as well as improve the businesses’

capacity for sustainability and growth. 

8. Maine: Maine, approved for $806,715 in SSBCI TA grant funding, will work with the 

Maine Small Business Development Center (SBDC), within the University of Southern 

Maine, to provide TA services to companies preparing to apply for support from state 

and/or federal small business programs, including connecting companies directly with its 

SSBCI-supported loan and equity capital programs. The Maine SBDC will provide 

business advising and training, in a group setting and one-on-one, to meet the needs of 

underserved and very small businesses and connect them directly with TA providers. The 

Maine SBDC anticipates that it will assist 850 small businesses, resulting in 160 

applications to the state’s SSBCI capital programs and 105 successfully funded 

applications. 

9. Maryland: University of Maryland, Maryland Small Business Development Center (MD 

SBDC), approved for $3.3 million in TA grant funding will utilize the Maryland Business 

Opportunity Center (MBOC) to provide legal, accounting, and financial advisory services 

to companies preparing to apply for support from state and/or federal small business 

programs, including connecting companies directly with its SSBCI-supported capital 

programs. The MBOC, which is managed by the MD SBDC, will connect underserved 

and very small businesses and VSBs with existing academic, government, nonprofit, and 

business efforts that provide planning, financing, and other services to entrepreneurs, 

engage business owners to serve as mentors, and provide networking opportunities for 

underrepresented MD business owners. 

10. Michigan: Michigan, specifically the Michigan Economic Development Corporation 

(MEDC), approved for $5,290,360 in SSBCI technical assistance grant funding, will 

oversee the provision of local legal, accounting, and financial advisory services to 

companies preparing to apply for support from state and/or federal small business 

programs, including connecting companies directly with its SSBCI-supported loan 

guarantee program. MEDC will work with nine technical assistance providers to deliver 

technical assistance, particularly in the areas of financial loan preparedness and the 

development of financial statements as well as wrap around support for borrowers, to 

support underserved businesses and VSBs. MEDC anticipates supporting 1,000 small 

businesses, of which 500 will receive pre-loan technical assistance services and 500 will 

receive post loan close technical assistance, 337 will be approved for loan funding, and 
125 will increase their personal or business credit score. 

11. Mississippi: University of Mississippi, Small Business Development Center (Mississippi 

SBDC), approved for $2.3 million in technical assistance grant funding, will provide 

legal, accounting, and financial advisory services to companies preparing to apply for 

support from state and/or federal small business programs and connect companies 

directly with its SSBCI-supported capital programs. Mississippi SBDC will utilize 5 

business counselors across the state to facilitate outreach, training, and individual 

business assistance, connecting small businesses directly with support from underserved 

legal, accounting, and/or financial advisory service providers. Mississippi SBDC 

anticipates assisting approximately 1540 small businesses over the five-year program 

with individual counseling, resulting in 240 completed capital applications. 

12. New Hampshire: Department of Business and Economic Affairs approved for $756,778 

in SSBCI technical assistance grant funding, will utilize the New Hampshire Small 

Business Development Center (NH SBDC) to provide legal, accounting, and financial 

advisory services to companies preparing to apply for support from state and/or federal 

small business programs, including connecting companies directly with its SSBCIsupported capital programs. The NH SBDC will contract with local consulting small 

businesses (including attorneys, accountants, and financial consultants) to provide up to 

five hours of specialized consulting to underserved businesses and VSBs. 

13. North Dakota: North Dakota Department of Commerce approved for $572,143 in 

SSBCI technical assistance grant funding will utilize ILT Academy to provide legal, 

accounting, and financial advisory services to underserved and very small businesses 

preparing to apply for support from state and/or federal small business programs, 

including connecting companies directly with its SSBCI-supported capital programs. ILT 

Academy will deliver intensive training, education and one-on-one coaching while 

providing networking opportunities and direct introductions to underserved businesses 

and VSBs. The ND Department of Commerce and ILT Academy anticipate assisting 

beneficiary businesses with clarifying business concepts, creating feasible and viable 

financial business models, and providing financial advisory support throughout the 

program to maximize the chances of successful funding and growth. 

14. Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development 

(DCED) approved for $5.5 million will utilize Kutztown University, which hosts the 

Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center, to provide legal, accounting, and 

financial advisory services to companies preparing to apply for support from state and/or 

federal small business programs and connect companies directly with its SSBCIsupported capital programs. The Pennsylvania DCED will work with the SBDC and 

administer SSBCI TA services, to deliver in-person classroom and one-on-one 

consulting. Advising, coaching and mentoring, no cost business legal services, for fee 
accounting, and/or financial loan packaging services if the business requires more support 

than what the SSBCI TA team can deliver. The program will include new MasterMind 

peer-to-peer learning groups that will be formed around common themes that members of 

the group come together monthly to resolve. The PA DCED anticipates serving 695 small 

businesses during the 5-year program with individual consulting, resulting in 417 

successful loan applications. 

15. Rhode Island: The state’s Department of Administration will use $773,624 in SSBCI 

allocation formula-based technical assistance (TA) grant funding to support the Rhode 

Island Commerce Corporation (RI Commerce) in providing legal, accounting, and 

financial advisory services (TA services) to underserved and very small businesses 

preparing to apply for support from state and/or federal small business programs, 

including connecting companies directly with the state’s SSBCI-supported capital 

programs. RI Commerce will provide ongoing outreach to underserved and very small 

business and will contract with vendors as necessary to assist these businesses directly 

with TA services needed so that they can compete more successfully for federal, state, 

local government, and commercial contracts. RI Commerce anticipates that it will 

provide technical assistance to 242 underserved and very small businesses and that this 

will result in 121 successful applications to the state’s SSBCI capital programs. 

16. South Carolina: South Carolina Jobs-Economic Development Authority (SC-JEDA) 

approved for $3.1 million in SSBCI technical assistance grant program will engage the 

South Carolina Small Business Development Center (SC-SBDC) hosted by the 

University of South Carolina to provide legal, accounting, and/or financial advisory 

services to underserved and very small businesses applying for support from state and/or 

federal small business programs, including connecting companies directly with its 

SSBCI-supported capital programs. The SC-SBDC will offer a series of training events 

throughout the state, networking opportunities with lenders, one-on-one assessments with 

business consultants, who will connect businesses directly with support for legal, 

accounting, and/or financial advisory services, as needed. The SC-SBDC anticipates that 

it will serve 560-618 small businesses through classroom training, provide counseling to 

2847 total small business clients, and that these services would result in 364 completed 

SSBCI capital applications. 

17. Tennessee: Tennessee, approved for $3.8 million in SSBCI Technical Assistance grant 

funding will utilize Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and it’s Tennessee Small 

Business Development Center network program who will work in cooperation with the 

university’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs to provide legal, accounting, 

and financial advisory services to companies preparing for support from state and/or 

federal small business programs and connect companies directly with its SSBCIsupported capital programs. MTSU will assess the needs of very small and underserved

businesses to refer them directly to legal, accounting, and or financial advisory services. 

MTSU anticipates that it will improve the closing rate of underserved and very small 
businesses applying to capital access and venture funding. 

18. Virginia: Virginia, approved for $4.1 million in SSBCI allocation formula-based 

technical assistance (TA) grant funding, will work with the Virginia Small Business 

Financing Authority (VSBFA) and its selected TA providers to offer legal, accounting, 

and financial advisory services (TA services) to small business owners preparing for 

capital support from small business programs and connect companies directly with 

funding sources. The technical assistance providers will offer one-on-one mentoring, 

workshops, webinars, job and resource fairs, and community events to underserved 

businesses and very small. The VSBFA anticipates providing assistance to 1,000 

beneficiaries through the TA grant program, resulting in 500 applications or pitches 

submitted to the state’s SSBCI capital programs and other federal programs. 

19. Washington: Washington, approved for $3.4 million in SSBCI Technical Assistance 

grant funding will utilize the Washington Department of Commerce (DOC) to provide 

legal, accounting, and financial advisory services to companies preparing for support 

from state and/or federal small business programs and connect companies directly with 

its SSBCI-supported capital programs specifically designed for businesses farthest from 

opportunity including lending circle programs and loans with a zero percent interest rate. 

The Washington DOC will provide a concierge style of supportive business assistance 

tools that are designed to prepare businesses to apply for their suite of capital loan 

programs, based on individual business need. The Washington DOC anticipates assisting 

120 underserved and very small businesses with technical assistance, education, 

mentorship, and training, resulting in successful applications to SSBCI and other federal 

capital programs. 

20. Wisconsin: Wisconsin, approved for $1.9 million in technical assistance grant funding, 

will utilize the Wisconsin Department of Administration and the Wisconsin Economic 

Development Corporation to make subawards to providers who will provide legal, 

accounting, and financial advisory services to companies preparing to apply for support 

from state and/or federal small business programs, and will connect companies directly 

with SSBCI-supported capital programs. These providers, including the University of 

Wisconsin Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic, who will provide legal advice to advise 

underserved and very small businesses, and provide training and outreach events 

designed to identify borrowers in need of one-on-one counseling and supportive referrals. 

Wisconsin anticipates that it will serve 1,150 small businesses through the five-year 

program, including helping 120 new small businesses form through the development of 

an on-demand LLC formation tool. 

Announced August 2023 

1. California: The California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), approved 

for up to $25.3 million in SSBCI technical assistance grant funding, will oversee the 

provision of regionally-based legal, accounting, and financial advisory services to help 
small businesses apply for support from state and/or federal small business programs, 

including connecting companies directly with its SSBCI-supported capital programs. The 

SSBCI Navigators Network Program will utilize a technology platform and local 

outreach partners to connect underserved and very small businesses to a network of 

technical assistance providers while building the service capacity of member 

organizations through a train-the-trainer curriculum. The CalOSBA anticipates bringing 

in 113,000 small businesses to engage with the services, resulting in 40,000 loans 

received.

2. Connecticut: The Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development 

(DECD), approved for up to $1.9 million in SSBCI technical assistance grant funding, 

will work with Connecticut Innovations (CI) to provide legal, accounting and financial 

advisory services to help small businesses apply for assistance from state and/or federal 

small business programs and connect companies directly with its SSBCI-supported 

venture capital programs. CI will provide technical assistance seminars, webinars, and 

break-out sessions at sponsored events to connect underserved and very small businesses 

directly with support from legal, accounting, and financial advisory providers. CI 

anticipates assisting 120 companies through the TA program and estimates that 75 

percent of the companies benefiting from these services will go on to raise seed capital 

from angel investors, SSBCI, institutional investors and/or follow-on investment from CI.

3. Delaware: The Delaware Division of Small Business, approved for up to $724,423 in 

SSBCI technical assistance grant funding, will work with the University of Delaware –

Small Business Development Center (DSBDC) to provide accounting and financial 

advisory services to help small businesses apply for support from state and/or federal 

small business programs, including connecting companies directly with its SSBCIsupported capital programs. The Delaware Small Business Development Center will host 

outreach events and provide diverse programming, including classroom training and oneon-one counseling to meet the needs of underserved and very small businesses and to 

connect them directly with support for legal, accounting, and financial advisory services. 

DSBDC anticipates that it will assist at least 280 small businesses within two years, 

resulting in at least 30 completed credit applications.

4. Georgia: Department of Community Affairs (DCA), approved for $6,212,315 in SSBCI 

technical assistance grant funding, will work with The University of Georgia Research 

Foundation, Inc. (UGARF) / University of Georgia Small Business Development Center 

(UGA SBDC). UGA SBDC will provide legal, accounting, and financial advisory 

services to companies preparing to apply for support from state and/or federal small 

business programs, including connecting companies directly with its SSBCI-supported 

lending programs. Technical assistance will be provided through a multi-faceted 

approach involving topical programs, group training events and individual counseling to 

connect underserved and very small businesses directly with support for legal, 

accounting, and financial advisory services. UGA SBDC anticipates that it will provide 

services to 5850 individuals throughout its five-year program, resulting in 702 loan 
applications and $105,300,000 in loans generated.

5. Nebraska: The Nebraska Department of Economic Development, approved for up to 

$922,515 in SSBCI technical assistance grant funding, will work with subrecipients to 

provide legal, accounting, and financial advisory services to help small businesses apply 

for support from state and/or federal small business programs, including connecting 

companies directly with its SSBCI-supported loan participation and equity/venture 

capital financing programs. Nebraska and its subrecipients will provide support focused 

on the needs of early-stage founders and tech entrepreneurs, to assist underserved and 

very small businesses and to connect them directly with support for legal, accounting, 

and financial advisory services. Through the SSBCI TA program, Nebraska and its 

subrecipients anticipate that they will assist 110 small businesses, resulting in 88 funded 

applications, and, ultimately, in 1,844 new jobs.

6. Nevada: The Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development, approved for up to 

$2.0 million in SSBCI technical assistance grant funding, will work with the Nevada 

Small Business Development Center (Nevada SBDC) to provide legal, accounting, and 

financial advisory services to help small businesses apply for support from state and/or 

federal small business programs, including connecting companies directly with its 

SSBCI-supported loan participation and venture capital programs. The Nevada SBDC 

will provide training, including a 10-week bootcamp, and networking opportunities as 

well as one-on-one counseling to connect underserved and very small businesses directly 

with support for legal, accounting, and financial advisory services. The Nevada SBDC 

anticipates assisting 1,155 companies through the technical assistance grant program and 

estimates that this will create 1,100 jobs.

7. New Jersey: The New Jersey Department of the Treasury, approved for up to $4.3 

million in SSBCI technical assistance grant funding, will work with New Jersey Small 

Business Development Centers Network (NJSBDC), within Rutgers Business School, the 

State University of New Jersey-Newark, to provide legal, accounting, and financial 

advisory services to small businesses, including connecting companies directly with its 

SSBCI-supported capital programs and utilizing data of target small business needs to 

inform programming. NJSBDC will utilize extensive outreach partners to recruit 

underserved and very small businesses and connect them directly with support for legal, 

accounting and financial advisory services that meet the individual business needs, 

including in-person and hybrid offerings. NJSBDC anticipates that it will create a multifaceted approach to technical assistance that addresses the needs of the small businesses 

it serves by focusing on implementing solutions to the problems faced by these eligible 

beneficiaries.

8. North Carolina: The North Carolina Department of Commerce, approved for up to $6.2 

million in SSBCI technical assistance grant funding, will work with the Rural Economic 

Development Center, Inc. (The Rural Center) to provide legal, accounting, and financial 
advisory services to help small businesses apply for support from state and/or federal 

small business programs, including connecting companies directly with its SSBCIsupported venture capital and loan participation programs. The Rural Center and its 

partners will provide outreach events and training, both one-on-one and in a group 

setting, to meet the needs of underserved and very small businesses and to connect them 

directly with legal, accounting, and financial advisory services. The Rural Center and its 

partners anticipate that they will assist 2,198 small businesses, resulting in 1,789 

successfully funded applications. 

9. Ohio: The Ohio Department of Development, approved for up to $5.2 million in SSBCI 

technical assistance grant funding, will provide legal, accounting, and financial advisory 

services to help small businesses apply for support from state and/or federal small 

business programs, including connecting companies directly with its SSBCI-supported 

capital programs. The Minority Business Development Division (MBDD) will work with 

seven regional assistance centers in Ohio to provide access to regional financial advisory, 

accounting, and/or legal services to connect underserved and very small businesses with 

traditional and non-traditional financing sources, including the state’s SSBCI-funded 

capital programs. By the fourth year of the program, the MBDD anticipates reaching up 

to 360 businesses annually to provide these services. 

10. Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology 

(OCAST), approved for up to $2.0 million in SSBCI technical assistance grant funding, 

will work to provide legal and financial advisory services to help small businesses apply 

for support from state and/or federal small business programs, including connecting 

companies directly with its SSBCI-supported capital programs. OCAST will host 

outreach and training events and provide mentoring and coaching services to meet the 

needs of underserved and very small businesses and connect them directly with legal, 

accounting, and financial advisory services. OCAST anticipates that it will reach 5,000 

program participants and deliver 8,000 hours of technical assistance services throughout 

the grant program. 

11. Oregon: The Oregon Business Development Department (Business Oregon), approved 

for up to $2.1 million in SSBCI technical assistance grant funding, will provide legal, 

accounting and financial advisory services to help small businesses. Business Oregon will 

contract with service providers to offer one-on-one technical assistance to underserved 

and very small businesses. Technical assistance will include legal, accounting, and 

financial advisory services to support businesses applying for funding from Oregon’s 

SSBCI-supported Credit Enhancement Fund, Oregon Royalty Fund, Business Oregon 

Relender Program, Business Oregon Venture Direct Program, or Business Oregon 

Venture Fund Program. Business Oregon anticipates assisting 120 underserved 

businesses through the TA program. 
12. South Dakota: The South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development, 

approved for up to $661,542 in SSBCI technical assistance grant funding, will work with 

its robust Small Business Development Center (SDBC) network and other partners to 

provide legal, accounting and financial advisory services to connect with SSBCI and help 

small businesses apply for state and/or other federal small business programs. The SD 

SBDC and others will employ a one-on-one approach to provide education, coaching and 

consulting services to underserved and very small businesses, including in underserved 

communities throughout the state. South Dakota anticipates assisting 400 eligible 

businesses each year and estimates that 75% of the companies receiving services will be 

able to move forward and be eligible to apply for financing.