We are closer to our goal of having at least one center in every state and territory now that Virginia, Kansas, and American Samoa have centers. Under the Sustainability Pilot Program, the SBA will also provide additional grants for 16 existing centers that have either completed their SBA funding cycle or are in their fifth year of funding. Each of these centers is required to match federal grant funds with private contributions. Women s business centers are located in rural, urban and suburban areas, and direct much of their training and counseling assistance toward socially and economically disadvantaged women. They offer mentoring and technical assistance and many innovative training programs in financial management, marketing, and procurement.
Some centers offer training and mentoring in several languages.
The centers also provide specialized programs that address issues facing displaced workers and rural home-based entrepreneurs. The Women s Business Center Program was established by Congress in 1988 and is administered by the SBA s Office of Women's Business Ownership. For additional information on the programs available at each new center, refer to the attached list and contact the organizations directly.