‘‘SEC. 29. WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ASSISTANT
ADMINISTRATOR.—The term 
‘Assistant Administrator’ means the Assistant Ad-
ministrator of the Office of Women’s Business Own-
ership established under subsection (k). 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en-
tity’ means— 
‘‘(A) an organization described in section 
501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) 
of such Code; 
‘‘(B) a State, regional, or local economic 
development organization, if the organization 
certifies that grant funds received under this 
section will not be commingled with other 
funds; 
‘‘(C) an institution of higher education (as 
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965), unless such institution has re-
ceived a grant under section 21; 
‘‘(D) a development, credit, or finance cor-
poration chartered by a State, if such corpora-
tion certifies that grant funds received under 
this section will not be commingled with other 
funds; or 
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‘‘(E) an entity that is a combination of en-
tities listed in subparagraphs (A) through (D). 
‘‘(3) RESOURCE
PARTNERS.—The term ‘re-
source partners’ means small business development 
centers, chapters of the Service Corps of Retired Ex-
ecutives (established under section 8(b)(1)(B)), and 
Veteran Business Outreach Centers (described under 
section 32). 
‘‘(4) SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN OWNED AND 
CONTROLLED BY WOMEN.—The term ‘small business 
concern owned and controlled by women’ has the 
meaning given under section 3(n). 
‘‘(5) STATE.—The term ‘State’ means each 
State of the United States, the District of Columbia, 
and each commonwealth, territory, or possession of 
the United States. 
‘‘(6) WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER.—The term 
‘women’s business center’ means an entity operated 
by an eligible entity that provides entrepreneurial 
counseling and training to small business concerns 
owned and controlled by women and to women en-
trepreneurs. 
‘‘(7) WOMEN’S
BUSINESS
CENTER
ASSOCIA-
TION.—The term ‘Women’s Business Center Asso-
ciation’ means a membership organization formed by 
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women’s business centers to pursue matters of com-
mon concern. 
‘‘(b) AUTHORITY.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a 
program to be known as the ‘Women’s Business 
Center Program’ under which the Administrator 
may enter into a cooperative agreement with an eli-
gible entity to provide a grant to such eligible entity 
to operate one or more women’s business centers. 
‘‘(2) WOMEN’S
BUSINESS
CENTER
REQUIRE-
MENTS.—A women’s business center established 
using funds made available under this section shall 
be designed to provide entrepreneurial counseling 
and training that meets the particular needs of small 
business concerns owned and controlled by women, 
especially such concerns owned and controlled by 
women who are socially and economically disadvan-
taged, and of women entrepreneurs, and shall pro-
vide— 
‘‘(A) counseling and training on how to 
form and develop a business; 
‘‘(B) financial assistance, including coun-
seling and training on how to— 
‘‘(i) apply for and secure business 
credit and investment capital; 
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‘‘(ii) prepare and present financial 
statements; and 
‘‘(iii) manage cash flow and other fi-
nancial operations of a small business con-
cern; 
‘‘(C) management assistance, including 
counseling and training on how to plan, orga-
nize, staff, direct, and control each major activ-
ity and function of a small business concern; 
‘‘(D) marketing assistance, including coun-
seling and training on how to— 
‘‘(i) identify and segment domestic 
and international market opportunities; 
‘‘(ii) prepare and execute marketing 
plans; 
‘‘(iii) develop pricing strategies; 
‘‘(iv) locate contract opportunities; 
‘‘(v) negotiate contracts; and 
‘‘(vi) use various public relations and 
advertising techniques; and 
‘‘(E) other services, as determined by the 
Administrator. 
‘‘(3) TYPES OF GRANTS.— 
‘‘(A) INITIAL GRANT.—The amount of an 
initial grant, which shall be for a 5-year term, 
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provided under this subsection to an eligible en-
tity shall be not more than $300,000 annually 
(as such amount is annually adjusted by the 
Administrator to reflect the change in infla-
tion). 
‘‘(B) CONTINUATION
GRANTS.—The Ad-
ministrator may award a continuation grant, 
which shall be for a 5-year term beginning on 
the day after the last date of the initial grant 
term, of not more than $300,000 annually (as 
such amount is annually adjusted by the Ad-
ministrator to reflect the change in inflation) to 
an eligible entity that received an initial grant 
under subparagraph (A). There shall be no lim-
itation on the number of continuation grants an 
eligible entity may receive under this section. 
‘‘(c) APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(1) INITIAL
GRANTS
AND
CONTINUATION 
GRANTS.—To receive an initial grant or continuation 
grant under this section, an eligible entity shall sub-
mit an application to the Administrator in such 
form, in such manner, and containing such informa-
tion as the Administrator may require, including— 
‘‘(A) a certification that the eligible enti-
ty— 
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‘‘(i) has designated an executive direc-
tor or program manager, who may be com-
pensated using grant funds awarded under 
this section or other sources, to manage 
each women’s business center for which a 
grant under subsection (b) is sought; and 
‘‘(ii) meets accounting and reporting 
requirements established by the Director of 
the Office of Management and Budget; 
‘‘(B) information demonstrating the expe-
rience and effectiveness of the eligible entity 
in— 
‘‘(i) providing entrepreneurial coun-
seling and training described under sub-
section (b)(2); 
‘‘(ii) providing training and services to 
a representative number of women who are 
socially and economically disadvantaged; 
and 
‘‘(iii) working with resource partners, 
offices of the Administration, and other en-
tities; and 
‘‘(C) a 5-year plan that— 
‘‘(i) includes information relating to 
the assistance to be provided by each wom-
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en’s business center in the area in which 
each such center is located; 
‘‘(ii) describes the ability of the eligi-
ble entity to meet the needs of the market 
to be served by a women’s business center; 
‘‘(iii) describes the ability of the eligi-
ble entity to obtain the matching funds re-
quired under subsection (e); and 
‘‘(iv) describes the ability of the eligi-
ble entity to provide entrepreneurial coun-
seling and training described under sub-
section (b)(2), including to a representative 
number of women who are socially and eco-
nomically disadvantaged. 
‘‘(2) RECORD RETENTION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator 
shall maintain a copy of each application sub-
mitted under this subsection for not less than 
5 years. 
‘‘(B) PAPERWORK REDUCTION.—The Ad-
ministrator shall take steps to reduce, to the 
maximum extent practicable, the paperwork 
burden associated with carrying out subpara-
graph (A). 
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‘‘(d) SELECTION OF ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—In select-
ing recipients of initial grants, the Administrator shall 
consider— 
‘‘(1) the experience of the applicant in pro-
viding entrepreneurial counseling and training; 
‘‘(2) the amount of time needed for the appli-
cant to commence operation of a women’s business 
center (if applicable); 
‘‘(3) in consultation with a Women’s Business 
Center Association, the capacity of the applicant to 
meet the accreditation standards established under 
subsection (k)(4) in a timely manner; 
‘‘(4) the ability of the applicant to sustain oper-
ations, including the applicant’s ability to obtain 
matching funds under subsection (e), for the 5-year 
period of such initial grant; 
‘‘(5) the location of a women’s business center 
to be operated by the applicant and the location’s 
proximity to resource partners; 
‘‘(6) the population density of the area to be 
served by the women’s business center operated by 
the applicant; and 
‘‘(7) the advice and counsel of a Women’s Busi-
ness Center Association to determine areas with a 
lack of services for small business concerns owned 
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and controlled by women who are socially and eco-
nomically disadvantaged. 
‘‘(e) MATCHING REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (6), 
upon approval of an application submitted under 
subsection (c), the eligible entity shall agree to ob-
tain contributions from non-Federal sources— 
‘‘(A) in the first and second year of the 
term of an initial grant, if applicable, 1 non- 
Federal dollar for every 2 Federal dollars; and 
‘‘(B) in each subsequent year of the term 
of an initial grant, if applicable, or for the term 
of a continuation grant, 1 non-Federal dollar 
for each Federal dollar. 
‘‘(2) FORM OF MATCHING FUNDS.—Not more 
than one-half of non-Federal matching funds de-
scribed under paragraph (1) may be in the form of 
in-kind contributions that are budget line items only, 
including office equipment and office space. 
‘‘(3) 
SOLICITATION.—Notwithstanding 
any 
other provision of law, an eligible entity may— 
‘‘(A) solicit cash and in-kind contributions 
from private individuals and entities to be used 
to operate a women’s business center; and 
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‘‘(B) use amounts made available by the 
Administrator under this section for the cost of 
such solicitation and management of the con-
tributions received. 
‘‘(4) ADVANCE
DISBURSEMENT
OF
FUNDS.— 
The Administrator may disburse an amount not 
greater than 25 percent of the total amount of a 
grant awarded to an eligible entity before such eligi-
ble entity obtains the matching funds described 
under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(5) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) INITIAL GRANTS.—If an eligible enti-
ty fails to obtain the required matching funds 
described under paragraph (1), the eligible enti-
ty may not be eligible to receive advance dis-
bursements pursuant to paragraph (4) during 
the remainder of the term, if applicable, of an 
initial grant awarded under this section. 
‘‘(B) CONTINUATION GRANTS.—Before ap-
proving such eligible entity for a continuation 
grant under this section, the Administrator 
shall make a written determination, including 
the reasons for such determination, of whether 
the Administrator believes that the eligible enti-
ty will be able to obtain the requisite matching 
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funding under paragraph (1) for such continu-
ation grant. 
‘‘(6) WAIVER OF NON-FEDERAL SHARE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Upon request by an 
eligible entity and in accordance with this para-
graph, the Administrator may waive, in whole 
or in part, the requirement to obtain matching 
funds under paragraph (1) for a grant awarded 
under this section for the eligible entity for a 1- 
year term of the grant. 
‘‘(B) CONSIDERATIONS.—In determining 
whether to issue a waiver under this paragraph, 
the Administrator shall consider— 
‘‘(i) the economic conditions affecting 
the eligible entity; 
‘‘(ii) the demonstrated ability of the 
eligible entity to obtain non-Federal funds; 
and 
‘‘(iii) the performance of the eligible 
entity under the initial grant. 
‘‘(C) 
LIMITATION.—The 
Administrator 
may not issue a waiver under this paragraph if 
the Administrator determines that granting the 
waiver would undermine the credibility of the 
Women’s Business Center Program. 
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‘‘(7) EXCESS
NON-FEDERAL
DOLLARS.—The 
amount of non-Federal dollars obtained by an eligi-
ble entity that is greater than the amount that is re-
quired to be obtained by the eligible entity under 
this subsection shall not be subject to the require-
ments of part 200 of title 2, Code of Federal Regu-
lations, or any successor thereto, if such amount of 
non-Federal dollars— 
‘‘(A) is not used as matching funds for 
purposes of implementing the Women’s Busi-
ness Center Program; and 
‘‘(B) was not obtained by using funds 
granted under the Women’s Business Center 
Program. 
‘‘(8) CARRYOVER.—An eligible entity may use 
excess non-Federal dollars described in paragraph 
(7) to satisfy the matching funds requirement under 
paragraph (1) for a subsequent 1-year grant term, 
if applicable, except that such excess non-Federal 
dollars shall be subject to the requirements of part 
200 of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations, or any 
successor thereto. 
‘‘(f) OTHER REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) SEPARATION OF FUNDS.—An eligible enti-
ty that receives a grant under this section shall— 
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