I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9486 
To establish a grant program within the Small Business Administration 
to provide funds for eligible accelerators or eligible incubators that pro-
vide services to small business concerns owned and controlled by women 
and rural small business concerns, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 
Ms. STANSBURY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Small Business 
A BILL 
To establish a grant program within the Small Business 
Administration to provide funds for eligible accelerators 
or eligible incubators that provide services to small busi-
ness concerns owned and controlled by women and rural 
small business concerns, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Innovation and Em-
powerment for Startups Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) There is a growing emphasis to bolster 
small business concerns owned and controlled by 
women (as defined in section 3 of the Small Busi-
ness Act (15 U.S.C. 632)) and rural small business 
concerns (as defined in this Act). 
(2) There are significant disparities that lead to 
unequal outcomes for rural small business concerns 
and small business concerns owned and controlled by 
women. 
(3) Small business concerns owned and con-
trolled by women are less likely than small business 
concerns owned and controlled by men to obtain 
funding, even though women and men are equally 
likely to achieve business success. 
(4) Rural entrepreneurs are more likely than 
non-rural entrepreneurs to experience higher costs of 
doing business, and rural entrepreneurs struggle 
with more expenses related to running a business. 
(5) Small business concerns owned and con-
trolled by women and rural small business concerns 
gain entrepreneurial knowledge, network building, 
and entrepreneurial self-efficacy during their partici-
pation in accelerators and incubators. 
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SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM FOR ELIGIBLE ACCELERATORS 
OR ELIGIBLE INCUBATORS THAT PROVIDE 
SERVICES TO CERTAIN SMALL BUSINESS 
CONCERNS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator of the 
Small Business Administration, acting though the head of 
the Office of Entrepreneurial Development of the Admin-
istration, shall establish a grant program to provide funds 
to eligible entities that provide services to small business 
concerns owned and controlled by women and rural small 
business concerns. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for a grant under 
this section, an eligible entity shall submit to the Adminis-
trator an application containing the following: 
(1) The effect the eligible entity has had on the 
success of small business concerns owned and con-
trolled by women and rural small business concerns. 
(2) The diversity and inclusivity efforts of the 
eligible entity with respect to the staff of a small 
business concern assisted by such eligible entity. 
(3) The plans of the eligible entity to help en-
sure the sustainability of a small business concern 
assisted by such eligible entity. 
(c) USE OF FUNDS.—A recipient of a grant under 
this section shall use amounts of such grant for the fol-
lowing: 
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(1) To provide consulting, training, shared fa-
cilities and resources, or assistance with access to 
capital to small business concerns owned and con-
trolled by women and rural small business concerns. 
(2) To provide workshops, seminars, networking 
events, and individual consultations to such con-
cerns. 
(3) To provide educational opportunities to 
such concerns on topics such as marketing strategy, 
public relations, website marketing and social media, 
business planning, financial planning and analysis, 
and other opportunities, as determined by such re-
cipient. 
(4) To advertise the services offered by such re-
cipient. 
(d) AMOUNT.—An award made under this section 
shall be for exactly $250,000. 
(e) REPORTS.— 
(1) TO ADMINISTRATOR.—Not later than 1 year 
after receipt of an award under this section, a grant 
recipient shall submit to the Administrator a report 
that includes the following: 
(A) Use of grant amounts. 
(B) The effect of programs or services pro-
vided using grant amounts on small business 
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concerns owned and controlled by women or 
rural small business concerns. 
(2) TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this section and every 
5 years thereafter until 5 years after the date on 
which the last grant is made under this section, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Small 
Business of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship 
of the Senate a report that includes a summary of 
the activities and outcomes associated with grants 
made under this section. 
(f) MONITORING AND EVALUATION.—The Adminis-
trator shall implement procedures to monitor the effective-
ness of the program established under this section to de-
termine whether to extend the program. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator of the 
Small Business Administration $1,250,000,000, to remain 
available until expended for purposes of carrying out this 
section, of which 10 percent is authorized to be allocated 
for grants to covered businesses. 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED BUSINESS.—The term ‘‘covered 
business’’ means a small business concern that is as-
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signed a North American Industry Classification 
System code as follows: 
(A) Beginning with 11 (relating to agri-
culture). 
(B) Beginning with 7111 (relating to cre-
ative industries). 
(C) Beginning with 7211 (relating to hos-
pitality). 
(D) Beginning with 7223, 7224, or 7225 
(relating to food services). 
(E) 541611 (relating to management). 
(F) 711510 (relating to artisans and craft 
makers). 
(G) 541211 or 541219 (relating to ac-
counting). 
(H) 624410 (relating to childcare). 
(2) ELIGIBLE ACCELERATOR.—The term ‘‘eligi-
ble accelerator’’ means an entity that conducts busi-
ness in the United States and that has a dem-
onstrated track record of successfully— 
(A) assisting entrepreneurs in starting up 
or expanding small business concerns owned 
and controlled by women and rural small busi-
ness concerns; 
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(B) providing mentorship to such entre-
preneurs; 
(C) facilitating access to capital for such 
entrepreneurs; and 
(D) fostering connections, as relevant, 
among such entrepreneurs. 
(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means an eligible accelerator or an eligible incu-
bator. 
(4) ELIGIBLE INCUBATOR.—The term ‘‘eligible 
incubator’’ means an entity that offers shared re-
sources and services for startup businesses, which 
may include office space, consultants, mentors, tech-
nical support, and access to capital. 
(5) RURAL SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN.—The 
term ‘‘rural small business concern’’ means a small 
business concern located in a rural area (as defined 
in section 1393(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986). 
(6) SMALL
BUSINESS
CONCERN
OWNED
AND 
CONTROLLED BY WOMEN.—The term ‘‘small busi-
ness concern owned and controlled by women’’ has 
the meaning given in section 3(n) of the Small Busi-
ness Act (15 U.S.C. 632(n)). 
Æ 
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