OWBO 2023 Minority Serving Institutions Wave II | SB OEDWB 23 003

Opportunity Information: Apply for SB OEDWB 23 003

The OWBO 2023 Minority Serving Institutions Wave II funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: SB OEDWB 23 003) is a discretionary grant program from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) designed to expand access to women-focused entrepreneurship support in underserved areas. The central aim is to fund up to fifteen (15) private, nonprofit organizations that can deliver entrepreneurial development services specifically for women, with a clear emphasis on serving socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs. A key condition of the program is geographic: services should be provided in locations that fall outside the service areas of existing Women s Business Centers (WBCs), meaning the SBA is using this program to extend business training and assistance into communities that currently lack that WBC footprint.

Awards under this opportunity have a maximum (ceiling) amount of $150,000 per award, and the SBA anticipated making up to 15 total awards. The grant falls under the Funding Activity Category of Business and Commerce, Community Development, and Regional Development, and it is associated with CFDA/Assistance Listing number 59.043. As a grant instrument, the funding is intended to support program delivery rather than loans or contracts, typically meaning recipients will be responsible for meeting defined service objectives, reporting requirements, and performance outcomes tied to entrepreneurship assistance.

Eligibility is focused on private, nonprofit entities with verified 501(c) tax-exempt status through the IRS. Applicants must also be a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) or be affiliated with one, which directs funding toward organizations embedded in, or closely connected to, institutions that have longstanding roles in educating and supporting historically underserved populations. Eligible MSIs and related affiliates include Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs, as defined in 20 USC 1061), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs, as defined in 20 USC 1101a), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs, as defined in 20 USC 1059c), Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (NHSIs, as defined in 20 USC 1059d(b)), and Alaska Native Serving Institutions (ANSIs, as defined in 20 USC 1059d(b)). The opportunity also points to the importance of existing capacity, noting that these institutions or affiliates should have minority entrepreneurship programs or closely related programming already in place. In addition, the SBA indicates that 501(c) organizations serving designated HUBZones are eligible to apply, reinforcing the program s emphasis on communities that face economic and investment barriers.

From an implementation perspective, the program is meant to translate funding into direct, practical assistance for women entrepreneurs. While the notice does not list every allowable service in the excerpt provided, the phrase entrepreneurial development services typically includes activities like business training, counseling or advising, help with business planning and financial readiness, support navigating licensing and regulatory steps, and assistance accessing capital resources and procurement opportunities. The added focus on socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs signals that proposals are expected to prioritize outreach, accessibility, and measurable benefit for women who face structural barriers to starting or growing a business.

The opportunity was created on July 5, 2023, and the original application deadline closed on August 24, 2023, with no explanation listed for any change to that closing date. Overall, this Wave II competition is best understood as an SBA effort, through OWBO, to build or strengthen entrepreneurship support pathways tied to MSIs and nonprofit partners, targeting women entrepreneurs in areas not currently reached by established Women s Business Centers and concentrating resources where disadvantage and underinvestment are more common.

• The Small Business Administration in the business and commerce, community development, regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OWBO 2023 Minority Serving Institutions Wave II" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 59.043.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 05, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 24, 2023 No Explanation. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for SB OEDWB 23 003

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