SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

AUTHORIZATION:

Small Business Act of 1953, Section 21, as amended, Public Laws 96-302, 98-395 and 105-135.

OBJECTIVES:

To provide management counseling, training, and technical assistance to the small business community through Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs).

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants;  Provision of Specialized Services;  Advisory Services and Counseling;  Dissemination of Technical Information.

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Funds restricted to the use of assisting small businesses.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   SBA is authorized to make grants (including contracts and cooperative agreements) to any public or private institution of higher education, including but not limited to any land- grant college or university, any college or school of business, engineering, commerce, or agriculture, community college or junior college. SBA is also authorized to renew the funding of other entities currently funded as SBDCs providing SBA affirmatively determines that such applicants have their own budget and will primarily utilize institutions of higher education to provide the services to the small business community.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   Current and potential Small business persons.

Credentials/Documentation:   Documentation must include approval and support of the proposal from the State government. Documentation should also include, but not be limited to: (a) endorsement of the proposal by State officials; (b) endorsement of the proposal by the university hierarchy; and (c) a statement of commitment by the agencies and organizations listed as resources in the proposal.

APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:   Submission of proposal (including State endorsement) to the Central Office of SBA. The standard application forms as furnished by the Small Business Administration and required by OMB Circular No. A-102 must be used for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure:   All eligible entities within a State interested in establishing an SBDC should coordinate with each other in order to develop a proposal for a statewide SBDC service plan. This program is subject to the provisions of 13 CFR 143 (for State and local governments) and A-110 (for nonprofit organizations). The proposal should be submitted to the local SBA District Office, listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog.

Award Procedure:   Central Office of SBA executes cooperative agreements to approved applicants.

Deadlines:   Fiscal Year: September 30. Calendar Year: December 31.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   Varies with individual proposals.

Appeals:   Varies with individual proposals.

Renewals:   This program is on-going and is renewed annually subject to availability of funds. SBDCs are required to update their proposal and submit a current year budget.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   The SBA will provide funds, the amount being determined on a pro-rata share of $75,800,000 based on the population to be served by the SBDC as compared to the total population in the United States, with no State receiving less than $500,000, or whichever is greater. The entity will provide nonfederal funds of at least a 1:1 match, although additional funds may also be contributed by nonfederal sources. At least 50 percent of matching funds must be in cash; the balance may be made up of in-kind contributions and indirect costs.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Cooperative agreements are usually limited to 1 year. Payments are made on a letter of credit basis.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Quarterly or semi-annual reports to the local SBA office no later than 30 days following the end of the required time period. A final report is due 90 days after the end of the cooperative agreement year.

Audits:   In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records:   The SBDC shall maintain detailed, complete, and accurate client activity records of a sufficiency to reflect clearly the nature and variety of the SBDC service provided. Financial records must be maintained until 3 years after the completion of the grant project or submission of the final report, whichever is later.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   73-0100-0-1-376.

Obligations:   (Grants) FY 99 $71,563,000; FY 00 est $90,296,000; and FY 01 est $62,000,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:   $500,000 to $5,927,231; $1,298,246.

PROGAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

In fiscal year 1999, SBDCs reported that they counseled 237,655 individuals and provided 19,634 training sessions to 309,382 people.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

SBDC Program Announcement, SBDC Policy Guidelines, SBDC Handbook for SBA Project Officers.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:   For addresses of the field offices, see Appendix IV of the Catalog under the Small Business Administration.

Headquarters Office:   Small Business Administration, Office of Small Business Development Center, 409 Third Street, SW., 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20416. Telephone: (202) 205-6766. Use the same number for FTS. Fax: (202) 205-7727.

Web Site Address:   http://www.sba.gov.

RELATED PROGRAMS:

None.

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

None.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

(1) State approval; (2) ability to match funds; and (3) ability to provide technical assistance, training, counseling, and special services.