SBA to Open 20 Women’s Business Centers Across America

The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced the historic launch of 20 new Women’s Business Centers (WBC) across America. The WBCs will be hosted in rural and underserved markets and widen the footprint and partnership with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

With 136 total centers nationwide, SBA’s WBCs offer one-on-one counseling, training, networking, workshops, technical assistance, and mentoring to women entrepreneurs. Over the past several months, SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza said that these centers have allowed “countless small business owners to pivot with confidence and stay afloat during the pandemic.”

“Expanding the WBC program is part of this administration’s longstanding commitment to the success of female entrepreneurs and women-owned small businesses,” said Carranza. “Adding these new Women’s Business Centers to the already existing network of centers across America will boost timely resources to our nation’s female economic drivers, providing them with local training and counseling.”

“Opening the doors to the new Women’s Business Centers is crucial to the vitality of women-owned small business owners,” said Associate Administrator for the Office of Entrepreneurial Development Allen Gutierrez. “We look forward to the continued success of the WBC program as it contributes to the overall health of our economy and creates jobs in their local communities.”

Read the full list of where new WBCs will be located here.

This week, SBA also announced the launch Ascent, a free digital e-learning platform geared to help women entrepreneurs grow their businesses. Ascent is a joint initiative between the White House, the SBA, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

To learn more about SBA’s programs and services for women entrepreneurs, visit online at www.sba.gov/women, and to find other WBC locations and SBA resources, visit www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance.