Sacramento, CA – Today, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) announced grant awards to 69 recipients of the California Small Business Technical Assistance Expansion Program (SB TAEP). The state’s $17 million in grant funding has been allocated to technical assistance centers for expansion of their business consulting and training services to historically under-resourced businesses and communities, including minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses and low-wealth, rural, and disaster-impacted communities.
“California is the innovation state and leads the nation in startups, and we must ensure that gender, race, and zip code are not barriers to success. With expanded technical support, our small businesses and entrepreneurs can continue to build communities along Main Streets, make next generation products, innovate solutions to global problems, and create new industries,” said Isabel Guzman, Director of GO-Biz’s Office of the Small Business Advocate, which administers SB TAEP. “We recognize that every small business needs a team and this grant program will give many owners and founders access to free expert consultants, low-cost or free training, and connection to resources and tools they need to launch, grow and successfully operate their companies. Our small businesses are vital to California’s future inclusive economy.”
SB TAEP, launched in 2018 and continuing through 2023, allocates funding to eligible centers through a competitive process. This year’s funding is spread across the state and includes: Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women’s Business Centers, Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, Rural Development Centers, Minority Business Development Agency Export and Business Centers, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Center Network, and other similar programs within California to support small businesses. The grantees will focus on bridging the opportunity gap for underserved small businesses and communities by offering consulting and training founders need to launch, increase revenues, and create jobs.
“The 13 Women’s Business Centers in California were pleased to receive TAEP funding this year at record levels. This historic funding allows the Centers to expand the reach and breadth of their services for under-served women entrepreneurs across the state at a time when the capital access and wealth gap for communities of color looms so large in California,” said Nancy Swift, Executive Director of Jefferson Economic Development Institute and Chair of the Steering Committee of the Network of California Women’s Business Centers. “In addition to vigorous entrepreneurial training and business coaching, expansion efforts include adding curriculum in different languages, and opening new offices in locations such as Bakersfield and Redding.”
SB TAEP is available to small business technical assistance centers which are designated by federal funding partners to operate federal small business technical assistance programs throughout the state. These centers provide free one-on-one confidential consulting and low-cost or free training to help small businesses and entrepreneurs start, expand, facilitate investment and create jobs in California. SB TAEP provides state grant funding to build on and expand consulting and training services provided by existing and new centers, including satellite offices.
“These funds allow the Los Angeles Regional Small Business Development Network to leverage our federal dollars to support significantly more small businesses in the greater Los Angeles region,” said Pat Nye, Regional Director of the Los Angeles Small Business Development Network. “In the program’s first year, we counseled over 2,500 more clients than the previous year, leading to our highest levels of economic impact to date. Continued funding will further expand our client base and lead to development of new programs designed to increase support for underrepresented entrepreneurs.”
Visit the California Small Business Technical Assistance Expansion Program for more information on awardees.
About GO-Biz
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth and economic development efforts. GO-Biz offers a range of services to business owners including: attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and much more. For more information visit, www.business.ca.gov.
Kaitlin Lewis
Assistant Deputy Director of Communications
Email: kaitlin.lewis@gobiz.ca.gov
Phone: (916) 204-2107
