- U.S. Small Business Administration to announce recipients of Community Navigator Pilot Program grants today
- Virtual announcement will take place at 2 p.m.
- Grants will help connect entrepreneurs with resources to help them start a business, expand a business, or recover from COVID-19
Summary by Dirk Langeveld
The U.S. Small Business Administration will announce the awardees of the $100 million Community Navigator Pilot Program on Thursday afternoon.
SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman and Associate Administrator Mark Madrid of the Office of Entrepreneurial Development will announce awardees via Zoom at 2 p.m. The announcement will be made at this web address.
The announcement will also feature Rep. Cedric Richmond, White House Senior Advisor and Director of the Office of Public Engagement, as well as select awardees.
The program, established under the American Rescue Plan, will issue grants of $1 million to $5 million to organizations that can help connect entrepreneurs with resources such as networking and mentoring to help them recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, start a business, or expand. It gives priority focus to underrepresented and underserved entrepreneurs, including socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, women, and veterans.
The SBA is adopting a “hub and spoke” model for awards distribution. Funds will be awarded to organizations designated as hubs that will empower them to engage with local community entities, or spokes, that can help small business owners improve their access to and knowledge of SBA and other government resources.