Small Business Development Centers | OSBDC 2021 02

Opportunity Information: Apply for OSBDC 2021 02

The Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) grant opportunity is a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) cooperative agreement intended to continue funding the nationwide SBDC network, which delivers hands-on business advising and training to small businesses and early-stage entrepreneurs. Authorized under Section 21(a) of the Small Business Act (15 USC 648), the program is described as SBA's largest matching grant and is designed to strengthen small business performance by supporting services that drive growth, expansion, innovation, productivity gains, and better management practices. The overall idea is to keep a coordinated service delivery system in place where small firms can access practical, high-quality business assistance that helps them start, stabilize, and scale.

This announcement invites applications specifically from organizations that are already SBDC recipient organizations under the program, meaning it is aimed at existing SBDC lead centers or current program operators rather than brand-new applicants. The SBA oversees the program at a national level, but the structure is explicitly partnership-based: SBDCs operate in collaboration with SBA's Office of Small Business Development Centers (OSBDC) and SBA District Offices, while also aligning with the priorities of state and local funding partners. In practice, that partnership model is meant to ensure the services offered by SBDCs match both federal small business goals and the economic development needs of the regions they serve.

The grant supports a broad, interconnected assistance system that links federal, state, and local government resources with those of universities and educational institutions and the private sector. Through that network, SBDCs provide business management guidance and other forms of technical assistance that can include topics like operations, marketing, financial planning, and broader strategic advising. The emphasis in the opportunity description is on delivering measurable, high-quality support that contributes to economic development outcomes, not just one-off counseling.

From the opportunity details provided, the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally implies ongoing federal involvement and coordination during performance, rather than a hands-off grant. The opportunity category is discretionary, and the activity focus is listed as Business and Commerce, with an additional tag referencing Opportunity Zone Benefits. The CFDA (now often referred to under Assistance Listings) number associated with the program is 59.037. The issuing agency is the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Key administrative details in the source data include an opportunity number listed as OSBDC 2021 02 (with the narrative also referencing OSBDC-2022-01), a creation date of October 1, 2020, and an original closing date of November 16, 2020. The expected number of awards is 46, and the listed award ceiling is $7,848,264. Eligibility is labeled as "Others," with the clarification in the narrative that applicants must be existing SBDC recipient organizations currently funded under the SBDC program, indicating this is a continuation/renewal-style competition or funding cycle for the established SBDC system rather than an open call for new entities.

• The Small Business Administration in the business and commerce, opportunity zone benefits sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Small Business Development Centers" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 59.037.
• This funding opportunity was created on Oct 01, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 16, 2020. (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 $7,848,264.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 46 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for OSBDC 2021 02

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