WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Small Business Administration awarded $50 million to 11 organizations, including a $1.43 million grant to Lehigh Carbon Community College and a multistate award covering Pennsylvania, to expand workforce training and technical assistance for small manufacturers.
The grants are part of the SBA’s Empower to Grow, or E2G, program and target manufacturing skills, productivity, workforce development, regulatory compliance and government contracting.
Lehigh Carbon Community College will use its $1.43 million award to provide on-site training to small and midsize manufacturers in Lehigh, Carbon and Schuylkill counties.
The college’s Customizable Mobile Training program will cover advanced manufacturing, mechatronics, electrical and mechanical systems, programmable logic controllers, electronics, smart manufacturing and maintenance.
Training will be delivered at manufacturers’ facilities, allowing companies to reduce workflow disruptions and provide smaller groups of employees with instruction tied to industry-recognized credentials.
Pennsylvania manufacturers are also included in a $4.8 million award to the Virginia Manufacturers Association covering Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The organization plans to provide technical assistance and workforce training through the Manufacturing Skills Institute credentialing system and a network of community-college partners.
The SBA characterized the grant initiative as part of a broader effort to rebuild domestic manufacturing capacity and supply chains.
“These new E2G manufacturing grants build on our existing programs for small manufacturers, which make up 98% of all producers in America,” SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said.
Other awards include $5 million each for Iowa Valley Community College District, Maine Community College System, Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin, Nassau County Board of Cooperative Educational Services in New York, Oregon State University, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and Arizona Western College.
Fletcher Technical Community College in Louisiana was awarded $4.99 million, while Mott Community College in Michigan received $3.75 million.
The funded programs span shipbuilding, robotics, automation, welding, machining, industrial maintenance, artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing, quality systems and federal procurement.
In Louisiana, Fletcher Technical Community College plans to provide training in ship fitting, pipefitting, pipe welding and marine electrical work along the state’s southeastern shipbuilding corridor.
Iowa Valley Community College District will focus on robotics, automation, industrial software, welding, machining and maintenance, while Maine’s community college system will offer programs including CNC machining, welding, maritime pipefitting and quality assurance.
Nassau County’s program targets Long Island defense manufacturers with workforce training in welding, electrical systems and industrial piping, including use of mobile virtual- and augmented-reality training vehicles.
Oregon State University will work with community-college partners on machining, welding, additive manufacturing, inspection, robotics, smart manufacturing and federal contracting.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley will use its award to help small manufacturers adopt AI-related tools, improve operations and compete for federal contracts and subcontracts.
Arizona Western College plans a 12-month manufacturing and business-assistance program for small manufacturers and startups in southwestern Arizona.
The grants follow other SBA manufacturing initiatives this year, including waived loan fees for manufacturing industry codes, a dedicated manufacturer loan program, changes to the Small Business Investment Company program and a 90% Made in America Loan Guarantee for qualifying small manufacturers.
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