WASHINGTON — The U.S. Small Business Administration is seeking proposals for up to $10 million in grants to expand manufacturing training and rapid reskilling for employees of qualifying small businesses in tribal communities, targeting workforce gaps in critical industries and domestic supply chains.
The Manufacturing in America Empower to Grow initiative will award as many as five grants to tribal colleges, community colleges, trade schools and other eligible institutions on or near tribal lands.
The funding is intended to support hands-on, in-person manufacturing training for employees of 8(a) and HUBZone-eligible small businesses. Participating firms can also receive workshops and one-on-one advising covering operations, workforce development, regulatory compliance and government contracting.
The SBA’s Office of Native American Affairs established the funding opportunity as part of its efforts to expand access to business-development, lending and procurement programs for Native American-owned small businesses.
“By partnering with tribal colleges and training institutions through our latest grant opportunity, we are expanding hands-on, in-person manufacturing training and launching rapid reskilling efforts that will strengthen domestic supply chains,” SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said.
Eligible applicants include Tribal Colleges or Universities, community colleges located on or near tribal or Indian lands, trade and vocational schools serving federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native villages or organizations, Native Hawaiian communities, and tribal-serving institutions with established manufacturing or skilled-labor programs.
Applicants must have operated continuously for at least three years and must demonstrate experience providing hands-on manufacturing or skilled-labor training to small businesses on a regional or national basis.
The grants form part of a broader SBA push to increase manufacturing capacity and reduce supply-chain dependence. The agency has also waived loan fees for manufacturing NAICS codes, established a dedicated loan program for American manufacturers and expanded the Small Business Investment Company program to direct more private capital toward supply-chain-sensitive industries.
The SBA has also introduced a 90% Made in America Loan Guarantee for small manufacturers and continues to promote the asset-based 7(a) Working Capital Pilot Program.
Applicants must submit proposals electronically through Grants.gov by Aug. 24 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
More information is available at https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/7f133801-c0e7-4967-826d-ed2419fa6206.
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