Women's Business Center- Initial Phase

WBC, within the past five (5) years, if selected, will be awarded as an Initial Phase Project. Likewise, an organization that previously operated an SBA-funded WBC (but that is no longer operating), if eligible to apply and selected, will also be awarded as an Initial Phase Project since this application will be treated as an effort to re-establish the WBC. Furthermore, recognizing the important role that Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) (e.g., Historically Black Colleges and Universities [HBCUs], Hispanic-Serving Institutions [HSIs] from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities [HACU], and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Institutions [AANAPISIs]) play in meeting the needs of socially and economically disadvantaged markets, this program announcement seeks to encourage MSIs to provide entrepreneurial development services to socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs. MSIs, HBCUs, HSIs, HACU, AANAPISIs and their auxiliary entities are encouraged to apply. Additionally, religious organizations are encouraged to apply. Such organizations are not required to alter their religious character to participate in a government program, nor to cease engaging in explicitly religious activities outside the program, nor effectively to relinquish their Federal statutory protections for religious hiring decisions. Likewise, other organizations meeting the WBC program eligibility criteria, as well as other organizations serving socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs, are also encouraged to apply.