AZSBDC Receives Full Jobs Initiative Grant

The AZSBDC Network has been awarded a $837,632 Jobs Initiative Grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The funds became available as a result of the recently enacted Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, which includes nearly $50 million over the next two years for Small Business Development Centers across the U.S. The AZSBDC applied for the funds and received a 100% award of the allotment that we originally announced in January.

Our efforts will focus on helping Arizona’s small businesses create and retain jobs — two critical factors in facilitating economic recovery at the community, county and state level.

This one-time grant to the AZSBDC will enable us to:

• Offer specialized statewide training in financial education to 200 business owners;
• Expand counseling services to Native Americans by expanding service on the White Mountain Apache reservation;
• Expand counseling services to second-stage businesses with high growth potential;
• Increase specialized counseling for Veteran and Service Disabled Veteran-Owned businesses, Clean Technology firms, 8(a) businessses and government contracting;
• Expand services in under-served rural areas with high unemployment and few entrepreneurship resources;
• Collaborate with a nearby SBDC network to share expertise and best practices in serving such communities.  

AZSBDC Center Directors worked with the State Office team to identify programs that were ‘ready to roll out’ … and which would produce the fastest impact and the greatest good. We are very excited to have this opportunity to expand program and service delivery to meet important small business development needs throughout Arizona!