The Arkansas Women’s Business Center (AWBC) has been awarded a Resilience and Recovery Demonstration grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA’s) Office of Women’s Business Ownership program. The AWBC is one of 14 women’s business centers in 13 states to receive the SBA award, which aims to improve service delivery, training and support provided to women-owned businesses impacted by COVID-19.
“The Arkansas Women’s Business Center is excited to receive the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Recovery and Resiliency award for Ascend,” said director of Winrock’s AWBC, Chauncey Pettis. “This funding will support existing women-owned businesses negatively affected by COVID-19. Through three accelerator cohorts, Ascend will increase the resiliency and business capacity of 30 Arkansas-based women-owned companies, leading to their ability to expand their businesses and recover from the devastating impacts of COVID-19.”
The grant was open to existing SBA-funded women’s business centers (WBCs), with approximately $2.7 million in total funding available. According to the SBA, the AWBC and other awardees demonstrated innovative approaches to service delivery to address the needs of women business owners adversely affected by COVID-19. Awardees will provide counseling, technical and financial skill development, comprehensive business assessments, and mentoring to women interested in starting or growing small businesses.
READ ALSO: UAMS Researcher Creates Scholarship for Sexual Health and Gender Equity