Women's Business Ownership Assistance
Published on AidPage by
IDILOGIC on Jun 24, 2005
Purpose of this program:
To fund private, nonprofit organizations to assist, through training and counseling, small business concerns owned and controlled by women, and to remove, in so far as possible, the discriminatory barriers that are encountered by women in accessing capital and promoting their businesses.
Possible uses and use restrictions...
To establish women's business centers (WBC) for the benefit of small business concerns owned and controlled by women. The services and assistance provided by the women's business centers must include financial, management, procurement and marketing to start-up or established on-going concerns. Annual awards are issued through a 5-year term to successful applicants. Also, Previously funded centers that have completed an award cycle may compete to receive additional funding through a 5-year term under the 4-year pilot program established under the Women's Business Center Sustainability Act of 1999. Women's Business Center awards are not individuals for starting or expanding a business.
Who is eligible to apply...
Private, nonprofit organizations having experience in effectively training and counseling business women. Public educational institutions and State and local governments are not eligible.
Credentials/Documentation
None.
Note:This is a brief description of the credentials or documentation required prior to, or along with, an application for assistance.
About this section:
This section indicates who can apply to the Federal government for assistance and the criteria the potential applicant must satisfy.
For example, individuals may be eligible for research grants, and the criteria to be satisfied may be that they have a professional or scientific degree,
3 years of research experience, and be a citizen of the United States. Universities, medical schools, hospitals, or State and local governments may also be eligible.
Where State governments are eligible, the type of State agency will be indicated (State welfare agency or State agency on aging) and the criteria that they
must satisfy.
Certain federal programs (e.g., the Pell Grant program which provides grants to students) involve intermediate levels of application processing, i.e., applications
are transmitted through colleges or universities that are neither the direct applicant nor the ultimate beneficiary. For these programs,
the criteria that the intermediaries must satisfy are also indicated, along with intermediaries who are not eligible.
How to apply...
Application Procedure:
Applications are accepted in accordance with and up to the date specified in the annual program announcement. The applicant must complete the Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Forms 424, 424A and 424B) and submit a written proposal addressing all of the selection criteria stated in the program announcement. The applicant must submit applications/proposals by the application closing date to the SBA Office of Procurement and Grants Management, 5th Floor, 409 3rd Street, SW., Washington DC 20416.
Note: Each program will indicate whether applications are to be submitted to the Federal headquarters, regional or local office, or to a State or local government office.
Award Procedure:
Proposals of eligible applicants are evaluated by a review panel. Candidates for sustainability awards also undergo a site review. The SBA/Office of Procurement and Grants Management issues an award to each approved applicant.
Note: Grant payments may be made by a letter of credit, advance by Treasury check, or reimbursement by Treasury check.
Awards may be made by the headquarters office directly to the applicant, an agency field office, a regional office,
or by an authorized county office. The assistance may pass through the initial applicant for further distribution by
intermediate level applicants to groups or individuals in the private sector.
Deadlines and process...
Deadlines
Applications/proposals must be submitted by the date indicated in the Program Announcement.
Note:
When available, this section indicates the deadlines for applications to the funding agency which will
be stated in terms of the date(s) or between what dates the application should be received.
When not available, applicants should contact the funding agency for deadline information.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Within 120 days from filing deadline.
Preapplication Coordination
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Note:
This section indicates whether any prior coordination or approval is required with governmental or nongovernmental units
prior to the submission of a formal application to the federal funding agency.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Note:
In some cases, there are no provisions for appeal. Where applicable, this section discusses appeal procedures or allowable rework time for resubmission
of applications to be processed by the funding agency. Appeal procedures vary with individual programs and are either listed in this section or
applicants are referred to appeal procedures documented in the relevant Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Renewals
Annual option awards are issued to successful award recipients through a 5-year term without recompetition.
Note:
In some instances, renewal procedures may be the same as for the application procedure, e.g., for projects of a non-continuing nature renewals will be treated as new, competing applications; for projects of an ongoing nature, renewals may be given annually.
Who can benefit...
Women entrepreneurs starting their own business or expanding their existing business.
Beneficiaries
About this section:
This section lists the ultimate beneficiaries of a program, the criteria they must satisfy and who specifically is not eligible. The applicant and beneficiary will generally be the same for programs that provide assistance directly from a Federal agency. However, financial assistance that passes through State or local governments will have different applicants and beneficiaries since the assistance is transmitted to private sector beneficiaries who are not obligated to request or apply for the assistance.
What types of assistance...
Project Grants
The funding, for fixed or known periods, of specific projects. Project grants can include fellowships, scholarships, research grants, training grants, traineeships, experimental and demonstration grants, evaluation grants, planning grants, technical assistance grants, survey grants, and construction grants.
How much financial aid...
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
From $75,000 to $150,000.
Note:
This section lists the representative range (smallest to largest) of the amount of financial assistance available. These figures are based upon funds awarded in the past fiscal year and the current fiscal year to date. Also indicated is an approximate average amount of awards which were made in the past and current fiscal years.
Obligations
(Cooperative Agreements) FY 02 $9,000,000; FY 03 est $12,000,000; and FY 04 est $12,000,000.
Note:
The dollar amounts listed in this section represent obligations for the past fiscal year (PY), estimates for the current fiscal year (CY), and estimates for the budget fiscal year (BY) as reported by the Federal agencies. Obligations for non-financial assistance programs indicate the administrative expenses involved in the operation of a program.
Account Identification
73-0100-0-1-376.
Note:
Note: This 11-digit budget account identification code represents the account which funds a particular program.
This code should be consistent with the code given for the program area as specified in Appendix III of the Budget of the United States Government.
Examples of funded projects...
A typical project funded is the Women's Economic Self Sufficiency Team in Albuquerque, NM. The project provides in-depth and quality training and counseling to women entrepreneurs in Las Cruces and Farmington, NM.
About this section
This section indicates the different types of projects which have been funded in the past. Only projects funded under Project Grants or Direct Payments for Specified Use should be listed here. The examples give potential applicants an idea of the types of projects that may be accepted for funding. The agency should list at least five examples of the most recently funded projects.
Program accomplishments...
In fiscal year 2001, training and counseling was offered at 71 centers across the nation. In addition to regular services, centers provided mentoring and internet services. All centers provide content and maintenance services to the Online Women's Business Center on the Internet, www.onlinewbc.gov.
Criteria for selecting proposals...
As stated in each solicitation for proposals, but including: (1) Applicant's experience in conducting programs or ongoing efforts designed to impart or upgrade the business skills of women business owners or potential owners; (2) present ability of applicant to commence a project within a minimum amount of time; (3) ability of applicant to provide business development, management and technical assistance training and services to a representative number of women who are both socially and economically disadvantaged; (4) location for the women's business center site proposed by the applicant; (5) services and activities to be offered to small businesses owned or controlled by women or women entrepreneurs and other clients; (6) internal organization, structure, and activities of applicant; (7) plans for coordination with SBA and other community and small business organizations; (8) plans for raising matching funds and other financial plans; and (9) States and territories without a WBC.
Assistance considerations...
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
The annual performance period begins July 1 and ends June 30 of the following calendar year. Successful projects may be funded through a 5-year term without recompetition.
Formula and Matching Requirements
Of the appropriation made available to the WBC program, administrative costs ranges from 1.6 to 2 percent from fiscal years 2000 through 2003. During that period, the following percentages must be reserved for sustainability awards: (1) for Federal fiscal year 2000, 17%; (2) for fiscal year 2001, 18.8%; (3) for fiscal year 2002, 30.2%; (4) for fiscal year 2003, 30.2%. Remaining program funds must be issued to annually award recipients of new and continuing projects. The recipient organization must obtain cash contributions from nonfederal sources to match the Federal award. Up to one-half of the nonfederal matching assistance may be in the form of in-kind contributions. The match requirement for recipients through the 5-year term is as follows: one nonfederal dollar for each two Federal dollars in the first and second years; and one nonfederal dollar for each Federal dollar in the third, fourth and fifth years. The match requirement for sustainability awards is One nonfederal dollar for each Federal dollar each year through the 5-year term. The Administration may disburse up to 25 percent of each year's Federal share awarded to a recipient organization after notice of the award has been issued and before the nonfederal sector matching funds are obtained.
Note:
A formula may be based on population, per capita income, and other statistical factors. Applicants are informed whether there are any matching requirements to be met when participating in the cost of a project. In general, the matching share represents that portion of the project costs not borne by the Federal government. Attachment F of OMB Circular No. A-102 (Office of Management and Budget) sets forth the criteria and procedures for the evaluation of matching share requirements which may be cash or in-kind contributions made by State and local governments or other agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals to satisfy matching requirements of Federal grants or loans.
Cash contributions represent the grantees' cash outlay, including the outlay of money contributed to the grantee by other public agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals. When authorized by Federal regulation, Federal funds received from other grants may be considered as the grantees' cash contribution.
In-kind contributions represent the value of noncash contributions provided by the grantee, other public agencies and institutions, private organizations or individuals. In-kind contributions may consist of charges for real property and equipment, and value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the grant program. When authorized by Federal legislation, property purchased with Federal funds may be considered as grantees' in-kind contribution.
Maintenance of effort (MOE) is a requirement contained in certain legislation, regulations, or administrative policies stating that a grantee must maintain a specified level of financial effort in a specific area in order to receive Federal grant funds, and that the Federal grant funds may be used only to supplement, not supplant, the level of grantee funds.
Post assistance requirements...
Reports
Quarterly performance and financial reports are due in October, January, April and July of each 12-month performance period. Each project report must include statistical data. Two reports, January and July, must include a narrative description of project activities. The Administrator prepares an annual report to the Committees on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Senate on the effectiveness of all projects. Performance report must provide WBC client information concerning: (1) The number of individuals assisted; (2) the number of hours of counseling and training provided and workshops conducted; (3) the number of startup business concerns formed; (4) any available gross receipts of assisted concerns; (5) increases or decreases in profits of assisted concerns; and (6) the employment increases or decreases of assisted concerns.
Note:
This section indicates whether program reports, expenditure reports, cash reports or performance monitoring are required by the Federal funding agency, and specifies at what time intervals (monthly, annually, etc.) this must be accomplished.
Audits
The SBA will conduct an annual programmatic and financial examination of each Women's Business Center. Also, the award recipient must follow audit requirements as prescribed in OMB Circular No. A-133, as applicable.
Note:
This section discusses audits required by the Federal agency.
The procedures and requirements for State and local governments and nonprofit entities are set forth in OMB Circular No. A-133.
These requirements pertain to awards made within the respective State's fiscal year - not the Federal fiscal year,
as some State and local governments may use the calendar year or other variation of time span designated as the fiscal year period,
rather than that commonly known as the Federal fiscal year (from October 1st through September 30th).
Records
The awardee shall maintain and submit detailed, complete and accurate client activity records to reflect clearly the nature and variety of services provided. Financial records must be kept until 3 years after the completion and submission of the final report.
Note:
This section indicates the record retention requirements and the type of records the Federal agency may require.
Not included are the normally imposed requirements of the General Accounting Office.
For programs falling under the purview of OMB Circular No. A-102, record retention is set forth in Attachment C.
For other programs, record retention is governed by the funding agency's requirements.
Regulations...
Authorization
Small Business Act, Section 29, 15 U.S.C. 631(h) and 656; Women's Business Center Sustainability Act of 1999; Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988.
Note:
This section lists the legal authority upon which a program is based (acts, amendments to acts, Public Law numbers, titles, sections, Statute Codes, citations to the U.S. Code, Executive Orders, Presidential Reorganization Plans, and Memoranda from an agency head).
Regulations, Guidelines, And Literature
OMB Circulars A-110, A- 122, A-21, A-133.