- Details
- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Higher Education
The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering up to $10 million in grants to tribal colleges and other tribal-serving institutions to expand manufacturing workforce training.
The agency will award up to five grants through its Manufacturing in America Empower to Grow initiative to support hands-on manufacturing instruction and rapid workforce reskilling for employees of 8(a) and HUBZone-eligible small businesses operating in critical industries.
Eligible applicants include tribal colleges and universities, community colleges located on or near tribal lands, tribal-serving trade and vocational schools, and other tribal-serving institutions with established manufacturing or skilled labor training programs. Applicants must have operated for at least three years and demonstrate experience providing in-person manufacturing training or technical assistance to small businesses. The grants do not require matching funds.
The SBA's Office of Native American Affairs said the grants are intended to expand access to manufacturing training for Native-owned businesses and tribal enterprises while strengthening domestic manufacturing and supply chains. The funding announcement encourages proposals focused on workforce training for sectors including food processing, advanced manufacturing and precision manufacturing, along with government contracting and access-to-capital skills.
The Empower to Grow program provides eligible small businesses with free business courses, technical training, workshops and one-on-one advising to improve operations, workforce development, regulatory compliance and competitiveness for government contracts.
Applications are due through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Aug. 24. The SBA hosted an informational webinar for prospective applicants on Aug. 5 and will host another webinar on Aug. 12.
