Under the results-driven leadership of Administrator Guzman and with the unrelenting support of an outstanding team, we remained laser-focused on action and empathy for our small business owners, who through no fault of their own, suffered disproportionate impacts from the pandemic I’m proud of the SBA’s efforts because we did not lose sight of whom we serve: our resilient small business owners across America.
In 2021, the SBA managed an extensive national network of Resource Partners, which provided mentoring, training, resources, and assistance that enabled small businesses to access more than $44.8 billion in capital infusion, start over 26,000 new businesses, and create and retain more than 2,100,000 jobs, and kicked off the historic Community Navigator Pilot Program. We have much work ahead, and I look forward to building on this progress and working to ensure 2022 is brighter for all of our entrepreneurs
SBA’s vast network of district offices, Resource Partners, and grantees delivered unprecedented support to entrepreneurs seeking to start, maintain or expand their businesses including:
- Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) counseled and trained over 818,000 clients and helped start over 26,000 new businesses.
- Women's Business Centers (WBCs) assisted more than 87,000 businesses and helped start over 3,300 new businesses.
- SCORE over 10,000 volunteer mentors counseled and trained over 569,000 clients.
- Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOCs) counseled and trained over 59,000 clients and conducted over 780 Boots to Business classes.
- SBA District Offices counseled and assisted over 641,000 entrepreneurs and small business owners in various programs from lending, contracting, export, and economic growth.
- SBA 7(j) Program assisted and trained 11,900 businesses enrolled in the program for federal, state, and local government contracts.
- Accelerator Program announced 84 winners for the Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) and eight winners for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Catalyst competition receiving a combined total of $5.4 million in awards
- Online Learning Platform registered participants here +Ascent numbers
- Emerging Leaders Initiative graduated 759 new Emerging Leaders in 52 cohort locations across 37 states. Collectively, this group represents $1.2 billion in gross annual revenues and employs over 10,000.
- Regional Innovation Clusters (RICs) announcing five new Regional Innovation Clusters, bringing the total number of RICs across the United States to 12.
Addressing Inequality Challenges That Persist Throughout the Small Business Economy:
Through persistence and determination, the SBA’s workforce remains committed to ensuring every small business opportunity is afforded particularly in education, counseling, and special assistance are key to keeping America’s small businesses resilient in 2022. SBA’s resource partners are actively supporting U.S. small business owners, as they pivot and adapt to new opportunities. Additionally, they are counseling startups in the pursuit of a sustainable business and positioning them for long-term success.
One of the most critical achievements of 2021 is the launch of the historic $100 million Community Navigator Pilot Program. This flagship Biden-Harris Administration initiative leverages a hyperlocal hub-and-spoke approach to extend the reach of timely, accessible, and culturally relevant resources to small businesses. Alongside hundreds of spoke organizations, the 51 Navigator Hubs now have representation across every state in the union and Puerto Rico. The grantees and their spoke organizations will connect U.S. small businesses to SBA and other critical resources they need to recover and thrive in 2022 and beyond.
For more information on a complete menu of available programs and services, please visit www.sba.gov.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the Federal Government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
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