1.Short title; table of
contents
(a)This Act may be cited
as the SBA Women’s Business Programs
Act of 2008
.
(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Title I—National Women’s Business Council
Sec. 101. Annual studies on problems hindering the success of
women entrepreneurs.
Sec. 102. Additional progress reports.
Title II—Women’s Business Centers
Sec. 201. Revised funding formula.
Sec. 202. Matchmaking formula change.
Sec. 203. Termination of funding.
Sec. 204. Women’s business center awards to be made
public.
<enum>I</enum><header>National Women’s
Business Council</header>
<section id="H26AC5C7485B8419F8FABA2D6EC20ACD7"><enum>101.</enum><header>Annual studies
on problems hindering the success of women entrepreneurs</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 409 of the Women's Business
Ownership Act of 1988 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/7109">15 U.S.C. 7109</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="HAFBC1C8FB11546C8AF2D13768CA0A705"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating
subsection (b) as subsection (c); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HAA148791D8E542DE9F7CC78E79CCC0F7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after
subsection (a) the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H61E8C87D961C4097AA9C7EA1827C8549" style="OLC">
<subsection id="HEAAABAB98EA547DB95BD8CD1EECCC6E"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Problems
hindering the success of women entrepreneurs</header><text>The Council shall
conduct at least one study per year that evaluates the problems hindering the
success of women entrepreneurs. The Council shall select the topic for the
study in consultation with the Committee on Small Business of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the
Senate.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></section><section id="HE09312797F274623A27DD7F6683F0DF"><enum>102.</enum><header>Additional
progress reports</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section
406(d)(4) of the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 7106(d)(4))
is amended by inserting before the semicolon at the end the following: <quote>,
and on a biannual basis (notwithstanding paragraph (6)) submit to the President
and to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and
the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives a report
containing a description of, and the status of, such initiatives, policies,
programs, and plans</quote>.</text>
</section><enum>II</enum><header>Women’s Business
Centers</header>
<section id="H28D832833EA14493AC32FCB92753A861"><enum>201.</enum><header>Revised funding
formula</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 29(b) of the
Small Business Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/656">15 U.S.C. 656(b)</external-xref>) is amended to read
as follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HDBE6560190F94506B201B88E92A7328" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H6BB1DBA5F80B4B2EB5DFB4EC88FA44B7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Authority</header>
<paragraph id="H82E93C8284634D83B9336419D7BEBA25"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Administrator may
provide financial assistance to private nonprofit organizations to conduct
projects for the benefit of small business concerns owned and controlled by
women. The projects shall provide—</text>
<subparagraph id="H169E2849FE644E0482B9CB3B8A3D148"><enum>(A)</enum><text>financial
assistance, including training and counseling in how to apply for and secure
business credit and investment capital, preparing and presenting financial
statements, and managing cash flow and other financial operations of a business
concern;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HADE9925D1BD24A598E68444B26329B3D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>management
assistance, including training and counseling in how to plan, organize, staff,
direct, and control each major activity and function of a small business
concern; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD190909BC6A146FB95F20055965D9CB2"><enum>(C)</enum><text>marketing
assistance, including training and counseling in identifying and segmenting
domestic and international market opportunities, preparing and executing
marketing plans, developing pricing strategies, locating contract
opportunities, negotiating contracts, and utilizing varying public relations
and advertising techniques.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H2232F866AA1F497BAF2B14C2CA974DF7"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Tiers</header><text>The
Administrator shall provide assistance under paragraph (1) in three tiers of
assistance as follows:</text>
<subparagraph id="H59D236F17C7B408886A2F636C46C01CC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The first tier
shall be to conduct a 5-year project in a situation where a project has not
previously been conducted. Such a project shall be in a total amount of not
more than $150,000 per year.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0F982D52BB2F42BC9C91755C196BAA0"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The second tier
shall be to conduct a 3-year project in a situation where a first-tier project
is being completed. Such a project shall be in a total amount of not more than
$100,000 per year.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFC8360E896E34A7192E51F7171424253"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The third tier
shall be to conduct a 3-year project in a situation where a second-tier project
is being completed. Such a project shall be in a total amount of not more than
$100,000 per year. Third-tier grants are renewable subject to established
eligibility criteria as well as criteria in subsection (b)(4).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HE1CAD372C2C2448681E06B6087C2FC63"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Allocation of
funds</header><text>Of the amounts made available for assistance under this
subsection, the Administrator shall allocate—</text>
<subparagraph id="HE146912E1B274C72BA32FDC1C395B35B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>at least 40
percent for first-tier projects under paragraph (2)(A);</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H394F99AE2413455B80042D514435DC19"><enum>(B)</enum><text>20 percent for
second-tier projects under paragraph (2)(B); and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1BFA6407AA064357B0BCE4BAEA9FE02"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the remainder for
third-tier projects under paragraph (2)(C).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H9DAF4ECA4F114F8B8E8C4F76D4C0000"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Benchmarks for
third-tier projects</header><text>In awarding third-tier projects under
paragraph (2)(C), the Administrator shall use benchmarks based on
socio-economic factors in the community and on the performance of the
applicant. The benchmarks shall include—</text>
<subparagraph id="H8808998CF8D54FA09BCB00A3BBC50081"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the total number
of women served by the project;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDD187F5AC2B94C34909F005F99F2BE6F"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the proportion of low income women and
socio-economic distribution of clients served by the project;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2E96F3FA60574361A54D3530893BA1DD"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the proportion of
individuals in the community that are socially or economically disadvantaged
(based on median income);</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H15C320BA5778419495DE6DA6147EE8FC"><enum>(D)</enum><text>the future
fundraising and service coordination plans;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB93BD295EBF04A4084DF6115BE709EE4"><enum>(E)</enum><text>the diversity of
services provided; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1A14C13ABBCD40C7A4CA6D08CB3B0017"><enum>(F)</enum><text>regional
distribution within the 10 districts of the
Administration.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="H8F33092CEBF04263A08D82806E027F90"><enum>202.</enum><header>Matchmaking
formula change</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section
29(c)(1) of the Small Business Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/656">15 U.S.C. 656(c)(1)</external-xref>) is
amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H258D48172C91462E8F081180679677FB"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking
subparagraphs (A) and (B); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H259F7D9EC0BB4EC4970036731403E146"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the
end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H604D42F0D47241BA89E0B339CED94773" style="OLC">
<subparagraph id="HEBBB40CDD8544ED7B46118A624EB7FE9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>For the first and
second years of the project, 1 non-Federal dollar for each 2 Federal
dollars.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8B3A4B041A404F108D559ECCF13CAB5B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Each year after
the second year of the project—</text>
<clause id="H68A6789FB8FD4540BF58F997342267C9"><enum>(i)</enum><text>1
non-Federal dollar for each Federal dollar; or</text>
</clause><clause id="H2A34FA075CAC4C8B9CF5FC1183EFB140"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>if the center is
in a community at least 50 percent of the population of which is below the
median income, 1 non-Federal dollar for each 2 Federal
dollars.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></section><section id="H1593A89A635246CFA53B07E0D707213"><enum>203.</enum><header>Termination of
funding</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 29(c) of the
Small Business Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/656">15 U.S.C. 656(c)</external-xref>) is amended by
adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H16DB7805C7A14357A8FA1034477E0242" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="HBFE720B924C44770B2C82F758C5635BF"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Termination</header><text>An
organization that has conducted a project under this subsection—</text>
<subparagraph id="H671266076DCF4F65B4DAD1349EB387B5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>is not eligible to
conduct another such project; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA829C981DC684213B100B4D47B0EB6C"><enum>(B)</enum><text>may continue
thereafter to use the women’s business center logo only with the consent of the
Administrator.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="HB0B65B1D72514DBCA1A000B74920EE00"><enum>204.</enum><header>Women’s
business center awards to be made public</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 29(g)(2)(B)(ii)(V) of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656(g)(2)(B)(ii)(V)) is amended by inserting before the
semicolon at the end the following: <quote>, and make available to the public
the award made to each applicant so selected</quote>.</text>
</section>