[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 160 (Thursday, August 17, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50264-50265]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-20873]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION


Federal Assistance for Women's Business Center (WBC) Program To 
Provide Financial Counseling and Other Management and Technical 
Assistance to Women

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration

ACTION: Program Announcement No. OWBO-2001-015

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Small Business Administration (SBA) plans to issue program 
announcement No. OWBO-2001-015 to invite applications from eligible 
nonprofit organizations to conduct Women's Business Center projects. 
The authorizing legislation is the Small Business Act, Secs. 2 (h) and 
29, 15 U.S.C. Secs. 631 (h) and 656. SBA Headquarters must receive 
applications/proposals by 4 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on the closing 
date of the application period. SBA will select successful applicants 
using a competitive process. The successful applicants will receive an 
award to provide long term training and other technical assistance to 
women who want to start or expand businesses.
    Service and assistance areas must include financial, management, 
marketing, loan packaging, eCommerce and government procurement/
certification assistance. Applicants must plan to include women who are 
socially

[[Page 50265]]

and economically disadvantaged in the target group. The applicant may 
propose specialized services that will assist women in Empowerment 
Zones, women who are veterans, women with disabilities, women who have 
home-based businesses, women in agribusiness, or women in rural or 
urban areas. SBA will require award recipients to provide content and 
support to the SBA-funded Online Women's Business Center, 
(www.onlinewbc,org) and provide training on the business uses of the 
Internet. Each applicant must submit a five-year plan that describes 
proposed fund-raising, training and technical assistance activities. A 
center may receive financial assistance up to five years, however, the 
award will be issued annually to conduct a 12-month project.
    Award recipients must provide non-Federal matching funds as 
follows: one non-Federal dollar for each two Federal dollars in years 1 
and 2; and one non-Federal dollar for each Federal dollar in years 3, 4 
and 5. Up to one-half of the non-Federal matching funds may be in the 
form of in-kind contributions.

DATES: The application period will be from late September 2001 to mid-
November 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sally Murrell, (202) 205-6673 or Mina 
Wales (202) 205-7080.

Sherrye P. Henry,
Assistant Administrator, SBA/Office of Women's Business Ownership.
[FR Doc. 00-20873 Filed 8-16-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8025-01-P