[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 64 (Friday, April 2, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 17468]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-740]


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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION


Federal Assistance Grant to Fund Women's Business Center Projects 
to Provide Financial Counseling and Other Technical Assistance to Women

AGENCY: Small Business Administration.

ACTION: Program Announcement No. OWBO-2004-021.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) plans to issue 
program announcement No. OWBO-2004-021 to invite applications from 
eligible nonprofit organizations to conduct Women's Business Center 
(WBC) projects. The successful applicant will receive a grant to 
provide counseling, training and other technical assistance to women in 
nascent and existing businesses. The authorizing legislation is the 
Small Business Act, Section 2(h) and 29, 15 U.S.C. 631(h) and 656.
    A Women's Business Center is a 5-year community-based project that 
is funded by the SBA through a grant that requires matching funds. The 
project is a planned scope of activities that provide business services 
targeted to women. The project must operate as a distinct unit of the 
recipient's organization having its own budget for facilities, 
equipment and resources to carry out project activities. The WBC 
services must include long-term training and counseling to benefit 
small business concerns owned and controlled by women.
    SBA Headquarters must receive applications/proposals by 4 p.m., 
Eastern Daylight Time, on the closing date of May 6, 2004. SBA will 
select successful applicants using a competitive technical evaluation 
process.
    Service and assistance areas must include financial, management, 
marketing, eCommerce, government procurement and training on the 
business uses of the Internet. Applicants must plan to include women 
who are socially and economically disadvantaged in the target group. 
The applicant may propose specialized services that will assist women 
in Empowerment Zones, agribusiness, rural or urban areas, etc. The 
applicant may propose to serve women who are veterans and women with 
home-based businesses, women with disabilities, etc. SBA will request 
award recipients to provide content and support activities to the SBA 
Online Women's Business Center, at http://www.onlinewbc.gov.
    The applicants' technical proposal must contain information about 
its current status and past performance. Also, the applicant must 
provide a 5-year plan for service delivery, fund-raising, training and 
technical assistance activities. The grant will be issued annually 
through a 5-year term without re-competition. The non-Federal match 
requirement is 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 match funds may be 
in the form of in-kind contributions (i.e., 50% of match must be in 
cash).

DATES: The opening date of the application period April 1, 2004 and the 
closing date is May 6, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested parties may access Program 
Announcement No. OWBO-2004-021 and application materials on the 
application opening date of April 1, 2004 at http://www.onlinewbc.gov/grants.html. If necessary, contact Sally Murrell, WBC Program Manager 
at (202) 205-6673.

Sally Murrell,
Director, WBC Program, SBA/Office of Women's Business Ownership.
[FR Doc. E4-740 Filed 4-1-04; 8:45 AM]
BILLING CODE 8025-01-P