[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 197 (Friday, October 10, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61365-61366]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-24282]


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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION


Data Collection Available for Public Comments

ACTION: 60-day notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Small Business Administration (SBA) intends to request 
approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the 
collection of information described below. The Paperwork Reduction Act 
(PRA) of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35 requires federal agencies to 
publish a notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed 
collection of information before submission to OMB, and to allow 60 
days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice complies 
with that requirement.

DATES: Submit comments on or before December 9, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Send all comments to Erin Kelley, Director of Research & 
Policy, National Women's Business Council, Small Business 
Administration, 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20416.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Kelley, Director of Research & 
Policy, National Women's Business Council, 202-205-6826, 
[email protected], or Curtis B. Rich, Management Analyst, 202-205-
7030, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Women's Business Council (NWBC) 
is a non-partisan federal advisory council that serves as an 
independent source of advice and counsel to the President, Congress, 
and the Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance 
to women business owners. Members of the Council are prominent women 
business owners and leaders of women' business organizations.
    As part of NWBC's annual research into issues affecting women 
business owners, this year NWBC has chosen to examine how women 
participate in business incubation and acceleration programs. The goal 
is to understand the characteristics of incubators and accelerators 
that affect the business outcomes of female entrepreneurs. In addition, 
NWBC hopes to gain insights into the factors, both structural and 
individual, that affect women's participation in incubator and 
accelerator programs. To accomplish this, NWBC has acquired the 
services of a research firm to conduct a cross-sectional survey of 
female entrepreneurs and managers of business incubators and 
accelerators to better understand female participation in, utilization 
of, and outcomes derived from incubation and acceleration programs. The 
survey will consist of three separate questionnaires targeting female 
entrepreneurs who have not participated in business incubation or 
acceleration programs, female entrepreneurs who have participated in 
business incubation or acceleration programs, and managers representing 
business incubators and accelerators. Each questionnaire will take 
between 12 and 18 minutes to complete (see below for the estimated 
burden analysis of

[[Page 61366]]

each questionnaire). The survey questions will explore a range of 
issues, including individual strategic choices and motivations; human 
capital; social capital; financial capital; experiences with incubators 
and accelerators; selection criteria of incubators and accelerators; 
institutional culture of incubators and accelerators; business models 
of incubators and accelerators; and performance outcomes.
    The data from the survey will be rigorously analyzed and compared 
to relevant pre-existing quantitative data on female entrepreneurs and 
business incubators and accelerators to draw conclusions about current 
trends and generate leads for further NWBC research. In addition, the 
results will be interpreted in consultation with subject matter experts 
and relevant stakeholders to develop best practice policy 
recommendations to increase female participation in business incubator 
and accelerator programs and improve the quality of services those 
programs deliver for women. The recommendations will advise NWBC on how 
it can support economic growth by promoting and enhancing the 
contributions of business incubators and accelerators to women business 
owners.

Solicitation of Public Comments

    SBA is requesting comments on (a) Whether the collection of 
information is necessary for the agency to properly perform its 
functions; (b) whether the burden estimates are accurate; (c) whether 
there are ways to minimize the burden, including through the use of 
automated techniques or other forms of information technology; and (d) 
whether there are ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information.

Summary of Information Collection

    Title: Participation of Women in Business Incubators and 
Accelerators.
    Description of Respondents: Female entrepreneurs who have not 
participated in business incubation or acceleration programs (non-
participants); female entrepreneurs who have participated in business 
incubation or acceleration programs (participants); and managers 
representing business incubators and accelerators.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 500 (200 from female entrepreneur 
non-participants; 150 from female entrepreneurs participants; and 150 
from managers representing business incubators and accelerators).
    Total Estimated Annual Hour Burden: 122.5 hours total.

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                                           Female entrepreneurs                Managers
                                 ----------------------------------------    representing
                                                                            incubators and           Total
                                   Non-participants      Participants        accelerators
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Estimated survey hour burden....  12 minutes........  18 minutes........  15 minutes........
Sample population hour burden     40 hours..........  45 hours..........  37.5 hours........  122.5 hours.
 estimate.
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Curtis B. Rich,
Management Analyst.
[FR Doc. 2014-24282 Filed 10-9-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8025-01-P