WASHINGTON (OBV) — The U.S. Small Business Administration opened a new $9 million grant competition aimed at helping small businesses overcome supply chain constraints, increase production, and participate in critical domestic industries.
Through the Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement Program, or SCALE, the SBA plans to award 20 grants of up to $500,000 each. Grants will cover a two-year performance period.
Eligible applicants include public and private entities, nonprofit organizations, and institutions capable of providing accelerator programs, technical assistance, industry engagement, and related services to small businesses.
Applicants must focus on at least one of six priority areas:
- Advanced manufacturing
- Biotechnology and biomanufacturing
- Defense technologies and components
- Energy, critical materials, and industrial inputs
- Food and agricultural systems
- Transportation, logistics, and industrial infrastructure
“The SBA’s SCALE Program offers targeted support to rebuild critical supply chains across our industrial base by empowering high-potential domestic suppliers to meet new demand, reshore production, and put American workers and producers back in charge of the industries that keep our nation strong,” SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said.
The program is part of a broader SBA effort to expand domestic manufacturing and strengthen supply chains. The agency also waived certain loan fees for manufacturing businesses, established a lending program focused on American manufacturers, updated the Small Business Investment Company program, and announced a 90% Made in America loan guarantee.
Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by Aug. 7 at 4 p.m. Eastern time.
Questions about the competition may be directed to accelerators@sba.gov.
