WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced five grant recipients under its new Women’s Business Center (WBC) Modernization Initiative, awarding a combined $5.3 million to expand statewide support networks for women entrepreneurs in Pennsylvania, Florida, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia. The initiative is designed to augment resources in states where existing WBC funding has not kept pace with the number of women entrepreneurs, the SBA said.

“Nearly four decades ago, President Ronald Reagan helped establish the Women’s Business Center Program to help women entrepreneurs start, grow, and compete,” said SBA administrator Kelly Loeffler. “Today, the Trump administration is building on that legacy by modernizing the program and expanding its reach in states where demand for WBC services has outpaced existing resources. Through coordinated statewide networks, these awards will bring counseling, training and access to capital closer to the women starting businesses, creating jobs, and strengthening their communities.”

The initiative funds private organizations that will create State Lead Centers supported by local service centers. Funding is statutorily obligated, and will bring counseling, training and technical assistance closer to women entrepreneurs, the SBA said. Each center will serve as a statewide hub, working with local service centers “to deliver assistance directly to entrepreneurs—reducing fragmentation, improving coordination and efficiency, and ensuring that women business owners can more easily access the SBA’s resources at every stage of business ownership.”

In Pennsylvania, the grant recipient is the Women’s Business Enterprise Center East, with a total proposed budget of $930,077. The enterprise center is “an advocate for small business owners and entrepreneurs throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware and southern New Jersey. Through certification, entrepreneurial education, training, networking and strategic partnerships, WBEC-East helps entrepreneurs start, grow and scale successful businesses.”

The initiative operates as a stand‑alone project and does not change existing WBC funding, the SBA said. “All 138 current WBCs remain in the program and continue receiving their FY26 base awards under their existing cooperative agreements. In states selected to participate in the initiative, Lead Center awards will overlay current funding. Questions about these grant opportunities should be directed to the Women’s Business Ownership Office at owbo@sba.gov.”