Overview:
The U.S. Small Business Administration is making up to $10 million available through a new grant initiative to help tribal colleges and other Native-serving educational institutions expand manufacturing workforce training, with the goal of strengthening Native-owned small businesses, creating skilled jobs, and boosting domestic manufacturing and critical supply chains.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced Tuesday it is seeking proposals for a new $10 million grant program aimed at expanding manufacturing training and workforce development at tribal colleges, community colleges, and trade schools serving Native communities.
The funding opportunity is part of the SBA’s Manufacturing in America Empower to Grow (E2G) Grant Initiative, which will award up to five grants to eligible institutions. The initiative is designed to strengthen domestic manufacturing, bolster critical supply chains, and help Native-owned small businesses build a skilled workforce.
According to the SBA, the grants will support hands-on, in-person manufacturing instruction and rapid reskilling programs for employees of small businesses that qualify for the federal 8(a) Business Development Program or are located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones).
Participating businesses will also receive free training, technical workshops, and one-on-one business advising focused on improving operations, workforce development, regulatory compliance, and competitiveness for federal contracting opportunities.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, the SBA has made it a priority to invest in small manufacturers and the communities that support them,” SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said in a statement. “By partnering with tribal colleges and training institutions through our latest grant opportunity, we are expanding hands-on, in-person manufacturing training and launching rapid reskilling efforts that will strengthen domestic supply chains, prepare skilled workers, and ensure Native American entrepreneurs and tribal enterprises play a leading role in America’s industrial comeback.”
The grant program will be administered through the SBA’s Office of Native American Affairs (ONAA), which works to expand access to the agency’s lending, procurement, entrepreneurial development, and business assistance programs for Native American-owned businesses.
Eligible applicants include:
- Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs)
- Community colleges located on or near tribal lands
- Trade or vocational schools primarily serving federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native villages or organizations, or Native Hawaiian communities
- Tribal-serving institutions with established manufacturing or skilled labor training programs
Applicants must have operated continuously for at least three years and demonstrate experience providing hands-on manufacturing or skilled labor training to small businesses. Institutions must also show they have the capacity to deliver manufacturing-related technical assistance on a regional or national scale.
The initiative is part of a broader SBA effort to rebuild domestic manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. Earlier this year, the agency waived loan fees for manufacturers in designated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes, launched its first loan program dedicated to American manufacturers, modernized the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program to attract additional private investment, and introduced a 90% Made in America Loan Guarantee for qualifying manufacturers.
The SBA has also promoted existing financing tools, including its 7(a) Working Capital Pilot Program, while hosting Supplier Matchmaking Expos and launching its Make Onshoring Great Again Portal to connect large companies with small domestic suppliers.
The new grant initiative is intended to ensure that tribal colleges and other Native-serving educational institutions play a central role in developing the skilled workforce needed to support manufacturing growth in Indian Country while creating new opportunities for Native-owned businesses to compete in federal and commercial markets.
Applicants must submit proposals electronically through Grants.gov. The deadline for proposal submissions is Aug. 24 by 11:59 p.m. ET. To learn more about this grant opportunity, click here.
The SBA will host two webinars on the following dates to inform the public about the grants. Registration is required through the links below:
Additional questions or requests for assistance should be submitted via email to ONAA@sba.gov.
