SBA initiatives

Learn how SBA initiatives help small businesses succeed and empower future leaders.

National Small Business Week

Every year since 1963, National Small Business Week has been recognizing the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.

More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and small businesses create about two-thirds of new jobs in the U.S. each year.

As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) highlights the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories.

Visit the National Small Business Week page for the latest news and events.

National Veterans Small Business Week

During National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW) SBA celebrates veteran, service member and military spouse small business owners nationwide.

We highlight various aspects of the veteran business community, ranging from aspiring to current veteran and military business owners, as well as the organizations that provide entrepreneurial training.

Visit our Veteran-owned businesses page (www.sba.gov/veterans) for resources for veteran-owned business  entrepreneurs.

Small Business Saturday

Saturday, November 26, 2022 is Small Business Saturday – a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do for their communities.

White House HBCU Initiative

SBA’s report on HBCU activities in support of this initiative.

The following is a list of SBDC sub-centers located at 15 historically black colleges and universities across America. Sub-centers are locations that provide business counseling and training services to America’s entrepreneurs. In contrast to lead centers that are directly responsible to SBA, sub-centers are supported by and accountable to lead centers.

Council on Underserved Communities

The Council on Underserved Communities (CUC) provides SBA with input, advice, and recommendations on strategies to help strengthen competitiveness and sustainability for small businesses in underserved communities. These communities include inner cities and rural areas and may include populations such as women, minorities, veterans, tribal groups and others.

Learn more about CUC.

Support for manufacturing businesses

Small manufacturers play a crucial role in the U.S. economy. SBA is leveraging its role as the nation’s most expansive network of financing and management support for small businesses by establishing a Manufacturing Office. The Office will prioritize the expansion of small U.S. manufacturers as they commercialize innovation, automate processes, enter new markets, expand capacity, and strengthen resiliency.

Learn more about the Office and SBA’s support for manufacturing businesses.

Equity Initiative

Entrepreneurs in underserved communities can experience barriers to accessing SBA products and services.  SBA is working to reduce these barriers and improve access to key resources, providing support to small businesses where they need to be.

Learn more about SBA's Equity Initiative.

Labor partnerships and worker organizing

President Biden established the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment to engage government agencies in a historic government-wide effort to put the federal government’s policy of encouraging worker organizing and collective bargaining into action.

Learn more about this initiative.

Investment Capital Advisory Committee

The Investment Capital Advisory Committee (ICAC) provides SBA insights and recommendations on matters broadly related to:

  • Facilitating greater access and availability of patient investment capital for small business.
  • Promoting greater awareness of SBA programs and services.
  • Cultivating greater public-private engagement, cooperation, and collaboration.
  • Developing and/or evolving SBA programs and services to address long-term capital access gaps faced by small businesses and the investment managers that seek to support them.

Learn more about the ICAC.

Invention, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Advisory Committee

The Invention, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Advisory Committee (IIEAC) provides SBA with advice and recommendations on matters relating to the innovation ecosystem, innovation commercialization and lab-to-market translation. 

Learn more about the IIEAC.

National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)

Through its collaboration with the NPHC, SBA has deepened its engagement with African-American, Black, and historically disadvantaged small business owners.

Learn more about the NPHC.