The U.S. Small Business Administration Utah District Office has released its Fiscal Year 2019 Annual Report, which touts its accomplishments since June 2019.
“During FY2019, the UTDO assisted numerous small businesses by providing financial assistance, counseling and contracting programs while contributing over $1 billion to Utah’s economy,” the report said.
“The strong alliances we forged together and the programs we established last year expanded the UTDO’s capacity to provide critical support to small businesses during the economic and health crisis we are facing today,” said SBA Utah District director Marla Trollan. “Our partnerships and collaboration have propelled Utah to a No. 1 ranking in the nation in emergency business loans awarded as a percent of eligible payroll this year. These resources in the hands of small businesses will help sustain us through this crisis and launch Utah into recovery.”
Among the accomplishments for the office outlined in the report is the opening a Utah Global Trade Center in collaboration with other partners. The office also conducted dozens of rural roadshows, roundtables, listening sessions, workshops, bootcamps and more in a majority of the state’s numerous rural communities.
The local office of the SBA also opened a new Women’s Business Center in Cedar City, which increased vital services to the southern portion of the state. It supported the increase of the SBA STEP Grant Program in Utah by $200,000, money that will be administered by the World Trade Center. The office facilitated the acquisition by Utah 8(a) Program firms of a $250 millio0n contract with the Army Corp of Engineers and served as a pilot office to initiate a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Postal Service.
Also listed as an accomplishment was the execution of SBA Utah’s first-ever strategic alliance memorandum agreements with numerous partners, including World Trade Center Utah, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the St. George Chamber of Commerce and Warrior Rising.
The Utah SBA also hosted the SBA acting administrator during National Small Business Week celebrations in May 2019.