The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced grants for the addition of nine new Women’s Business Centers (WBC), including one in Cedar City. The WBC program is designed to provide assistance and resources to entrepreneurs in new and expanded markets around the nation.
The SBA said it identified Cedar City as an ideal location to base new services in Southern Utah. “We are thrilled to provide women’s entrepreneurship resources in Iron and surrounding counties,” said Ann Marie Wallace, WBC executive director. “Crafting a range of services and support will allow the center to meet the unique needs and challenges of Southern Utah women business owners.”
“The Women’s Business Center of Utah hosted by the Salt Lake Chamber has always been a true partner and I look forward to continuing our relationship as we seek to serve and increase opportunities for women entrepreneurs throughout Utah, especially in more rural areas,” said Marla Trollan, SBA Utah district director. The Women’s Business Center at the Salt Lake Chamber applied for the competitive SBA grant during the winter and was just notified of the award, Trollan said.
“I congratulate the Women’s Business Center of Utah on their successful application for a new center in Cedar City,” said Daniel Nordberg, SBA’s Region VIII administrator. “Utah leads the nation in the growth of women-owned businesses and this new center will continue to build on that impressive statistic while also providing much-needed job training and counseling to rural communities in Southern Utah.”
The SBA Women’s Business Centers are a national network of more than 100 centers that offer one-on-one counseling, training, networking, workshops, technical assistance and mentoring to women entrepreneurs on numerous business development topics, including business startup, financial management, marketing and procurement.
“The funding of these new Women’s Business Centers expands women’s access to resources to help their businesses succeed,” said SBA Administrator Linda McMahon. “This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Women’s Business Center program and I am proud to be a part of the expansion of resources and services to women entrepreneurs across America. The work these centers provide is one of the most valuable forms of assistance to help women entrepreneurs, who are an engine for economic growth.”
For more than 20 years, the Women’s Business Center of Utah, formerly known as Salt Lake Chamber Women’s Business Center, has provided assistance, resources and support to Utah women business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. It has served an estimated 50,000 people through individual counseling and group training. In 2017, the Utah WBC trained nearly 4,300 people, more than any other WBC in the country.
Other WBC locations receiving grants are in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; San Diego, California; Appleton, Wisconsin; Brainerd, Minnesota; Fargo, North Dakota; Bronx, New York; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Norwich, Connecticut.