Small Business Committee Passes Golden’s Small Business Development Center Bill
WASHINGTON — The House Small Business Committee today passed legislation introduced by Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) to build on the success of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program throughout the country. Golden's Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2022would strengthen the SBDC network — including the 22 SBDCs located throughout Maine — by authorizing an increase of $40 million in annual funding for the program for each of the next four years and allowing SBDCs to do more to build awareness of their programs and services.
"Entrepreneurs and business owners across our district who have worked with SBDCs will tell you that a big key to their businesses success was working with their local SBDC representative," said Golden. "These centers can help just about any small business and more people need to know about them. With passage through the Small Business Committee today, we're one important step closer to bringing this program to more Mainers and setting their businesses up to grow and create new jobs in their communities."
The largest Resource Partner within the Small Business Administration's entrepreneurial development ecosystem, SBDCs help small businesses get off the ground and expand their capacity through low- or no-cost business training and advising in areas like business plan development, marketing and sales, e-commerce, and small business strategic planning. Maine has a lead SBDC located at the University of Southern Maine, which operates eleven outreach locations in Maine's Second District.
This legislation builds on similar legislation that Golden passed through the House Small Business Committee and the full House in 2019.
A copy of the bill can be found here.
###