U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., and Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., have jointly introduced the Women’s Business Centers Improvement Act.
The legislation would increase access to resources and opportunities for female entrepreneurs in Kansas and across the country, according to Rep. Davids.
The bill passed the last Congress with unanimous bipartisan support and is being reintroduced this session.
The Women’s Business Center program was established 30 years ago to help women entreprenuers succeed, and now boasts 150 locations throughout the United States. These centers serve over 150,000 business owners annually, including the Kansas City WBC located in Fairway, Kansas, which reached more than 800 clients last year.
WBCs provide a full range of counseling and technical training services for small businesses and are instrumental to businesses that are navigating the pandemic, according to Rep. Davids’ office.
“Women-owned businesses employ 9.4 million people nationwide and contribute $1.2 trillion to our economy each year, but throughout the pandemic, female entrepreneurs have been more likely to close their doors. By properly funding resources like Women’s Business Centers, we can increase access to vital counseling and training services that help set entrepreneurs up for success,” Rep. Davids said. “The Third District has an amazing entrepreneurial ecosystem, and I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation that will spur even further innovation and economic opportunity here at home.”
The Women’s Business Centers Improvement Act reauthorizes the WBC program for four years, increases the authorization level from $18 million annually to $31.5 million, and increases the cap on individual center grants for the first time since the program began. The bill also establishes an accreditation program run by the Association of Small Business Development Centers to ensure all WBCs provide excellent service and counseling.
The Kansas City WBC serves Kansas entrepreneurs through business trainings, workshops, counseling, and access to capital programs targeted at female business owners. Throughout the pandemic, they have adapted many of their programs to be virtual, relying on SBA funding and the CARES Act to continue to service the strong entrepreneurial ecosystem in Kansas. The Kansas City WBC shared its work with Congress during a House Small Business Committee hearing chaired by Davids in June.
“We are a small team at the Kansas City Women’s Business Center, but we serve a strong, vibrant community of entrepreneurs. Part of the reason we were able to serve over 800 clients and adapt our services during the pandemic last year is because of the support of champions like Representative Davids,” said Sherry Turner, executive director of the Kansas City Women’s Business Center. “This bill would significantly increase our funding, allowing us to reach more women across Kansas and offer more trainings and services to help them succeed and thrive—which has compound effects that lift up our entire local economy.”
- Story from Rep. Sharice Davids’ office