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SBA announces lenders may accept applications for WCP Program. On Aug. 5, Administrator Guzman announced that SBA 7(A) lenders may now accept applications for the 7(a) Working Capital Pilot (WCP) Program. The program, announced in June, “offers a newly structured line of credit, made by 7(a) lenders and backed by the SBA, designed to give a greater flexibility than a traditional term loan.”
SBA, VA sign MOU to improve coordination, increase veteran access to capital. On Aug. 12, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration Isabel Casillas Guzman announced that the SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to “improve access to self-employment assistance and SBA training and counseling for active-duty service members and service-disabled veterans participating in the Veteran Readiness & Employment Program (VR&E).
In announcing the MOU, Administrator Guzman suggested that the enhanced coordination between the two agencies “will enable countless more veterans to access the capital and resources they need to start, build, and grow their businesses.”
SBA releases Business Resilience Guide. On Aug. 1, the SBA announced the release of its new Business Resilience Guide to assist small business owners with disaster preparation. The guide “includes best practices and template formers to help mitigate disasters for America’s entrepreneurs and help them build back stronger.”
SBIR Program to announce $54M for commercial microelectronics innovation. On Aug. 9, to mark the two-year anniversary of the enactment of the CHIPS and Science Act, the White House previewed that the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program will announce nearly $54 million in funding to “help small businesses explore innovative ideas and the commercial microelectronics marketplace.”
The CHIPS and Science Act seeks to reestablish U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and has generated $400 billion in total semiconductor investments nationwide.
Court issues order stopping noncompete ban enforcement. On Aug. 20, a district court issued an order stopping the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from enforcing the commission’s Noncompete Rule, a comprehensive ban on new noncompetes with all workers, including senior executives. According to the FTC, the commission “is considering an appeal” and the decision “does not prevent the FTC from addressing noncompetes through case-by-case enforcement actions.” More information on the FTC’s Noncompete Rule is available here.
SBA opens nominations for 2025 NSBW Awards. On Aug. 19, the Small Business Administration (SBA) opened nominations for the 2025 National Small Business Week (NSBW) Awards, an annual recognition of “the exemplary achievements, triumphs, contributions, and resilience of SBA-assisted individuals and businesses that help to drive the American economy.” More information on nominations, all of which must be submitted electronically by 4 p.m. ET on Dec. 5, 2024, is available here.
FinCEN recaps efforts in beneficial ownership reporting requirements education. On Aug. 23, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) released its monthly roundup of beneficial ownership reporting outreach activities. FinCEN also previewed its upcoming events to educate small business owners and other stakeholders about the requirements. The roundup and preview of upcoming events are available here.
SBA announces MOU with India to strengthen MSME participation in global marketplace. On Aug. 15, SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman announced a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the SBA and India’s Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) “to strengthen the two countries’ joint work to promote MSME participation in the global marketplace.” The MOU will facilitate key objectives shared by the U.S. and India including “joint programming to share expertise and best practices on entrepreneurial training, access to capital, [and] trade and export financing.”
SBA to host cyber summit. On Aug. 21, the SBA announced that it will host its free cybersecurity series – the Small Business Cyber Summit – on Oct. 16 and 23. The series will seek to “equip America’s 34 million small businesses with the tools and resources they need to bolster their cybersecurity infrastructure.” Registration information is available here.
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