Opportunity Information: Apply for WHAP WHAAQPPC 16 005
The Small Business Network of the Americas (SBNA) Partnership grant opportunity is a discretionary U.S. government grant administered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, designed to strengthen the small business support ecosystem across the Western Hemisphere. SBNA was originally launched at the Sixth Summit of the Americas in April 2012 with a broad regional development purpose: promote economic growth and social inclusion while improving the capacity and performance of small business development services that help micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) compete and innovate. In practical terms, this opportunity focuses on improving the institutions that serve entrepreneurs and small firms, rather than providing direct business financing to individual companies.
The core goal of the project is to strengthen and better connect the region's small business support infrastructure. The program targets a large network of more than 4,000 small business support centers (including entities similar to Small Business Development Centers, or SBDCs) by raising the quality of the assistance these centers provide, increasing the number of businesses they are able to serve, and creating durable center-to-center partnerships. The intent is to make these service providers more effective and more collaborative so that entrepreneurs in different countries can access better training, advising, and connections, especially in ways that support cross-border business activity.
A central feature of the SBNA Partnership Program is a small grants approach that incentivizes partnerships among service providers. Rather than operating as isolated support centers, participating organizations are encouraged to form cooperative relationships with peers across the hemisphere and carry out joint activities. These partnerships are meant to translate into practical outcomes for MSMEs, particularly expanded trade opportunities in the region. While the announcement does not list specific allowable activities in the excerpt provided, the stated emphasis on cooperative activities and trade outcomes suggests projects such as joint programming, shared tools and methodologies, exchange of best practices, coordinated trainings, mentorship linkages, or mechanisms that connect MSMEs to regional markets through improved support services.
The funding opportunity is identified as "Small Business Network of the Americas Partnership" with Funding Opportunity Number WHAP WHAAQPPC 16 005. It uses the grant instrument type and falls under the funding activity categories of Business and Commerce and Employment, Labor and Training, with CFDA number 19.750. The agency anticipated making one award, with an award ceiling of $2,970,297, indicating a single, relatively large umbrella project that could potentially administer or coordinate smaller sub-grants or partnership activities across multiple countries and institutions. The opportunity was created on May 16, 2016, and had an original closing date of June 30, 2016.
Eligibility spans a range of institution types that commonly implement international economic development and capacity-building programs. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), and an "Others" category. The description also references overseas non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and public international organizations (PIOs), signaling that non-U.S. entities with relevant capacity and regional reach were contemplated as potential implementers or partners. Overall, the grant is structured to build stronger small business support networks across the Americas by funding coordinated, partnership-driven efforts that improve service quality, expand reach to more MSMEs, and increase the likelihood that small businesses can pursue and capture trade opportunities regionally.Apply for WHAP WHAAQPPC 16 005
- The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs in the business and commerce, employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Small Business Network of the Americas Partnership" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.750.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2016-05-16.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-06-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,970,297.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.
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SBNA Partnership Grant Opportunity (WHAP WHAAQPPC 16 005) - FAQs
What is the Small Business Network of the Americas (SBNA) Partnership grant?
The SBNA Partnership grant is a discretionary U.S. government grant administered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. It is designed to strengthen and better connect the small business support ecosystem across the Western Hemisphere by improving the institutions that serve entrepreneurs and small firms.
Which U.S. government agency administers this opportunity?
This opportunity is administered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.
What is the main goal of the SBNA Partnership Program?
The core goal is to strengthen and better connect the region's small business support infrastructure by raising the quality of assistance provided by small business support centers, increasing the number of businesses they serve, and creating durable partnerships among centers across countries in the hemisphere.
Is this grant intended to provide direct funding to individual small businesses?
No. The opportunity focuses on improving the institutions that serve entrepreneurs and small firms, rather than providing direct business financing to individual companies.
What types of organizations does the program aim to support or work through?
The program targets a large network of more than 4,000 small business support centers across the region, including entities similar to Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) and other small business development service providers.
How does the program intend to help micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)?
By improving the quality and reach of the service providers that help MSMEs. The intent is that entrepreneurs and small firms will be able to access better training, advising, and connections, including support that enables cross-border business activity and expanded trade opportunities in the region.
What is meant by a "small grants approach" within this program?
A central feature described is a small grants approach that incentivizes partnerships among service providers. In practical terms, this points to funding being used to encourage cooperative, center-to-center relationships and joint activities, rather than isolated efforts by individual centers.
What kinds of partnership activities are emphasized?
The excerpt does not list specific allowable activities. However, it emphasizes cooperative activities among service providers and practical outcomes for MSMEs, especially expanded trade opportunities. Examples consistent with that emphasis could include joint programming, shared tools and methodologies, exchanges of best practices, coordinated trainings, mentorship linkages, or mechanisms that connect MSMEs to regional markets through improved support services.
What region does the SBNA Partnership grant focus on?
The program focuses on the Western Hemisphere and aims to strengthen small business support institutions across the Americas.
When was SBNA originally launched, and why?
SBNA was originally launched at the Sixth Summit of the Americas in April 2012. Its broad regional development purpose is to promote economic growth and social inclusion while improving the capacity and performance of small business development services that help MSMEs compete and innovate.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is WHAP WHAAQPPC 16 005.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The opportunity uses the grant instrument type.
What are the funding activity categories associated with this opportunity?
The funding activity categories listed are Business and Commerce and Employment, Labor and Training.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 19.750.
How many awards did the agency anticipate making?
The agency anticipated making one award.
What is the maximum (ceiling) amount for the award?
The award ceiling is $2,970,297.
Does the structure suggest one large project or multiple separate projects?
Because the agency anticipated one award with a relatively large ceiling, the structure suggests a single, umbrella project that could coordinate partnership activities across multiple countries and institutions, and potentially administer or coordinate smaller partnership efforts as part of the overall project.
When was this funding opportunity created, and what was the closing date?
The opportunity was created on May 16, 2016, and had an original closing date of June 30, 2016.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), and an "Others" category.
Are non-U.S. organizations referenced as potential implementers or partners?
Yes. The description references overseas non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and public international organizations (PIOs), indicating that non-U.S. entities with relevant capacity and regional reach were contemplated as potential implementers or partners.
What is the program trying to change or improve in the small business support ecosystem?
The program is intended to make small business support centers more effective and more collaborative by improving service quality, increasing how many MSMEs they can serve, and building durable partnerships among centers across the hemisphere.
What outcomes for MSMEs are especially highlighted?
The opportunity highlights practical outcomes for MSMEs, particularly expanded trade opportunities within the region, enabled through stronger and better-connected support services.
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