The Better Business Bureau of Austin will establish a new Women’s Business Center following a federal grant announced Thursday as part of a $26.25 million nationwide investment by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The Austin center is one of 13 new locations being established across the country to support women entrepreneurs. It will provide core business development services to women-owned businesses in the greater Austin area, adding to the city’s growing resources for women entrepreneurs.
The expansion comes at a time when women are starting businesses at historically high rates, according to SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, who noted that women have been filing new business applications at double the rate over the past four years.
“When we invest in women, our economy wins,” Guzman said at the announcement of the nationwide initiative.
The establishment of a SBA Women’s Business Center was one of the 12 key initiatives recommended in Mayor Kirk Watson’s Austin Women Entrepreneurs Task Force. Mayor Watson commissioned the task force to create a report with recommendations to support female founders in Austin.
Carla McDonald, an entrepreneur, led the 21-person task force, which met for nine months and conducted interviews and surveys with a variety of female founders to learn about their challenges and find solutions. McDonald recently discussed the task force’s report, which they gave to the Mayor last year.
The new center will offer one-on-one counseling, training, networking opportunities, workshops, and technical assistance to women looking to start or expand their businesses. It joins other local efforts to support women entrepreneurs in the Austin area.
McDonald and other members of the Austin Mayor’s Task Force will be participating in a panel discussion at Silicon Hills News’ Second Annual Female Founders Outlook on Jan. 28th at Zilker Lodge.
The Austin location is part of a broader initiative that expands the SBA’s network of Women’s Business Centers to 168 nationwide. The program includes specialized support for childcare enterprises and government contracting, though the Austin center will focus on core services for the local business community.
Women entrepreneurs in Austin will have access to business startup guidance, financial management consulting, marketing expertise, and procurement training through the new center. The BBB’s existing presence in Austin is expected to strengthen the center’s ability to serve the local business community.
Opening dates and specific location details for the Austin center will be announced in the coming months.