Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10]
Introduced
Summary
More oversight and clearer rules for Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) tightens how SBDC, Women’s Business Centers, and SCORE deliver services while expanding reporting, data collection, and allowable marketing and partnership activities. The law also sets new limits on who can win grants and updates funding formulas and caps.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 3 mixed.
State small-business grants and caps
This bill would authorize $175 million each year for formula grants for fiscal years 2026 through 2029. It would also set limits on program spending: reserves could not exceed $2,000,000 and some per-entity awards could not exceed $200,000. The Administration could spend no more than $600,000 in any year on certain accreditation expenses. These rules change how much money is available and how it can be spent.
Limits on new small-business programs
The bill would bar the SBA from creating new programs to deliver defined entrepreneurial services unless Congress authorizes them. New grants under the section would generally be limited to entities that held such awards before enactment. Colleges would still be eligible, and activities helping small businesses owned by Indian tribes are excepted. The SBA must notify Congress before providing these covered activities.
More marketing and fee options for centers
The bill would let grant recipients spend up to 10 percent of a section 21 grant on marketing and advertising. It would let local small-business centers collect fees or other income from private partnerships when the SBA also participates. The bill would also require the SBDC Associate Administrator to promote centers to other federal programs.
Faster contract approvals and match rules
The bill would say a contract is deemed approved if the Associate Administrator does not act within 10 days of a request. It would require grantees to certify in good faith that matching funds are available before grant close-out. The bill would also allow grantees to spend Federal grant funds before they actually receive matching funds.
New reporting and client privacy rules
The bill would make the SBA publish detailed annual listings of covered activities, awards, funding, and responsible officials starting with the first report after October 1, 2026. It would require a new SBDC annual report beginning after the first December 1 following enactment and create a Data Collection Working Group with a report due within 180 days. The bill would add email addresses to protected client contact fields but would also say the SBA may share a client's email or the nature of assistance with other agencies or third parties.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10]
NJ • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/21/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov