§9552 Business Centers

Summary

The Under Secretary can set up MBDA Rural Business Centers to help minority-owned businesses in rural areas. Each center must be run with an eligible organization under a cooperative agreement. The organization must provide space, facilities, and staff. The Under Secretary provides funding and oversight. The organization normally must match 20% of that funding, but the match can be smaller or waived if the organization shows need. Matching may include federal funds from other programs. Agreements must last at least 3 years and can be extended. Centers mainly serve rural minority business enterprises and minority firms located more than 50 miles from another MBDA center. They focus on issues like broadband and e-commerce, advanced manufacturing and promoting U.S. manufacturing, filling supply‑chain gaps, transportation and logistics, trade and exports, access to capital, entrepreneurship, and job creation. Centers also provide education, training, and legal, financial, and technical help. Not later than 90 days after November 15, 2021, the Under Secretary had to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity asking eligible groups to apply. When picking partners, the Under Secretary must choose organizations that can work with public and private partners, have research and outreach ability, know and reach their community, offer innovative business solutions (including access to contracts, markets, and capital), support STEM job development, use their own resources, share the agency’s mission, connect with rural minority businesses, and have at least one community-based organization referral. Priority is given to groups in areas with many socially or economically disadvantaged people, groups with a history of serving such people, or groups the Under Secretary finds were not fairly given land or funding under the First or Second Morrill Acts. The Under Secretary must also consider each applicant’s needs.