Isabella Casillas Guzman of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced on December 15, 2021, that SBA’s Office of Native American Affairs awarded $1.1 million in grants and contracts to seven entities which will provide business development services, management, and technical assistance to Native American-owned small businesses across the country. This monetary investment is a step in the right direction to help native-owned, small-business government contractors gain access to contracting opportunities.
Ms. Guzman stated that “[n]ative-owned small businesses are vital to our shared economic future, and the SBA is committed to engaging and supporting them. The $1.1 million in awards will provide a boost to the SBA’s service providers working to address the systemic inequities that continue to affect Indigenous peoples.”
The seven awardees represent a geographically diverse group of providers spanning various tribal nations, communities, and industries. They are:
- Council on Native Hawaiian Advancement
- National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development
- Our Native American Business Network
- Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma, Inc.
- Two Rivers Community Development Corporation
- RedWind
- Sister Sky, Inc.
The announcement stated that awardees will focus on narrowing the gap in business development services provided by the SBA to Native American firms. The services that the awardees provide include:
- strategic, and operational planning, and management consulting;
- marketing and business development;
- accounting, bookkeeping, and financial analysis;
- contract management and compliance resources;
- information technology and systems development; and
- guidance on industry-specific certifications and requirements.
If you’re a Native American small business owner and have questions on how to take advantage of this opportunity, please contact the author of this blog, Peter Ford, or a member of PilieroMazza’s Native American Law & Tribal Advocacy or Government Contracts practice groups. Special thanks to Patrick Rothwell for his assistance with this blog.
