Statewide small business technical assistance now available: How city officials can help

The California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) has announced the recipients of its California Small Business Technical Assistance Expansion Program (SB TAEP). Approximately $17 million in grant funding has been allocated to more than 80 technical assistance centers for expansion of their business consulting and training services to historically underserved business groups, including women-, minority-, and veteran-owned businesses, as well as businesses in low-wealth, rural, and disaster-impacted communities.     

City officials are encouraged to connect office staff and refer their small businesses to a local Small Businesses Development Center to help facilitate technical assistance. These centers are vital resources for businesses seeking to recover and pivot in the current pandemic economy. In addition to any available city or county aid, local leaders can help small businesses get started towards technical assistance through CalOSBA’s find technical assistance site.

City officials across California are delivering aid to struggling small businesses as part of local recovery plans funded by local, state, and federal sources. To meet this need, state and local officials have strongly supported infusions in technical assistance infrastructure throughout the pandemic. 

The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development notes that “small business technical assistance centers are designated by federal and private funding partners to operate small business technical assistance programs throughout the state. These centers provide one-on-one, confidential consulting, and training to help small businesses and entrepreneurs start, expand, facilitate investment, and create jobs in California. The SB TAEP provides state grant funding to expand consulting and training services provided by existing and new centers, including satellite offices.”

Visit CalOSBA’s website for more information.