The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today the ribbon cutting for the new Idaho Women’s Business Center (WBC). The new center, hosted by the Idaho Hispanic Foundation, will carry out the mission of helping women entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Operating under the Idaho Hispanic Foundation, the center will open two new locations in Treasure Valley and Magic Valley, with plans to secure an additional location in Idaho Falls. The University of Idaho will serve as a co-partner to the Idaho WBC.
“With two new locations, I am excited to announce that the SBA has expanded its network of Women’s Business Centers in the state of Idaho, increasing women’s access to resources that help them start and grow their businesses,” said Associate Administrator for the Office of Entrepreneurial Development Allen Gutierrez. “Entrepreneurs are passionate about what they do and we want them to be confident in the SBA’s resources that will help them deliver on their products or services.”
The SBA WBCs are a national network of more than 100 centers that offer one-on-one counseling, training, networking, workshops, technical assistance and mentoring to women entrepreneurs on numerous business development topics, including business startup, financial management, marketing and procurement.
The new Idaho WBC ribbon cutting will take place on Friday, July 19, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at the Idaho State Capital. With funding from the SBA, there will be two WBCs in Idaho, one in the Treasure Valley and one in the Magic Valley.
“The SBA supports Women’s Business Centers throughout the nation that have helped more than two million business owners start, grow and expand their companies since the program’s inception in 1988,” said SBA Regional Administrator for Region X Jeremy Field. “The new WBC locations will encourage more women to seek the services offered by the SBA and join the ever-growing community of women entrepreneurs as they start their small businesses.”
“We are honored to be selected to open a new SBA Women’s Business Centers in the Treasure and Magic Valleys,” said Diane Bevan, president and CEO of the Idaho Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “This is an exciting time to be part of such important work and the Idaho WBCs will proudly serve all women, cultures and communities in achieving their educational, professional and entrepreneurial goals.”
In fiscal year 2018, the WBC program counseled and trained nearly 152,000 entrepreneurs nationwide. According to the SBA’s Office of Advocacy, there are 9.9 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. They employ more than eight million workers, provide more than $264 billion in wages and salaries to employees, and contribute $1.4 trillion in sales to the national economy.
To learn more about SBA’s programs and services for women entrepreneurs, visit online at www.sba.gov/women, and to find other WBC locations and SBA resources, visit www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance.