In 1953, Congress passed the Small Business Act (P.L. The SBA currently administers several types of programs to support small businesses, including loan guaranty and venture capital programs to enhance small business access to capital; contracting programs to increase small business opportunities in federal contracting; direct loan programs for businesses, homeowners, and renters to assist their recovery from natural disasters; and small business management and technical assistance training programs to assist business formation and expansion. Congressional interest in these programs has increased in recent years, primarily because small businesses are viewed as a means to stimulate economic activity and create jobs. Many Members of Congress also regularly receive constituent inquiries about the SBA's programs. This report provides an overview of the SBA's programs and funding. It also references other CRS reports that examine the SBA's programs in greater detail. The SBA's FY2020 congressional budget justification document includes funding and program costs for the following programs and offices:
1. entrepreneurial development programs (including Small Business Development Centers, Women's Business Centers, SCORE, Entrepreneurial Education, Native American Outreach, PRIME, the State Trade Expansion Program, and veterans' programs); 2. disaster assistance; 3. capital access programs (including the 7(a) loan guaranty program, the 504/Certified Development Company [CDC] loan guaranty program, the Microloan program, International Trade and Export Promotion programs, and lender oversight); 4. contracting programs (including the 7(j) Management and Technical Assistance program, the 8(a) Minority Small Business and Capital Ownership Development program, the Historically Underutilized Business Zones [HUBZones] program, the Prime Contract Assistance program, the Women's Business program, the Subcontracting program, and the Surety Bond Guarantee program); 5. regional and district offices (counseling, training, and outreach services); 6. the Office of Inspector General (OIG); 7. capital investment programs (including the Small Business Investment Company [SBIC] program, the New Market Venture Capital program, the Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR] program, the Small Business Technology Transfer program [STTR], and growth accelerators); 8. the Office of Advocacy; and 9. executive direction programs (the National Women's Business Council, Office of Ombudsman, and Faith-Based Initiatives). P.L. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program. Women-Owned Small Business Program. P.L. P.L. P.L. P.L.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) administers several types of programs to support small businesses, including loan guaranty and venture capital programs to enhance small business access to capital; contracting programs to increase small business opportunities in federal contracting; direct loan programs for businesses, homeowners, and renters to assist their recovery from natural disasters; and small business management and technical assistance training programs to assist business formation and expansion.
Congressional interest in the SBA's loan, venture capital, training, and contracting programs has increased in recent years, primarily because small businesses are viewed as a means to stimulate economic activity and create jobs. Many Members of Congress also regularly receive constituent inquiries about the SBA's programs.
This report provides an overview of the SBA's programs, including
entrepreneurial development programs (including Small Business Development Centers, Women's Business Centers, SCORE, and Microloan Technical Assistance); disaster assistance; capital access programs (including the 7(a) loan guaranty program, the 504/Certified Development Company loan guaranty program, the Microloan program, International Trade and Export Promotion programs, and lender oversight); contracting programs (including the 8(a) Minority Small Business and Capital Ownership Development Program, the Historically Underutilized Business Zones [HUBZones] program, the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program, the Women-Owned Small Business [WOSB] Federal Contract Program, and the Surety Bond Guarantee Program); SBA regional and district offices; the Office of Inspector General; the Office of Advocacy; and capital investment programs (including the Small Business Investment Company program, the New Markets Venture Capital program, the Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR] program, the Small Business Technology Transfer program [STTR], and growth accelerators).
The report also discusses recent programmatic changes resulting from the enactment of legislation (such as P.L. 111-5, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, P.L. 111-240, the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, P.L. 114-38, the Veterans Entrepreneurship Act of 2015, P.L. 114-88, the Recovery Improvements for Small Entities After Disaster Act of 2015 [RISE After Disaster Act of 2015], P.L. 115-123, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, and P.L. 115-189, the Small Business 7(a) Lending Oversight Reform Act of 2018).
In addition, it provides an overview of the SBA's budget and references other CRS reports that examine these programs in greater detail.