The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced a new grant opportunity to strengthen small manufacturing businesses nationwide. Through the Manufacturing in America Grant Initiative, the SBA will award up to $1.1 million in total funding to three eligible applicants that can deliver specialized training and technical assistance to small manufacturers within the agency’s Empower to Grow (E2G) program.
This funding is part of the SBA’s broader Made in America Manufacturing Initiative, a strategic effort to rebuild the country’s industrial base, create jobs and support national economic security. The grant program will support manufacturers in sectors like timber, energy, aluminum and steel—industries considered vital to U.S. infrastructure and competitiveness.
Selected grant recipients will be tasked with providing E2G participants with various business support services, including customized training, operational guidance, regulatory support and consulting to improve government contracting readiness. The initiative also aligns with ongoing federal efforts to bring production and supply chains back to the U.S., reduce foreign dependency and revitalize American manufacturing communities.
To qualify, applicants must meet several criteria. They must be a for-profit or nonprofit entity (including educational institutions and trade associations), have been in operation for at least three years and have proven experience in delivering manufacturing-related support to small businesses at the regional or national level. In addition, applicants must demonstrate the capability to provide hands-on, technical and strategic training to small manufacturing firms.
Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by May 12 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. The SBA will also host an informational webinar on May 8 from 2 to 2:30 p.m. EDT before the deadline; registration is required to attend.
The Manufacturing in America Grant Initiative reinforces the SBA’s mission to empower small businesses and play a key role in restoring America’s industrial independence and economic leadership under the Trump administration’s focus on reshoring jobs and reinvigorating domestic production.
