Funding Available for Pennsylvania's Disadvantaged Business Support Centers

Pennsylvania Opens Doors for Minority-Owned Businesses with New Funding Program

Educational entities, nonprofits, and economic development groups in Pennsylvania can apply for funds to create Business Assistance Service Centers by January 22, 2025. These centers aim to offer technical support to help businesses flourish.

Governor Josh Shapiro’s bipartisan budget for 2024-25 allocates funds to aid small, diverse businesses, particularly those historically lacking access to economic opportunities, like minority-owned enterprises, through the Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program.

Pittsburgh, PA – The Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program is now accepting funding applications, announced Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and DCED Secretary Rick Siger. Nonprofits, educational institutions, and economic development organizations are encouraged to apply to establish Business Assistance Service Centers across the state that will bolster small, diverse businesses. Applications remain open until January 22, 2025.

Governor Josh Shapiro has consistently advocated for expanding opportunities for minority-owned businesses within Pennsylvania. His administration’s bipartisan 2024-25 budget has set aside funds specifically for the Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program, aiming to support numerous historically disadvantaged businesses statewide.

“I’ve advocated for this funding because when small businesses succeed, they create opportunity for Pennsylvanians all across the Commonwealth,” stated Governor Josh Shapiro. “My Administration and I are committed to breaking down barriers to progress and helping historically disadvantaged business owners and entrepreneurs build generational wealth. Pennsylvania is open for business and we’re making sure small, diverse businesses have the support they need to achieve their dreams and grow our economy.”

The newly established Business Assistance Service Centers will provide essential technical assistance and business support services to enhance access to capital, foster economic empowerment, and increase the number of diverse small businesses.

Lt. Gov. Austin Davis remarked, “When we invest in minority communities and help historically disadvantaged businesses in those neighborhoods, we’re not just supporting job creation — we’re building ladders of opportunity. The Shapiro-Davis Administration will never leave any community behind.”

This program will allocate funds through a competitive application process, ensuring that at least one eligible organization in each region of the Commonwealth receives financial support. Eligible applicants include educational institutions, community-based nonprofits, and nonprofit economic development organizations with proven expertise in business and economic development.

Secretary Rick Siger highlighted the administration's commitment, saying, “The Shapiro-Davis Administration is committed to making sure that every entrepreneur and small business across our Commonwealth has the same opportunities for success. The Commonwealth must support our small, minority-owned businesses because when they succeed, our communities thrive and Pennsylvania’s economy grows.”

Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, emphasized the program's success: “When we created the Historically Disadvantaged Business Program four years ago, we believed that our investments should be a reflection of our priorities. When we give someone the support or tools needed to open a barber shop or take over a vacant store front in the neighborhood, it matters to everyone that small business is serving. Since its inception the Historically Disadvantaged Business Program has gotten real resources to businesses who are often neglected by more traditional programs. I’m glad this support for these businesses will continue.”

Eligible organizations can apply for additional funding in Spring 2025 to establish micro grant programs designed to assist historically disadvantaged businesses with startup costs or business expansion.

Detailed application guidelines are available online. Find them here.

The bipartisan 2024-25 budget not only sets aside $20 million for the Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program but also includes:

• $500 million for site development, of which $400 million is earmarked for the PA SITES program
• $20 million for the Main Street Matters program to bolster small businesses and community commercial corridors
• $15 million for tourism marketing to enhance the economy and attract visitors, in line with the launch of The Great American Getaway initiative

Learn more about Pennsylvania’s first Economic Development Strategy in two decades and how Governor Shapiro’s budget aims to create economic opportunity for all Pennsylvanians.

For further details about the Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program and DCED, visit the DCED website. Stay informed through Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.