SBA Manufacturing in America — Empower to Grow (E2G) Grant
U.S. Small Business Administration
$5,000,000
Researched for this program: 5 rejection traps · 9 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
Fund a manufacturing training program for $5M
SBA grants up to $5M to organizations that deliver training, technical assistance, and consulting to small manufacturers in critical industries. Eligible applicants include small businesses with 3+ years of experience providing manufacturing training. The grant funds the training provider — not the manufacturer directly. Awardees then deliver free services to small manufacturers in aerospace, shipbuilding, metalworking, food processing, advanced manufacturing, and robotics.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Amount range
- $5,000,000 – $5,000,000
- Realistic amount
- All awards are fixed at exactly $5,000,000. No smaller awards exist in this program.
- Deadline
- June 18, 2026 (extended from June 15, 2026)
- Status
- closed
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- advance
Who qualifies
- For-profit or not-for-profit entity (including small businesses, trade associations, educational institutions)
- Must have been in continuous existence for at least 3 years prior to application
- Must have documented experience providing hands-on, in-person technical assistance or training to small manufacturing businesses on a regional or national basis
- THIS IS AN INTERMEDIARY GRANT: applicants are organizations that will deliver services to small manufacturers — not the small manufacturers themselves
- Small manufacturers receiving services from E2G awardees do not apply directly
- Awardees must deliver free services to small businesses (no pass-through fees to manufacturer recipients)
- Must serve manufacturers in eligible industries: aerospace, shipbuilding, rail equipment, mining, industrial machinery, construction equipment, metal fabrication, electrical equipment, food processing, medical/precision manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, robotics
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Personnel costs for instructors, program managers, and support staff
- Curriculum development and training materials
- Facility costs for in-person training delivery (rent, utilities for training spaces)
- Technology platforms for program management and remote components
- Travel costs for in-person site visits and manufacturer consulting
- Subcontracts with qualified training organizations or subject-matter experts
- Program administration costs (subject to cap in NOFO)
Ineligible expenses
- Direct payments to small manufacturers (E2G services must be free to recipients)
- Equipment purchases for manufacturer recipients
- Capital improvements to applicant facilities
- Costs incurred before award date
- Lobbying or advocacy activities
How to apply
-
1
Confirm organizational eligibility and experience
Verify your organization has been in existence for 3+ continuous years. Compile documentation of prior manufacturing training or technical assistance programs delivered — include participant counts, industries served, geographic reach, and measurable outcomes (jobs created, productivity improvements).
~6 hrs
-
2
Define your E2G service delivery model
Design the specific training/TA services to be offered to small manufacturers: free business courses, in-person hands-on training, one-on-one consulting for growth, operations, hiring, regulatory compliance, and government contracting. Define the industries covered and geographic service area.
~12 hrs
-
3
Register on Grants.gov and confirm SAM.gov
Ensure SAM.gov entity registration is active (allow 10 business days for new registrations). Create or log in to Grants.gov account. Look up opportunity SB-GC7J-26-001 to confirm package requirements.
~2 hrs
-
4
Develop project narrative and service plan
Write the grant application narrative: organizational background, theory of change, service delivery methodology, target manufacturer population, geographic reach, staffing plan, and performance metrics. SBA reviewers prioritize specificity — vague plans score poorly.
~40 hrs
-
5
Prepare $5M budget and justification
Develop a detailed budget for the full $5M award period. All costs must support delivery of free services to small manufacturers. Include personnel, facilities, curriculum development, technology platforms, and program administration (capped percentage per NOFO).
~16 hrs
-
6
Submit on Grants.gov by June 18, 2026
Upload all required documents and submit via Grants.gov. SBA extended the deadline from June 15 to June 18, 2026 at revision 9 of the opportunity, published June 16, 2026. Submit at least 48 hours before the 11:59 PM EDT deadline to allow for system processing. Retain confirmation number.
~3 hrs
This is an intermediary grant — the applicant runs manufacturing training programs, not a factory. A small consulting firm or trade association with 3+ years of documented manufacturing TA experience is the target profile, not the manufacturer seeking help.
Deadline & timing
Applications were due June 18, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT via Grants.gov (opportunity SB-GC7J-26-001, CFDA 59.007). SBA extended the original June 15, 2026 deadline to June 18 at revision 9 of the opportunity, published June 16, 2026. Both dates are now past: the FY2026 opportunity archived July 18, 2026 and SBA states applications are closed, with awards to be announced. Questions to e2g@sba.gov. SBA announced this program May 6, 2026. SAM.gov registration required and must be active.
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