The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program is designed to provide high quality business and economic development technical assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs to promote business start-up, growth, expansion, innovation, profitability, management improvement, employment and economic development.
Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)
State: Minnesota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/13/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 5 Years
Details:
To accomplish these objectives and meet the specialized and complex needs of the increasingly diverse small business community, SBDCs create a broad-based system of assistance by linking the resources of the federal, state and local governments with the resources and knowledge of institutions of higher education, regional and local economic development organizations and the private sector.
The Minnesota SBDC Network is a partnership program between the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), local regional hosts and other vested stakeholders. DEED has been designated by SBA and the Minnesota Legislature as the “Lead Center” for the Minnesota SBDC Network.
Funding Information
Based on historical appropriations, total annual funding awarded statewide has ranged from $1.5 – $2.3 million. Historical regional SBDC annual awards have ranged from $150,000 – $450,000.
Grant Period
Applicants selected in response to this RFP will agree to provide host services for five (5) SBDC program years commencing on January 1, 2026, and ending on December 31, 2030.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must meet the minimum requirements to be considered for this grant opportunity. Federal law prescribes that SBDCs must primarily utilize institutions of higher education (generally, those meeting the definition prescribed in 20 U.S. Code § 1001) in delivering services to the small business community. Consequently, while there is no presumption that institutions of higher education will automatically be selected as regional SBDC host institutions, all things being equal, proposals received from institutions of higher education shall receive greater consideration than those from other qualified organizations.
- Other qualified organizations may include non-profit economic development groups, foundations, regional development organizations and other non-profit entities that can demonstrate the ability to fulfill the requirements of this RFP.
For more information, visit MDEED.
