---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 9002"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "9002"
heading: "Entrepreneurial development"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/9002"
units:
  - "Chapter 116 — Coronavirus Economic Stabilization (cares Act)"
  - "Subchapter I — Keeping American Workers Paid and Employed"
---

# §9002. Entrepreneurial development

- (a) **Definitions—** In this section—
  - (1) the term “covered small business concern” means a [small business concern](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-53-B-ii) that has experienced, as a result of COVID–19—
    - (A) supply chain disruptions, including changes in—
      - (i) quantity and lead time, including the number of shipments of components and delays in shipments;
      - (ii) quality, including shortages in supply for quality control reasons; and
      - (iii) technology, including a compromised payment network;
    - (B) staffing challenges;
    - (C) a decrease in gross receipts or [customers](/usc/15/78c–5.md?p=g); or
    - (D) a closure;
  - (2) the term “resource partner” means—
    - (A) a [small business development center](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-9); and
    - (B) a [women](/usc/15/657p.md?p=a-10)’s business center;
  - (3) the term “[small business development center](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-9)” has the meaning given the term in [section 632 of this title](/usc/15/632.md); and
  - (4) the term “[women](/usc/15/657p.md?p=a-10)’s business center” means a [women](/usc/15/657p.md?p=a-10)’s business center described in [section 656 of this title](/usc/15/656.md).
- (b) **Education, training, and advising grants—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Administration](/usc/15/2203.md?p=2) may provide financial assistance in the form of grants to [resource partners](#a-2) to provide education, training, and advising to [covered small business concerns](#a-1).
  - (2) **Use of funds—** Grants under this subsection shall be used for the education, training, and advising of [covered small business concerns](#a-1) and their employees on—
    - (A) accessing and applying for resources provided by the [Administration](/usc/15/2203.md?p=2) and other Federal resources relating to access to capital and business resiliency;
    - (B) the hazards and prevention of the transmission and communication of COVID–19 and other communicable diseases;
    - (C) the potential effects of COVID–19 on the supply chains, distribution, and sale of products of [covered small business concerns](#a-1) and the mitigation of those effects;
    - (D) the management and practice of telework to reduce possible transmission of COVID–19;
    - (E) the management and practice of remote [customer](/usc/15/78c–5.md?p=g) service by electronic or other means;
    - (F) the risks of and mitigation of cyber threats in remote [customer](/usc/15/78c–5.md?p=g) service or telework practices;
    - (G) the mitigation of the effects of reduced travel or outside activities on [covered small business concerns](#a-1) during COVID–19 or similar occurrences; and
    - (H) any other relevant business practices necessary to mitigate the economic effects of COVID–19 or similar occurrences.
  - (3) **Grant determination—**
    - (A) **Small business development centers—**
      - (i) **In general—** The [Administration](/usc/15/2203.md?p=2) shall award 80 percent of funds authorized to carry out this subsection to [small business development centers](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-9), which shall be awarded pursuant to a formula jointly developed, negotiated, and agreed upon, with full participation of both parties, between the [association](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-2) formed under [section 648(a)(3)(A) of this title](/usc/15/648.md?p=a-3-A) and the [Administration](/usc/15/2203.md?p=2).
      - (ii) **Clarification of use—** Awards made under [clause (i)](#b-3-A-i) shall be in addition to, and separate from, any amounts appropriated to make grants under [section 648(a) of this title](/usc/15/648.md?p=a) and such an award may be used to complement and support such a grant, except that priority with respect to the receipt of that assistance shall be given to [small business development centers](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-9) that have been affected by issues described in [paragraph (2)](#b-2).
    - (B) **Women’s business centers—** The [Administration](/usc/15/2203.md?p=2) shall award 20 percent of funds authorized to carry out this subsection to [women](/usc/15/657p.md?p=a-10)’s business [centers](/usc/15/3703.md?p=2), which shall be awarded pursuant to a process established by the [Administration](/usc/15/2203.md?p=2) in consultation with recipients of assistance.
    - (C) **No matching funds required—** Matching funds shall not be required for any grant under this subsection.
  - (4) **Goals and metrics—**
    - (A) **In general—** Goals and metrics for the funds made available under this subsection shall be jointly developed, negotiated, and agreed upon, with full participation of both parties, between the [resource partners](#a-2) and the [Administrator](/usc/15/9001.md?p=1), which shall—
      - (i) take into consideration the extent of the circumstances relating to the spread of COVID–19, or similar occurrences, that affect [covered small business concerns](#a-1) located in the areas covered by the [resource partner](#a-2), particularly in rural areas or economically distressed areas;
      - (ii) generally follow the use of funds outlined in [paragraph (2)](#b-2), but shall not restrict the activities of [resource partners](#a-2) in responding to unique situations; and
      - (iii) encourage [resource partners](#a-2) to develop and provide services to [covered small business concerns](#a-1).
    - (B) **Public availability—** The [Administrator](/usc/15/9001.md?p=1) shall make publicly available the methodology by which the [Administrator](/usc/15/9001.md?p=1) and [resource partners](#a-2) jointly develop the metrics and goals described in [subparagraph (A)](#b-4-A).
- (c) **Resource partner association grants—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Administrator](/usc/15/9001.md?p=1) may provide grants to an [association](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-2) or [associations](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-2) representing [resource partners](#a-2) under which the [association](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-2) or [associations](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-2) shall establish a single centralized hub for COVID–19 information, which shall include—
    - (A) 1 online platform that consolidates resources and information available across multiple [Federal agencies](/usc/15/3719.md?p=a-3) for [small business concerns](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-53-B-ii) related to COVID–19; and
    - (B) a training [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) to educate [resource partner](#a-2) counselors, members of the [Service Corps of Retired Executives](/usc/15/657p.md?p=a-4) established under [section 637(b)(1)(B) of this title](/usc/15/637.md?p=b-1-B), and counselors at veterans business outreach [centers](/usc/15/3703.md?p=2) described in [section 657b of this title](/usc/15/657b.md) on the resources and information described in [subparagraph (A)](#c-1-A).
  - (2) **Goals and metrics—** Goals and metrics for the funds made available under this subsection shall be jointly developed, negotiated, and agreed upon, with full participation of both parties, between the [association](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-2) or [associations](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-2) receiving a grant under this subsection and the [Administrator](/usc/15/9001.md?p=1).
- (d) **Report—** Not later than 6 months after March 27, 2020, and annually thereafter, the [Administrator](/usc/15/9001.md?p=1) shall submit to the [Committee](/usc/15/2921.md?p=1) on [Small Business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the [Committee](/usc/15/2921.md?p=1) on [Small Business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) of the House of Representatives a report that describes—
  - (1) with respect to the initial year covered by the report—
    - (A) the [programs](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) and services developed and provided by the [Administration](/usc/15/2203.md?p=2) and [resource partners](#a-2) under [subsection (b)](#b);
    - (B) the initial efforts to provide those services under [subsection (b)](#b); and
    - (C) the online platform and training developed and provided by the [Administration](/usc/15/2203.md?p=2) and the [association](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-2) or [associations](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-2) under [subsection (c)](#c); and
  - (2) with respect to the subsequent years covered by the report—
    - (A) with respect to the grant [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) under [subsection (b)](#b)—
      - (i) the efforts of the [Administrator](/usc/15/9001.md?p=1) and [resource partners](#a-2) to develop services to assist [covered small business concerns](#a-1);
      - (ii) the challenges faced by owners of [covered small business concerns](#a-1) in accessing services provided by the [Administration](/usc/15/2203.md?p=2) and [resource partners](#a-2);
      - (iii) the number of unique [covered small business concerns](#a-1) that were served by the [Administration](/usc/15/2203.md?p=2) and [resource partners](#a-2); and
      - (iv) other relevant outcome performance data with respect to [covered small business concerns](#a-1), including the number of employees affected, the effect on sales, the disruptions of supply chains, and the efforts made by the [Administration](/usc/15/2203.md?p=2) and [resource partners](#a-2) to mitigate these effects; and
    - (B) with respect to the grant [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) under [subsection (c)](#c)—
      - (i) the efforts of the [Administrator](/usc/15/9001.md?p=1) and the [association](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-2) or [associations](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-2) to develop and evolve an online resource for [small business concerns](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-53-B-ii); and
      - (ii) the efforts of the [Administrator](/usc/15/9001.md?p=1) and the [association](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-2) or [associations](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-2) to develop a training [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) for [resource partner](#a-2) counselors, including the number of counselors trained.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 116–136, div. A, title I, § 1103, Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 294; Pub. L. 116–260, div. N, title III, § 346(a), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2051.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2020—Subsec. (b)(3)(A). Pub. L. 116–260 designated existing provisions as cl. (i), inserted heading, and added cl. (ii).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2020 Amendment

Pub. L. 116–260, div. N, title III, § 346(b), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2052, provided that: “The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall be effective as if included in the CARES Act (Public Law 116–136; 134 Stat. 281).”