WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced $9.5 million in awards to two tribal organizations that will provide hands-on, in-person manufacturing training and rapid reskilling for employees of 8(a) and HUBZone-eligible small businesses in critical industries through its Manufacturing in America Empower to Grow (E2G) Program. The funding will enable these organizations to deliver free courses, practical workshops, and one‑on‑one advising to small manufacturers to strengthen their operations and workforces, improve regulatory compliance, and increase their competitiveness in government contracting.
“Tribal communities have the talent and entrepreneurial drive to help lead America’s manufacturing comeback,” said Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “These awards will help translate that potential into greater capacity on the factory floor, more opportunities for skilled workers, and stronger businesses positioned to compete for new contracts. Under President Trump’s leadership, we are investing in the people and capabilities that will rebuild American industry and bring critical supply chains home.”
The SBA’s Office of Native American Affairs (ONAA) established this grant initiative as part of its mission to ensure Native American-owned small businesses have full access to the business development and expansion tools available through the SBA’s entrepreneurial development, lending, and procurement programs.
The E2G Program manufacturing grant recipients are:
Navajo Technical University
Geographic Scope: New Mexico (Main Campus); Arizona and Utah
Total Budget: $4,538,160
Description of Training Services: Navajo Technical University (NTU) presents an innovative, highly leveraged cross-disciplinary training initiative to take education beyond the classroom. The goal is to build and nurture a Tribally-led distributed manufacturing sector and workforce – including reskilling and upskilling workers – that will create and fill jobs on the Navajo Nation and in nearby Tribal communities. NTU will draw on Sa’ah Naagháí Bik’eh Hózhóón, a foundation of Diné collective knowledge, along with its hands-on training expertise, extensive partnerships, and trusted relationships, to work with the Navajo Nation and other partners to build a tribal small business-led distributed manufacturing sector and workforce. The proposed project will scale an existing mentor-protégé program between NTU’s world-class Center for Manufacturing and Ridgeline Manufacturing and Engineering, Inc., and will build on NTU’s 27 years of successful business and entrepreneurial programming and 47 years of providing technical assistance and workforce development.
Chippewa Sustainable Solutions Inc.
Geographic Scope: North Dakota
Total Budget: $5,000,000
Description of Training Services: The Chippewa Sustainable Solutions Inc. (CSS) Advanced Additive Manufacturing and Friction Stir Welding E2G Training & Technical Assistance Initiative uses the Turtle Mountain manufacturing environment in Belcourt, North Dakota. The project focuses on small manufacturers serving advanced manufacturing, metal fabrication, pre-engineered metal buildings, aerospace and defense, construction and infrastructure, energy, precision manufacturing, robotics, industrial machinery, and related domestic supply-chain sectors. CSS will leverage the Turtle Mountain advanced manufacturing environment and planned collaboration with the University of North Dakota (UND), Turtle Mountain Community College (TMCC), and the Center for Technology Commercialization (CTC), to deliver practical training, prototype demonstrations, process improvement assistance, and measurable business outcomes for participating firms.
The SBA is committed to rebuilding American supply chains and domestic manufacturing through a series of targeted initiatives. This year, the agency waived loan fees for manufacturing NAICS codes, established the first-ever loan program dedicated to American manufacturers, created a free onshoring portal for small businesses to onshore operations, and modernized the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program so more private capital flows into critical, supply‑chain‑sensitive industries. The agency also announced a new 90% Made in America Loan Guarantee for small manufacturers and continues to promote existing programs such as the asset-based 7(a) Working Capital Pilot (WCP) Program.
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About the Empower to Grow Program
The Empower to Grow program, formerly known as 7(j) Management and Technical Assistance program, provides eligible U.S. small businesses with free business courses, tailored training, and one-on-one consulting to support their growth, operations, hiring, regulatory compliance, and government contracting competitiveness. The Empower to Grow program uplifts businesses to be procurement ready for federal, state, and local government contracts. For more questions about the Empower to Grow program, visit: Empower to Grow Program.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.