State officials announced Tuesday that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is providing a grant to establish a new Women’s Business Center in Hartford.
It will be one of five Women’s Business Centers under the umbrella of the Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC). The others are in Stamford, New Haven, New London and Waterbury, which recently opened.
Women’s Business Centers offer one-on-one counseling, training, networking, workshops, technical assistance and mentoring to women entrepreneurs.
“Women entrepreneurs and small business owners in the Greater Hartford region deserve excellence, and that is what they will receive from WBDC’s programs and services, our new host of SBA’s Women’s Business Center in Hartford,” said Catherine Marx, SBA’s district director. “The multi-level support vis-a-vis the city of Hartford, state of Connecticut and SBA confirms our collective commitment to ensure women have the tools to grow and succeed.”
Although women are still underrepresented in the workforce, progress is being made.
SBA said its loans to women-owned businesses are up 70%, and that women are starting businesses across industries at higher rates than their male counterparts.
More than $5 billion has been loaned to women-owned businesses in FY 2023, a 61% increase, according to the SBA.
The Women’s Business Development Council is headquartered in Stamford.
