By Michael Henning
Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D—Orange County), who chairs the Jobs Committee, and Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes (D—Riverside), are gratified as $20 million for small business technical assistance advances through budget subcommittee vote.
Quirk-Silva and Cervantes delivered 208 letters representing 219 organizations to the Senate Budget Subcommittee 4, which was hearing the budget appropriation. Letters included support from the Orange County Business Council, California Food Producers, California Steel Industries and the University of California at Irvine.
“This money will support the development of over 3.8 million small businesses in California and over 6.8 million workers they employ in the state,” said Quirk-Silva. “Collectively, the proposal will fund business counseling, training and other services to help small businesses access capital, reach customers in domestic and foreign markets, and navigate the government procurement process.”
Quirk-Silva proposed new state funding to support a network of over 70 small business technical assistance centers in Oct. 2017. In her letters to the Senate and Assembly requesting funds, she shared how these funds could help leverage over $30 million in federal funds and reach over 60,000 businesses, based on the impact of prior appropriations.
“As the state has demonstrated new job generators, it is important that California supports small businesses, and remove impediments to their growth,” said Quirk-Silva.
Programs and services funded with these monies will be available to all small businesses and will include entrepreneurial services designed to meet the unique needs of businesses owned and operated by veterans, women and businesses located in rural and underserved communities. The $20 million will be used to support the Small Business Technical Assistance Expansion Program, which is included in Assembly Bill 2463 and a budget proposal submitted by the Governor to the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees.
To access these services, small businesses will be served through existing federally designated small businesses technical assistance centers, including Small Business Development Center, Women’s Business Centers, Minority Business Development Agency Business Centers, Veteran Business Outreach Centers, Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, and the business center operated throughout the Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
