Funding will help small firms scale production and support strategic priorities
The U.S. Small Business Administration is seeking proposals for a new funding competition as part of the Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement (SCALE) Program, which will award 20 grants of up to $500,000 each over a two‑year period of performance. The program, which will provide a total of $9 million in funding, is designed to help small businesses address supply chain constraints, increase production, and expand participation in strategically important supply chains.
Eligible applicants include public or private entities, nonprofit organizations, and institutions capable of delivering accelerator programming, technical assistance, industry engagement, or related services that support small businesses in the identified priority supply chains. Applicants must focus on one of the following SCALE industry supply chain priorities:
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Supply Chains
- Defense Industrial Base Technologies and Components
- Energy, Critical Materials, and Industrial Inputs
- Food Supply and Agricultural Systems
- Transportation, Logistics, and Industrial Infrastructure
the SBA has emphasized investment in manufacturing and critical supply chains as part of the broader America First agenda to restore U.S. industrial dominance. By pairing new grant programs like SCALE with expanded access to working capital, reforms to long‑term investment vehicles, and technical assistance for onshoring, the agency is building a comprehensive toolkit to help small businesses reshore the production, logistics, and industrial infrastructure that underpin America’s economic and national security.
The SBA has 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, 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.
Applicants must submit proposals electronically through Grants.gov. The deadline for proposal submissions is Aug. 7 by 4:00 p.m. ET. General questions about these grant opportunities should be directed to accelerators@sba.gov.
Visit https://www.sba.gov/article/2026/07/23/sba-announces-9-million-grant-funding-supply-chain-acceleration-logistics-enablement-scale-program to learn more.
