📍 SBA’s new E2G Manufacturing in America grant backs hands-on workforce training and technical assistance for small manufacturers—proposals due June 15. ⸻ TL;DR ▪️Up to $50M is on the table in SBA’s new “Manufacturing in America” E2G grant initiative. ▪️SBA expects to fund as many as 10 awardee organizations to deliver hands-on training + technical assistance. ▪️You don’t apply as an individual founder—an eligible organization applies (must have 3+ years of continuous operations). ▪️Deadline: June 15, 2026 (11:59 p.m. ET) via Grants.gov. ⸻ Hey Builders! Scaling physical goods is a different beast. You can have the purchase orders and the funding, but if you don't have the hands, you don't have a business. Talent is the ultimate bottleneck. The SBA just announced a massive move to solve this. They are funding the technical assistance and shop-floor training necessary to ensure small manufacturers aren't left behind as the supply chain reshores. ⸻ 🧾 What This Is On May 6, 2026, SBA announced the “Manufacturing in America” Empower to Grow (E2G) Grant Initiative—up to $50 million in total grant awards for organizations that can deliver hands-on manufacturing training and technical assistance to small manufacturers. Key nuance: the applicant is usually not the manufacturer—it’s the organization that can run the training + technical assistance at scale (the manufacturers are the beneficiaries). ⸻ 📦 What’s Included (what you can build with it) SBA frames this grant around in-person, hands-on training and technical assistance—skills that actually touch the shop floor. The SBA manufacturing grants page lists examples like operating machinery, quality control, industrial software, and workplace safety. For builders, this is “ecosystem infrastructure” money—regional training + TA that helps small manufacturers get better, safer, more precise, and more contract-ready. ⸻ 👥 Who It’s For (eligibility reality check) SBA’s eligibility is broad, but it’s not casual. Applicants can be for-profit or nonprofit entities (including associations and educational institutions), but they must have at least three years of continuous operations, relevant experience serving small manufacturers, and the ability to deliver hands-on training and technical assistance. 💡Translation: you don’t “apply as a solo founder.” You partner with (or influence) the kind of organization that can credibly apply—and make sure the program design actually serves your community (and not just the usual pipeline). ⸻ 🗓 Key date + official link 📌Deadline: June 15, 2026 — submit electronically by 11:59 p.m. ET. 📌Official link (Grants.gov listing): grants.gov/... SBA is also hosting informational webinars (registration required): May 11, 2026 (2–3 p.m. ET) May 27, 2026 (2–3 p.m. ET) June 3, 2026 (2–3 p.m. ET) ⸻ 🧠 Builder Playbook This is one of those quiet levers that decides who gets to participate in “Made in America”—and in what role. Pressure-test any local proposal with three questions: 1️⃣ Start with the wage ladder, not the workshop. What roles are being trained for, what’s the starting pay, and what’s the next rung within 12–24 months? 2️⃣ Tie the training to contracts and procurement. If manufacturers are the target, outcomes should include certifications, quality systems, and supplier readiness—not just completion certificates. 3️⃣ Put the inclusion mechanics in writing. Who gets recruited? Who gets first access to apprenticeships? What’s the rule for local suppliers and minority-owned inclusion? If it isn’t written, it won’t hold. The momentum is real. Just last month, the EDA underscored this shift by announcing a $6.8 million award to stand up the Jim Hudson Automotive Institute—a transformational training facility in Augusta, Georgia. This isn't just policy; it’s active capital hitting the ground. ⸻ 💬 Quote of the Day “I’ve seen firsthand the essential role they play in restoring American industrial strength.” - SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler ⸻ 🎬 Closing Thought — Build The Training Moat Manufacturing wealth is "sticky" because its foundations—the specialized skills, quality systems, and deep supplier networks—cannot be easily replicated or outsourced. When a community masters these capabilities, they don’t just "get jobs"; they gain economic sovereignty. Treat this grant as your primary lever for change. Whether you are an eligible organization or a manufacturer ready to anchor the employer side, the clock is ticking. June 15 is approaching fast. The winning proposals won't just promise results—they will arrive with signed commitments for competitive wages, guaranteed placements, and enforceable inclusion rules. Don’t wait. Put your name in the hat. ⸻ By Kieran Blanks, MBA, Head of Product and New Ventures, OHUB ⸻ OHUBNext Daily Brief ⚡️ - investments, edge tech, and moves that matter. For 12+ years, OHUB has been building pathways and on-ramps to multi-generational wealth - without reliance on pre-existing wealth. Through exposure, skills, entrepreneurship, capital markets, and inclusive ecosystems, we've helped people create new jobs, new companies, and new wealth.