Faith-based & Community Based Initiatives
Q: SBDC’s are to support faith based organizations and community based organizations,
How this is to be counted or recorded? Under the new mandate can we sign these
organizations as clients?
A: Faith based organizations whose focus is economic development can receive SBDC
technical assistance and be counted as clients.
Forms & Spreadsheets
Q: Although 888’s no longer need to be signed by the Project Officer, does the SBDC
need to send these forms to the project officer for each training event?
Q: Our SBDC modifies "tweaking" required counseling and training forms (e.g., the 641,
888, etc.) within the requirements of the Program Announcement. Can they also modify
Information Transfer Form (SBA 2226) referenced on p. A-2 of the Program
Announcement in an equivalent form as used for the 641. Can they use their own
version?
Grants.gov
Q: On the www.grants.gov website, there was a modification to the 5/17 SBDC posting
issued on 5/25. What the modification changed?
Key Personnel
Q: On page A-2, XII. Key Personnel is defined as Lead Center and Service Center
Directors and Managers. It does not include trainer, consultants, counselors or support
staff. This definition is highlighted, indicating that it has changed. However, key
personnel is mentioned in other areas of the Announcement(i.e. page B-2 and the budget
justification instructions) it is defined as being Lead and Service Center Directors, special
program directors, counselors, trainers and other professionals. Are they supposed to go
with the changed version or continue to include all personnel?
A: The definition on page A-2 was modified by the Office of General Counsel to include
only Lead Center Directors, Service Center Directors and Managers. The key personnel
list to be contained in the budget is that of only the essential personnel. Only the resumes
of the Lead Center Directors, Center Directors and Mangers should be included in the
proposal submission as per page A-2.
On-line Service Delivery
Q: What should the District Office expect from an SBDC that does not currently have
available on-line counseling and training services regarding the mentioned increase in the
total number of clients counseled or trained on-line for FY 2006?
Q: Is it the objective of the SBA that all SBDCs provide 24 hour, 7 day a week on-line
counseling and training services?
Q: What is meant by “implementation of on-line counseling and training in coordination
with SBA?”
Q: The SBDCs are allowed to charge for training. For most SBDCs training fees is the
main source of program income. The SBA, however, provides on-line training free of
charge. Does the SBA expects the SBDC to provide on-line training free of charge or is
it the intent of the SBA to also charge for on-line training in the future?
Letter of Approval
Q: To whom should the District Office issue its letter of approval and by what media?
A: The District Office should forward the letter of approval to the SBDC to be included
in the proposal submission to www.grants.gov.
Other
Q: With the increasing need of the district offices to do more outreach, can the SBDC’s
offer the use of their facilities as an AWS or just the use of their facilities to SBA
personnel for marketing and outreach? If the SBDC can not do this directly, how about
the host of the SBDC offering the comparable space?
Q: Will the OSBDC be notifying SBDC's directly re the opportunity of the Portability
Grants or is the Project Officer to inform them?