The Shapiro administration announced a new round of state funding that includes $15 million for micro-grant programs targeting historically disadvantaged small businesses and more than $31 million for seven industrial site-development projects designed to create “shovel-ready” locations for employers, according to state officials.
The funding package also includes over $3 million in support for a manufacturing expansion in Columbia County expected to create 125 jobs, the Department of community and Economic Development announced this week.
Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger said Monday that $15 million is being invested through the Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program to support ten micro-grant programs run by service centers, regional economic development organizations, or institutions of higher education.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and create vibrant, healthy communities,” Siger said.
The Pennsylvania CDFI Network received the largest award at $8.45 million for statewide support in all 67 counties, according to DCED. The Chester County Economic Development Council received $1.1 million to support nine counties including Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Bucks counties.
Seton Hill University also received $1.1 million to support eight southwestern Pennsylvania counties including Westmoreland and Allegheny. The Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation and Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance each received $1 million for their respective regions.
Lehigh University received $700,000 to support six counties including Lehigh and Northampton. Two organizations serving the Philadelphia region received $500,000 each: Greenline Access Capital and the Women’s Opportunities Resource Center.
The Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce received $400,000 to support six counties, while North Side Industrial Development Company received $250,000 for 14 counties in western Pennsylvania.
Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce CEO Melanie Marie Boyer said the funding would be used with partner organizations to put capital “directly into the hands of entrepreneurs.”
Women’s Opportunities Resource Center Executive Board Chair and Founder Lynne Cutler said the grant would allow the organization to expand an owner-occupied commercial real estate program into additional counties by offering grants toward closing costs and pairing grants with microloans.
PA CDFI Network CEO Varsovia Fernandez said the funding is timely, particularly for rural areas where small businesses face challenges accessing capital.
The micro-grant program opened in December 2024 with funding supported in the 2024-25 state budget, according to DCED. The administration also cited an earlier announcement of more than $21 million to establish 11 Business Assistance Service Centers to provide technical support to small businesses.
On Tuesday, Gov. Josh Shapiro and Siger announced more than $31 million in awards for seven projects through the PA SITES program, which prepares industrial sites for development through infrastructure improvements, demolition, and remediation work.
The industrial site funding aims to create locations ready for immediate development by employers looking to expand or relocate operations. The seven projects receiving funding will undergo preparation work to make them attractive to potential businesses seeking established locations with necessary infrastructure already in place.
Additionally, a manufacturer is reopening a former bow-and-ribbon facility in Columbia County with state-backed financing and training support, creating an expected 125 jobs in the region.
The funding announcements represent the Shapiro administration’s broader economic development strategy focused on supporting small businesses while simultaneously preparing larger industrial sites to attract major employers to Pennsylvania.
The ten micro-grant programs will help small businesses cover costs associated with starting or expanding operations, providing crucial capital access to entrepreneurs from historically disadvantaged communities who often face barriers to traditional financing options.
