Sponsors
The bill aims to increase rural small businesses' awareness, inclusion, and access to SBIR/STTR funding—potentially boosting local innovation and jobs—but risks limited impact or added cost if outreach is unfunded or rushed into implementation.
Rural small business owners and entrepreneurs will receive targeted outreach about SBIR/STTR opportunities, increasing their awareness and likelihood of applying for federal R&D funding.
Rural communities and small businesses may gain greater access to funding and innovation support, which can spur local job creation and broader economic activity in underserved areas.
Underrepresented rural innovators will be better included in federal R&D programs, improving equity in who benefits from federal research and development investments.
Rural communities and small businesses could see uneven or ineffective outreach if agencies are not provided funding to implement the required engagement, limiting the bill's intended benefits.
Rural communities and small businesses may receive only superficial or rushed outreach because the 90-day compliance window incentivizes short-term planning rather than sustained engagement.
Federal agencies and taxpayers will incur additional administrative costs and staff time to design and carry out new rural outreach efforts, potentially diverting resources from other activities.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the SBA to direct SBIR and STTR agencies to increase and conduct outreach in rural areas, with policy changes issued within 90 days.
Introduced February 26, 2025 by Mark Alford · Last progress February 26, 2025
Requires the Small Business Administration to change its policy guidance so that every federal agency that participates in the SBIR and STTR programs increases outreach to rural communities and conducts outreach activities in rural areas. The SBA Administrator must issue those directive changes within 90 days of the law taking effect. The change is a procedural requirement rather than a funding change: it directs agencies to expand recruitment and awareness efforts to boost participation by small businesses located in rural areas, without authorizing new appropriations.