Davids Meets with Local Business Owners, Discusses New Legislation to Support Women’s Business Centers

Today, Representative Sharice Davids hosted a roundtable with local business owners, leaders of the Kansas City Women's Business Center, and the national Association of Women's Business Centers to discuss the challenges facing female entrepreneurs and how Davids' newest legislation, the Women's Business Centers Improvement Act, will support and improve access to resources for the vibrant entrepreneurial community in the Kansas Third.

Gathered in Overland Park at the only Women's Business Center (WBC) in Kansas, participants shared with Davids how this center helped them launch and grow their businesses. WBCs are funded by the Small Business Administration and provide a full range of counseling and technical training services to over 150,000 business owners annually. The Kansas City WBC reached over 800 clients last year through programs that cover how to start a business, gain skills, obtain funding, create a business plan, and much more.

"Starting a business can be daunting and confusing, especially for entrepreneurs who don't typically have the network or access to capital that is needed to get off the ground. When I was first starting TGS, the Kansas City Women's Business Center helped fill that gap for me, and I'm glad that Rep. Davids recognizes the value of their work," said Lenora Payne, CEO of Technology Group Solutions. "Their support gave me the tools I needed to be successful and to grow my company—and anything we can do to offer that same opportunity for success to more women business owners in our area would be a boon to our entire economy."

"The Women's Business Center gave me the business tools I needed in order pursue a dream, provide for my family, and help leaders create and navigate change," said Rebeka Garcia Cook, Greenboat Executive Coaching & Consulting. "Without the WBC, my dream would have remained a wish and the transformational work I support would not have happened. Thank you, WBC."

"I completed the WBC 8 week LaunchU program in spring of 2019 and was prepared to launch my business by July," said Reba Hamilton, Owner of Virgil's Plant Shop. "Before attending the program, I had a vision of what Virgil's Plant Shop was going to be, but it was the business planning curriculum from WBC that armed me with tools to be successful from concept to execution. Programs like LaunchU are essential for anyone with the entrepreneurial spirit and lay the foundation for a more inclusive small business driven community."

Davids re-introduced the Women's Business Centers Improvement Act with Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY) last week after it passed last Congress with unanimous bipartisan support. This bill reauthorizes the WBC program for four years, increases the authorization level from $18 million annually to $31.5 million, and increases the cap on individual center grants for the first time since the program began. It also establishes an accreditation program run by the Association of Women's Business Centers to ensure all WBCs provide excellent service and counseling.

"To hear directly from the Kansas City Women's Business Center staff and the entrepreneurs who have benefited from the resources here is amazing. From community building to technical assistance, these centers give women the support they need to grow a successful business," said Davids. "My new legislation is designed to give WBCs the resources they need to reach even more potential business owners and continue to cultivate a thriving local economy here in the Kansas Third and nationwide."

"It's exciting to bring Representative Davids to our center and show her the impact of her proposed legislation. We aim to equip every entrepreneur who walks through our door with tools for success, and with the increased funding Rep. Davids is advocating for, we'll be able to reach more women with more resources," said Sherry Turner, Executive Director of the Kansas City Women's Business Center.

"I am honored to stand alongside Congresswoman Sharice Davids in support of H.R. 6441, the Women's Business Center Improvement Act of 2022. We applaud the leadership of the Congresswoman, Representative Claudia Tenney, and the House Small Business Committee in the introduction of bipartisan legislation that would reauthorize the WBC program, implement accreditation guidelines, and increase the capacity of the Association of Women's Business Centers (AWBC) to affect continuous improvement and best practice sharing across the network," said Corinne Hodges, CEO of the Association of Women's Business Centers. "If passed, his historic legislation will increase access to capital, entrepreneurial training and counseling for tens of thousands of women seeking to start and grow businesses with the support of their local Women's Business Center, including those in Kansas City."

Throughout the pandemic, Davids has worked tirelessly to ensure that small businesses continue to serve as the heart of our community. She introduced the SUPPLIES Act, which would promote manufacturing of PPE and medical equipment like face masks, hospital gowns, ventilators, and testing materials at small and medium manufacturers here at home. She has also been a fierce advocate for minority- and tribal-owned businesses, working with SBA to secure critical funds for these groups through PPP.