SBA Manufacturing in America E2G Grant: Requirements, Eligibility & Application Steps

Posted May 7, 2026
Grants USDA

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced up to $50 million in funding through its Manufacturing in America Empower to Grow (E2G) Grant Initiative (FY 2026), with applications opening May 4, 2026.

This SBA manufacturing grant program is designed to strengthen the U.S. industrial base by funding organizations that deliver hands-on, in-person manufacturing training and technical assistance to small businesses.

The Notice of Funding Opportunity specifically includes food processing as an eligible manufacturing sector, potentially creating opportunities for technical colleges, workforce training programs, and manufacturing-focused food processing initiatives. The goal is to help manufacturers improve productivity, address workforce shortages, and increase competitiveness and manufacturing capacity.

If your organization already provides manufacturing training, workforce development, or technical assistance services—or is expanding existing capabilities—this could be a strong opportunity to secure federal funding. Importantly, this initiative is focused on hands-on manufacturing training and technical assistance rather than direct business expansion grants for manufacturers.

Below are key highlights from SBA, including insights from the official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO):

KEY GRANT OPPORTUNITY DETAILS

  • Agency: U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
  • Program: Empower to Grow (E2G) – 7(j) Technical Assistance
  • Opportunity Number: GCBD-7j-2026-01
  • Submission Deadline: June 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET
  • Submission Method: Grants.gov only (no exceptions)
  • Funding: SBA expects up to 10 awards of $5 million each, with up to $50 million total available, depending on available funding and application quality
  • Project Start Date: Within 30 calendar days of award
  • Project Period: 12 months
  • Matching Requirement: None
  • Agency Program POC: Ms. Kiya Perrin, SBA Office of Business Development & Certifications Business Development Division (Email: OMTA@sba.gov)

GRANT ELIGIBILITY

Eligible applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

  • Be a for-profit or not-for-profit entity, including small businesses, other-than-small businesses, trade/professional associations, or educational institutions
  • Have been in continuous existence for at least three years
  • Have experience providing hands-on, in-person technical assistance, tools, or training related to small manufacturing businesses on a regional or national basis
  • Demonstrate capacity to provide manufacturing-related training and technical assistance to small business concerns

Food Processing Relevance

The SBA specifically lists food processing among the eligible manufacturing sectors under this initiative. While meat processing is not specifically referenced, it reasonably falls within the broader food processing category. Depending on the program structure, this may create opportunities for technical colleges, workforce training organizations, and manufacturing-focused food processing initiatives providing hands-on training and technical assistance.

Eligible applicant categories listed on Simpler.Grants.gov include:

  • 501(c)(3) nonprofits
  • Public/state institutions of higher education
  • Private institutions of higher education
  • Small businesses
  • For-profit organizations other than small businesses
  • Other eligible entities

REQUIRED APPLICATION COMPONENTS

Your application must include five core sections:

1. Cover Letter

Must include:

  • Funding opportunity reference
  • Organization name, address, website
  • Point of contact (name, email, phone)
  • Statement of eligibility
  • Requested funding amount

2. Technical Proposal (Max 15 pages)

This is a key section and should include:

Core Content

  • Organizational experience & capacity
  • Description of hands-on manufacturing training
  • Target industries and services
  • Project goals, milestones, and outcomes
  • Evaluation methodology

Required Details

  • Key personnel + resumes (≤2 pages each)
  • Organizational chart
  • Contractors/consultants and procurement method
  • Training topics (examples):
    • Manufacturing processes
    • Workforce shortages
    • Quality control & safety
    • Supply chain and pricing
    • Government contracting readiness

3. Budget Package

Required Forms

  • SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
  • SF-424A (Budget Information)
  • Budget Detail Worksheet (Attachments A-9 to A-12)
  • Budget Narrative

Key Rules

  • Costs must be allowable, allocable, reasonable
  • Max 49% for contractors/consultants
  • Indirect costs:
    • NICRA rate OR
    • 15% de minimis option

4. Certifications & Forms

  • SF-424B (Assurances)
  • Federal representations via SAM registration

5. Attachments & Supporting Documents

Must include:

  • Resumes & job descriptions
  • Contracts/consulting agreements
  • Letters of support
  • Cost policy statement
  • Last 3 years of audits or financial statements
  • Indirect cost rate agreement (if applicable)

PRE-SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS (CRITICAL)

Before applying, organizations must:

  1. Obtain a UEI Number
    • Required for all federal grants
  2. Register in SAM.gov
    • Must be active and updated annually
  3. Create Grants.gov Account
    • Assign Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR)

Timeline: Registration can take 1–2 weeks, so start early.

STEP-BY-STEP APPLICATION PROCESS

Step 1: Register & Prepare

  • Get UEI
  • Register in SAM.gov
  • Create Grants.gov account
  • Assign AOR

Step 2: Build Your Application

Prepare:

  • Cover letter
  • Technical proposal
  • Budget & forms
  • Attachments
  • he guillotine door with trolley storage, blood collection tank, and meat processing equipment in a Friesla Harvest Module’s Harvest Room.
    An interior view of the Harvest Room inside a Friesla Harvest Module, which enables multi-species harvesting: bleeding, hide removal, evisceration, splitting, weighing, inspection, and washdown prior to hot carcass drawdown.
  • The folded-down operator platforms, inspection tray, carcass splitting saw, and other meat processing equipment, in a Friesla Harvest Module’s Harvest Room.
    An interior view of the Harvest Room inside a Friesla Harvest Module, which enables multi-species harvesting: bleeding, hide removal, evisceration, splitting, weighing, inspection, and washdown prior to hot carcass drawdown.
  • Inside a Friesla Harvest Module’s Carcass Drawdown Cooler looking through opened doors into the Harvest Room.
    An interior view of the Friesla Harvest Module’s Carcass Drawdown Cooler, looking through open double doors into the Harvest Room.
  • A meat rail system, evaporators, and working hose in a Friesla Harvest Module’s Carcass Drawdown Cooler.
    An interior view of the Carcass Drawdown Cooler inside a Friesla Harvest Module, where the temperature of hot, freshly-harvested animal carcasses is reduced through quick cooling.
  • The evaporators used to regulate temperature in a Friesla Harvest Module’s Carcass Drawdown Cooler.
    An interior view of the Carcass Drawdown Cooler Room inside a Friesla Harvest Module, where the temperature of hot, freshly-harvested animal carcasses is reduced through quick cooling. After rapid chilling, carcasses are then moved into the attached Carcass Aging Cooler for dry aging and extended cooling.
  • The 4-meat rail system, ceiling-mounted evaporators, and double doors in a Friesla Carcass Aging Cooler.
    An interior view of a Friesla Carcass Aging Cooler, where carcasses are cooled and dry-aged on a meat rail system prior to fabrication.
  • The 4-meat rail system, ceiling-mounted evaporators, and double doors in a Friesla Carcass Aging Cooler
    An interior view of a Friesla Carcass Aging Cooler, where carcasses are cooled and dry-aged on a meat rail system prior to fabrication.
  • A wide shot of the polytop cutting tables, meat processing equipment, and ceiling-mounted evaporators in a Friesla Cut and Package Module.
    An interior view of a Friesla Cut and Package Module, where chilled carcasses are fabricated into finished cuts, ground product, and packaged prior to cold or frozen storage and shipment to market.
  • The three basin sink, meat processing equipment, wall-mounted shelves, and ceiling-mounted evaporators in a Friesla Cut and Package Module.
    An interior view of a Friesla Cut & Package Module, where chilled carcasses are fabricated into finished cuts, ground product, and packaged prior to cold or frozen storage and shipment to market.
  • The meat processing equipment, polytop cutting tables, wall-mounted shelves, and ceiling-mounted evaporators inside a Friesla Cut and Package Module.
    An interior view of a Friesla Cut and Package Module, where chilled carcasses are fabricated into finished cuts, ground product, and packaged prior to cold or frozen storage and shipment to market.
  • A stainless-steel Pro Smoker Smokehouse, meat processing equipment, wall-mounted shelves, and ceiling-mounted evaporators in a Friesla Ready-to-Eat Production Module.
    An interior view of a Friesla Ready-to-Eat Production Module, where finished cuts are smoked, dried and packaged prior to storage and shipment to market.
  • A Pro Smoker Smokehouse with a smoke truck in a Friesla Ready-to-Eat Production Module.
    A Pro Smoker Smokehouse and smoke truck inside a Friesla Ready-to-Eat Production Module, used to precisely control smoking, cooking, drying, and finishing of meat products to ensure consistent quality and food safety.
  • Meat processing equipment, stainless-steel tables, wall-mounted shelves, and ceiling-mounted evaporators in a Friesla Ready-to-Eat Production Module.
    An interior view of a Friesla Ready-to-Eat Production Module, where finished cuts are smoked, dried and packaged prior to storage and shipment to market.
  • An employee pushing a smoke truck through the double doors of a Friesla Ready-to-Eat Production Module.
  • The product shelving units, half-open pass-through door into the second room, and ceiling-mounted evaporators in a Friesla Finished Goods Cooler and Freezer.
    An interior view of a Friesla Finished Goods Cooler & Freezer, where fabricated and packaged products are chilled or frozen on shelving units or pallets before shipment to market.
  • Angled view of the product shelving units, open pass-through door into the second room, and ceiling-mounted evaporators in a Friesla Finished Goods Cooler and Freezer.
    An interior view of a Friesla Finished Goods Cooler & Freezer, where fabricated and packaged products are chilled or frozen on shelving units or pallets before shipment to market.

Step 3: Complete Forms in Grants.gov Workspace

  • Fill SF-424 first (auto-populates others)
  • Upload attachments
  • Validate all required fields

Step 4: Submit via Grants.gov

  • Submit at least 24–48 hours early
  • Only AOR can submit

Step 5: Track & Validate Submission

You will receive:

  1. Submission confirmation
  2. Validation status (accepted/rejected)
  3. SBA retrieval confirmation

 If your submission is rejected? → Fix and resubmit it before the deadline.

  • Butcher moves beef carcass along meat rail in Friesla Modular Harvest unit.
  • A team of butchers removing the hide from a beef carcass on a skinning cradle in a Friesla Harvest Module.
  • Butcher using a bandsaw to split a beef carcass in the Harvest Room of a Friesla Harvest Module.
  • Butcher using a workstation hose to spray a beef carcass half for washdown.
  • Butchers inspecting two beef carcass halves hanging on a meat rail in a Friesla Harvest Module.
  • Butcher arranges beef carcasses in a Modular Carcass Aging Cooler.
  • Butcher moving a beef half on the rail in a full Friesla Carcass Aging Cooler.
  • Butchers fabricate and breakdown beef carcasses on polytop cutting tables in their Friesla Breaking Module.
  • Butchers fabricate and breakdown beef carcasses on polytop cutting tables in their Friesla Breaking Module.
  • Butchers fabricate a beef carcass into steaks and roasts in the Cut and Package Module of a Friesla Meat Processing System.
  • Butcher using bandsaw to portion beef into steaks.
  • Butcher loading ground beef into a piston stuffer.
  • Two butchers stuffing and weighing bags of ground beef.
  • A butcher hand-cutting fat off of beef on a table.
  • Butcher places material around steak before packaging.
  • Butcher pulls vacuum-packaged steaks from a double chamber vacuum sealer in a Friesla Cut and Package Module.
  • Butchers break, cut, and package beef carcasses in the Cut and Package Module of a Friesla Meat Processing System.
  • Slots in a packaging machine filled with pieces of beef jerky.
  • Butcher moves packaged meat into a Friesla Finished Goods Freezer for frozen storage.

CRITICAL SUBMISSION RULES

  • Late submissions = automatic rejection
  • Only one application per organization
  • No edits after deadline
  • Applications must pass Grants.gov validation first

WHAT SBA EVALUATES (SCORING OVERVIEW)

SBA places significant emphasis on measurable workforce and manufacturing outcomes, including placement rates, retention rates, employer partnerships, and manufacturing employment impact.

Applications are scored out of 100 points:

  • Organizational Experience – 25 pts
  • Project Management – 20 pts
  • Project Design – 35 pts
  • Collaboration – 10 pts
  • Target Market Reach – 10 pts

PRO TIPS

To prepare a competitive application:

  • Start registration immediately
  • Prioritize clear measurable outcomes
  • Show real manufacturing impact
  • Emphasize hands-on training
  • Include data tracking + ROI metrics
  • Keep proposal tight, structured, and compliant
Butchers fabricate and breakdown beef carcasses on polytop cutting tables in their Friesla Breaking Module.
Employees weighing and packaging meat in the Bourbon Barrel Beef Retail Shop.

EXAMPLES OF AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFIERS

  • Outstanding federal financial obligations
  • Suspension/debarment
  • Recent bankruptcy
  • Unresolved Single Audit deficiencies
  • Prior SBA E2G termination for cause
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