SBA SCALE Program: $9 Million in Supply Chain Grants, Apply by August 7

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has launched a new funding competition through its Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement (SCALE) Program, making $9 million available to organizations that help small businesses strengthen domestic supply chains. The program will award 20 grants of up to $500,000 each over a two-year period of performance, with awards beginning September 30, 2026.

What the Funding Covers

The SCALE Program is designed to help small businesses address supply chain constraints, increase production, and expand participation in strategically important domestic supply chains. Funded projects must focus on one of six priority industry supply chains:

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Supply Chains
• Defense Industrial Base Technologies and Components
• Energy, Critical Materials, and Industrial Inputs
• Food Supply and Agricultural Systems
• Transportation, Logistics, and Industrial Infrastructure

Grantees will use the funds to deliver accelerator programming, technical assistance, industry engagement, or related services that support small businesses in these critical sectors.

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants include public or private entities, for-profit organizations, nonprofits, and institutions that can deliver accelerator programming, technical assistance, or industry engagement supporting small businesses in the priority supply chains listed above.

Each applicant may submit only one proposal. Organizations must have an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through SAM.gov to register on Grants.gov and receive an award.

Applicants are automatically rejected if they:

• Owe an unresolved financial obligation to the federal government
• Are currently suspended or debarred from federal awards
• Have an unresolved Single Audit Act deficiency within the past three years
• Filed for bankruptcy within the past five years
• Propose to act as a pass-through entity
• Were convicted of a federal felony (or had an officer or agent convicted) within the preceding two years

How to Apply

• Application Window: July 7, 2026 - August 7, 2026
• Deadline: August 7, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
• Where to Apply: Submit electronically through Grants.gov
• Registration: Grants.gov registration can take one to two weeks, so start the process immediately

A complete application includes a cover letter (1 page), technical approach and organizational qualifications (5 pages each), and additional components outlined in the full solicitation on Grants.gov.

Why This Matters

The SCALE Program is part of a broader federal push to rebuild U.S. manufacturing and critical supply chains. By funding organizations that directly assist small businesses, the SBA aims to strengthen domestic production in sectors ranging from defense to agriculture to energy. For organizations working with small business suppliers, this is a significant opportunity to expand programming with substantial federal backing.

Source: U.S. Small Business Administration