Grant to aid Ohio small businesses

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Small Business Development Centers of Ohio is receiving a grant of about $1.9 million from the federal government.

Part of the U.S. Small Business Administration, the organization, based in Columbus, has 11 branches throughout northern Ohio, including one at Youngstown State University, said Jim Donato, SBA spokesman for the Cleveland district.

Karen Shauri, director of the Small Business Development Centers of Ohio, said the Youngstown office would be getting some of the grant money, although she did not say how much.

Calls to the Youngstown office were not immediately returned.

The money is provided by the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, which President Barack Obama signed in September.

Donato said the grant money will help small businesses get involved in international trade, conduct innovative research and assist businesses in underserved markets.

The grants are one-time funding intended for business development and job growth, according to a press release.

“This is yet another example of the Small Business Jobs Act putting proven tools in the hands of America’s entrepreneurs and small-business owners,” Gil Goldberg, SBA director for the Cleveland district, said in a press release. “SBA’s extensive network of about 900 Small Business Development Centers continues to play a critical role in helping them grow businesses and create jobs. I’m pleased that these resources are being delivered quickly to hard-hit states like Ohio.”