SBA: One-Year Anniversary of Veteran Small Business Certification Program Marked
VetCert Program Approved More than 10,000 Applications Averaging 15-Day Processing Times Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) marks the one-year anniversary of the agency accepting applications through the Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) program, the SBA’s primary certification vehicle to expand federal contracting opportunities for all Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs). This effort is…
HUD: $40.25 Million Available for Housing Counseling Agencies
Grants will expand housing counseling services and provide comprehensive financial literacy, homeownership, and affordable housing support to underserved communities. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Housing Counseling announced today that $40.25 million in grant funding is available to support housing counseling services for homebuyers, homeowners, and renters. “Housing counselors across…
OCC: Public Appraisal Subcommittee Hearing on Appraisal Bias Scheduled for February 13th
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) will host a public hearing of the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) on appraisal bias on February 13, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at its headquarters, 400 7th Street SW, Washington, D.C. Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael J. Hsu will provide opening remarks. The subcommittee panel…
SBA: Growth Accelerator Fund Competition Opened January 8th to Expand and Strengthen the National Innovation Ecosystem
Organizations will compete in two stages for $50,000 to $200,000 in prizes; SBA to award up to $3 Million in Stage One Prizes Today, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for America’s more than 33 million small businesses and startups, announced the opening of the 2024 Growth…
FEMA: President Biden Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Rhode Island
FEMA announced today that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Rhode Island to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, flooding and tornadoes, Sept. 10-13, 2023. The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Providence County. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and…
SBA: Further Action Announced to Help PPP and COVID EIDL Borrowers
SBA Introduces 60-Day Goodwill Exception Period, Expands Hardship Accommodation Plans The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced expanded flexibility and accommodations for COVID EIDL and PPP borrowers to help bring them into compliance and avoid the repercussions of defaulting on a government loan. For COVID EIDL and PPP borrowers with loans under $100,000, the SBA has…
Federal Reserve: Designation of the Chairs and Deputy Chairs of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks for 2024 Announced
The Federal Reserve Board on Friday announced the designation of the Chairs and Deputy Chairs of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks for 2024. Each Reserve Bank has a nine-member board of directors. The Board of Governors in Washington appoints three of these directors and each year designates one of its appointees as Chair and a…
CFPB: Report Identifies Challenges Faced by Borrowers in Resumption of Student Loan Payments
CFPB oversight identifies long hold times, inaccurate billing statements, and processing delays The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) published an issue spotlight today on the CFPB’s oversight of student loan servicing practices in the early months of the resumption of federal student loan repayments after over three years of a payment pause due to the…
Census Bureau: Census Open Innovation Labs to Host Census Open Innovation Summit 2024
The U.S. Census Bureau is virtually hosting the annual Census Open Innovation Summit, a conference showcasing technology built with open data and highlighting government innovations, cross-sector collaboration and federal-community partnership. The event is led by the Census Bureau’s Census Open Innovation Labs (COIL), which has an office at the U.S. Census Bureau, with a portfolio of award-winning projects…