Opportunity Information: Apply for B2B 2017 01
Boots to Business (B2B) is a Small Business Administration (SBA) grant opportunity designed to expand and support entrepreneurship training for members of the military community, with a strong emphasis on delivering that training globally. Issued as Program Announcement BOOTS TO BUSINESS-2017-01, the program seeks proposals from qualified organizations that can run key parts of SBA's B2B entrepreneurship education pipeline, specifically the two-day, in-person Introduction to Entrepreneurship course (often referred to as "Intro") and the Foundations of Entrepreneurship online course, or other online options that are comparable in quality and outcomes. The overall intent is to make sure transitioning service members and related participants have consistent, high-quality access to startup and small business education, including those stationed or separating from service outside the continental United States.
This funding is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement under the SBA's Business and Commerce activity area (CFDA 59.044). A cooperative agreement structure generally signals that SBA expects to remain actively involved in the project rather than simply providing funds and stepping back, meaning recipients should be prepared for coordination, reporting, and alignment with SBA direction and federal program requirements. The agency planned to make up to five awards, with an award ceiling of $2,500,000 per award, indicating SBA was looking for a small set of capable partners with the capacity to operate at scale.
Eligibility for applying was open to a range of mission-aligned entities, including eligible non-profit organizations, state, local, and tribal government agencies, and institutions of higher education, with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. The announcement was created on January 13, 2017, and applications were due by February 17, 2017, at 11:59 PM Eastern, so the competition window was relatively short and favored applicants that already had mature training operations, established instructor pipelines, and strong government-program management experience.
At the core of the scope of work is the expectation that the awardee can support worldwide delivery of the B2B courses. That includes, at minimum, building and maintaining a network of qualified instructors who can teach the online course to participants across different regions and time zones, ensuring that instruction remains consistent and accessible regardless of where participants are located. It also requires maintaining a separate (or overlapping) network of instructors who can travel to and deliver the two-day Intro course at overseas military installations, which implies the operational ability to coordinate travel, access, scheduling with military partners, and rapid adjustments when installation needs or operational tempos change.
Beyond instruction, the opportunity places heavy weight on curriculum stewardship and program administration. The awardee is expected to manage SBA-owned course curricula, which involves ongoing updates, continuous improvement, and keeping materials compatible with the Department of Defense (DOD) Transition Assistance Program (TAP) governance and the TAP curriculum management process. In practical terms, this means the partner must be able to maintain version control, handle structured curriculum review cycles, document changes, and keep content aligned with the standards and expectations of DOD's transition programming, not just general small business best practices.
Finally, the grant requires a program evaluation plan and sound evaluation methodologies that support the strategic objectives of SBA's Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD). This signals that SBA wanted more than basic participation counts; they were looking for an evidence-driven approach to measuring program quality and outcomes. A strong applicant would likely be expected to track meaningful indicators such as course completion, participant satisfaction, learning outcomes, near-term business planning milestones, and longer-term entrepreneurship activity, while also producing analysis that helps OVBD improve delivery, demonstrate impact, and make decisions about program direction.
In summary, BOOTS TO BUSINESS-2017-01 funded organizations capable of delivering and managing a global military entrepreneurship training program, combining instructor network management, overseas in-person training logistics, stewardship of SBA-owned curricula aligned with DOD TAP requirements, and rigorous program evaluation. The funding level and limited number of expected awards suggest SBA was seeking partners with proven capacity to operate at national and international scale while meeting federal coordination, curriculum governance, and performance measurement expectations.Apply for B2B 2017 01
- The Small Business Administration in the business and commerce sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Boots to Business (B2B)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 59.044.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 13, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 17, 2017 The closing date is 2/17/17 1159pm est. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Boots to Business (B2B) BOOTS TO BUSINESS-2017-01 Grant Opportunity: FAQs
1) What is Boots to Business (B2B) under this announcement?
Boots to Business (B2B) is a Small Business Administration (SBA) grant opportunity focused on expanding and supporting entrepreneurship training for the military community, with a strong emphasis on delivering that training globally, including outside the continental United States.
2) What is the program announcement number for this opportunity?
The opportunity was issued as Program Announcement BOOTS TO BUSINESS-2017-01.
3) What is the main purpose of the funding?
The intent is to ensure transitioning service members and related participants have consistent, high-quality access to startup and small business education, including those stationed or separating from service overseas.
4) What type of award is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
This funding is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement. That structure generally indicates SBA expects to be actively involved in the project, so the recipient should be ready for coordination, reporting, and alignment with SBA direction and federal program requirements.
5) What activity area and CFDA number apply to this opportunity?
The opportunity falls under SBA's Business and Commerce activity area (CFDA 59.044).
6) How many awards did SBA plan to make?
SBA planned to make up to five awards.
7) What was the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling was $2,500,000 per award.
8) Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was open to mission-aligned entities including eligible non-profit organizations, state, local, and tribal government agencies, and institutions of higher education. Additional eligibility details were referenced in the full announcement.
9) When was the announcement created?
The announcement was created on January 13, 2017.
10) What was the application deadline?
Applications were due by February 17, 2017, at 11:59 PM Eastern.
11) How long was the competition window?
Based on the creation date (January 13, 2017) and deadline (February 17, 2017), the application window was relatively short, favoring applicants with mature operations and strong government-program management experience.
12) What parts of the B2B training pipeline were applicants expected to run?
Proposals were sought from qualified organizations that could run key parts of SBA's B2B entrepreneurship education pipeline, specifically:
- The two-day, in-person Introduction to Entrepreneurship course ("Intro")
- The Foundations of Entrepreneurship online course, or other online options comparable in quality and outcomes
13) Is global delivery an explicit requirement?
Yes. A core expectation is worldwide delivery of the B2B courses, including access for participants outside the continental United States.
14) What does "worldwide delivery" mean in practice for the online course?
At minimum, the awardee is expected to build and maintain a network of qualified instructors who can teach the online course to participants across different regions and time zones, while keeping instruction consistent and accessible regardless of location.
15) What does "worldwide delivery" mean in practice for the in-person two-day Intro course?
The awardee is expected to maintain a network of instructors who can travel to and deliver the two-day Intro course at overseas military installations. This implies the operational capability to coordinate travel, access, scheduling with military partners, and to adjust quickly when installation needs or operational tempos change.
16) Are separate instructor networks required for online and in-person delivery?
The opportunity describes maintaining a separate (or overlapping) network of instructors for overseas in-person delivery, in addition to the instructor capability for the online course.
17) What operational capabilities does SBA appear to be seeking from applicants?
Based on the scope described, SBA was seeking organizations capable of operating at scale, including establishing instructor pipelines, coordinating overseas delivery logistics, managing standardized instruction across regions and time zones, and administering a federally coordinated program under SBA involvement.
18) What are the expectations around curriculum management?
The awardee is expected to manage SBA-owned course curricula, including ongoing updates and continuous improvement, and to keep materials compatible with the Department of Defense (DOD) Transition Assistance Program (TAP) governance and the TAP curriculum management process.
19) What does it mean that the curricula are "SBA-owned"?
The announcement indicates the course curricula are SBA-owned and that the awardee would be responsible for stewardship of those materials, including updates and alignment with required governance processes.
20) What does alignment with DOD TAP governance require?
In practical terms, the partner is expected to maintain version control, support structured curriculum review cycles, document changes, and keep content aligned with DOD transition programming standards and expectations, not solely general small business best practices.
21) Is program administration emphasized, or mainly instruction delivery?
Both are emphasized. In addition to delivering training, the opportunity places heavy weight on program administration and curriculum stewardship, along with the ability to coordinate with SBA and comply with federal program requirements.
22) What evaluation requirements are included in this opportunity?
The grant requires a program evaluation plan and sound evaluation methodologies that support the strategic objectives of SBA's Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD).
23) What does SBA seem to expect from the evaluation approach?
The description suggests SBA wanted more than basic participation counts. Applicants were expected to use evidence-driven methods to measure program quality and outcomes and to produce analysis that helps OVBD improve delivery, demonstrate impact, and guide program direction.
24) What kinds of outcomes or indicators are implied as relevant to track?
The opportunity suggests tracking meaningful indicators such as course completion, participant satisfaction, learning outcomes, near-term business planning milestones, and longer-term entrepreneurship activity, along with analysis useful to OVBD.
25) Which SBA office is specifically referenced in relation to evaluation objectives?
SBA's Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) is referenced as the office whose strategic objectives should be supported by the evaluation plan and methodologies.
26) Why does the cooperative agreement structure matter for applicants?
Because a cooperative agreement typically means SBA remains actively involved, applicants should anticipate closer coordination, more structured reporting expectations, and alignment with SBA direction during implementation rather than operating independently.
27) What does the limited number of awards imply about expected capacity?
With up to five awards and a $2,500,000 ceiling per award, SBA appeared to be seeking a small set of capable partners with proven ability to operate nationally and internationally while meeting federal coordination, curriculum governance, and performance measurement expectations.
28) Does the opportunity allow online course alternatives to the named course?
Yes. The announcement references the Foundations of Entrepreneurship online course or other online options that are comparable in quality and outcomes.
29) Is overseas delivery specifically tied to military installations?
Yes. The in-person Intro course delivery expectation explicitly includes overseas military installations.
30) What is the overall scope of work in one sentence?
Deliver and manage a global military entrepreneurship training program that combines instructor network management, overseas in-person training logistics, stewardship of SBA-owned curricula aligned with DOD TAP requirements, and rigorous program evaluation supporting OVBD objectives.
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