Fiscal Year 2022 Broad Agency Announcement - Access to Capital: Innovative Finance | MBDA OBD 2022 2007329

Opportunity Information: Apply for MBDA OBD 2022 2007329

The Fiscal Year 2022 Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) - Access to Capital: Innovative Finance is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Commerce, administered by the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), focused on improving access to capital for minority business enterprises (MBEs). The central goal is to fund a project that tackles long-standing, systemic barriers that make it harder for MBEs to secure financing, especially when traditional lending systems depend heavily on collateral, established assets, and conventional credit profiles that many minority-owned firms have historically been denied the chance to build. MBDA is looking for practical, market-oriented solutions that help MBEs get funded through approaches that go beyond standard bank lending and typical underwriting expectations.

This opportunity emphasizes "innovative finance," meaning applicants are encouraged to leverage non-traditional financial resources and develop or test new ways to connect MBEs to capital. Proposed projects can take multiple forms, including building or scaling technical assistance models that help businesses become capital-ready, piloting new tools or financing pathways, using technology to expand access or improve matching between businesses and capital providers, strengthening research and data collection so barriers and outcomes are better understood, or educating non-traditional lenders and capital providers about MBEs and the realities of underwriting businesses that may not fit conventional profiles. In short, MBDA is not just seeking general small business support; it is looking for interventions that directly address the mechanisms that keep MBEs from being financed and that recognize the collateral and asset gap as a key obstacle.

The program aligns with MBDA's broader mission to support the growth and global competitiveness of MBEs and is also tied to the federal government's priority of advancing racial equity and supporting underserved communities. That framing signals that MBDA is interested in projects that can demonstrate clear benefits to minority-owned firms and that can show how the proposed approach meaningfully reduces inequities in capital access. While the announcement is open to qualified organizations, the eligibility category is listed broadly as "Others" with further clarification referenced in the full eligibility text, which typically implies that nonprofits, for-profits, educational institutions, and other entities may be able to apply depending on the specific requirements in the official notice.

Key administrative details include the funding opportunity number MBDA OBD 2022 2007329 and CFDA number 11.802. The grant instrument type is a grant, and the activity category is listed under Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology, and other Research and Development, which is often used for innovation and applied research initiatives even when the topic is economic development or finance-focused. MBDA anticipated making one award under this announcement, with an award ceiling of $884,559, indicating a single, relatively substantial project intended to produce a strong proof of concept, scalable model, or significant applied research and implementation effort. The notice was created on May 5, 2022, and the original application closing date was June 6, 2022.

To help prospective applicants understand the requirements and align proposals with MBDA's expectations, MBDA scheduled a series of pre-application teleconferences on May 16, May 23, and May 26, 2022, each held from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time. Registration was required at least 24 hours in advance, with additional information available on the MBDA website (www.mbda.gov). These calls typically provide clarifications about the program's objectives, what a competitive application looks like, allowable activities, reporting expectations, and how MBDA interprets "innovative finance" in practice.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2022 Broad Agency Announcement - Access to Capital: Innovative Finance" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.802.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 05, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 06, 2022. (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 $884,559.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for MBDA OBD 2022 2007329

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