SBTRC Mid-South Atlantic | USDOT OST OSDBU SBTRCMSA 2023 1

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDOT OST OSDBU SBTRCMSA 2023 1

The SBTRC Mid-South Atlantic grant opportunity is a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) discretionary funding program run through the Office of the Secretary (OST), specifically the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU). It is designed to expand and strengthen the Small Business Transportation Resource Center (SBTRC) presence in the Mid-South Atlantic region, which for this competition includes Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The overall focus is business and commerce as it relates to transportation, with the intent of supporting small businesses and helping them better access transportation-related opportunities, resources, and networks through a regional resource center model.

Funding is offered via a cooperative agreement, which typically means the DOT expects to have an active role in guiding or collaborating on program execution rather than simply issuing a hands-off grant. The opportunity is listed under CFDA (now commonly referred to as Assistance Listing) number 20.910. The awarding office is identified as DOT, 69A350 OSDBU, reflecting OSDBU as the sponsoring program office within DOT.

Eligible applicants are tax-exempt organizations registered with the IRS as either 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6). The notice highlights several types of organizations that fit this profile and are encouraged to apply: business-centered community-based organizations, transportation-related trade associations, colleges and universities, community colleges, and chambers of commerce. In the provided eligibility field, it specifically references nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), but the broader description clearly contemplates both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) entities and includes higher education and similar institutions as potential participants, as long as they meet the tax-exempt registration expectation described in the announcement.

The opportunity was created on May 23, 2023, with an original application closing date of July 22, 2023. The maximum funding amount per award (the award ceiling) is $187,000, and DOT indicated it expected to make about 10 awards. In practical terms, this suggests DOT may be seeking multiple organizations to participate in or operate SBTRC functions, potentially covering different service areas, outreach approaches, or partner networks within the three-state Mid-South Atlantic footprint.

In plain language, this competition is about selecting qualified, business-facing nonprofit or similarly structured organizations to serve as a resource hub for transportation-related small business assistance in Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee under the DOT OSDBU SBTRC program. The selected organizations would be positioned to deliver programming and support that aligns with OSDBU goals, with DOT maintaining a collaborative role through the cooperative agreement structure.

• The Department of Transportation, 69A350 OSDBU in the business and commerce sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "SBTRC Mid-South Atlantic" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.910.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 23, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 22, 2023. (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 $187,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for USDOT OST OSDBU SBTRCMSA 2023 1

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