Association of Women's Business Centers

06/18/2026

We're excited to welcome Mastercard as a sponsor of the 2026 AWBC Annual Leadership Conference in Denver, Colorado! 🌄

We're grateful for Mastercard's continued commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and supporting small business growth. Partnerships like this help strengthen the network nationwide and advance our shared mission of expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs.

🎟️ With less than three months to go, now is the perfect time to secure your conference ticket! Join us September 15–17 for three unforgettable days of connection, learning, and leadership.

Register today: https://awbc.org/2026-leadership-conference/

06/15/2026

When Hannah Wolf decided to open Elizabeth Ann’s Bridal, one of her first calls was to SD CEO West Women's Business Center at Black Hills State University.

Now, less than a year later, she’s helping brides across the Midwest find their perfect dress while continuing a family legacy of entrepreneurship.

From studying fashion in London to returning home to Belle Fourche, South Dakota, Hannah’s journey is a reminder that sometimes the biggest dreams bring us right back where we started!

Thank you, Hannah, for sharing your story with us and showing what’s possible when entrepreneurs have access to trusted, local support through .

Learn more about Hannah and Elizabeth Ann's: https://awbc.org/elizabeth-anns/

06/12/2026

We love when worlds collide! 🌟

So excited to welcome our new intern, Chelsea Berson, to the AWBC team! Chelsea is already jumping in and we can’t wait to see the impact she’ll make this summer.

And a huge shoutout to our incredible board member Nikki Hahn, CEO of WEDC-Women's Enterprise Development Center — thank you for opening your doors and letting Chelsea see what the impact of a WBC looks like up close!

This is exactly what the women’s business ecosystem looks like in action. 💪

06/01/2026

We have so many new national small business initiatives launching that we decided to tell you about ALL of them in one upcoming webinar! ✨

🔗Register now: awbc.org/resources

Whether you’re just starting out or ready to scale, this free info session is designed for small business owners who are ready to grow with the right tools, funding opportunities, and support behind them.

Come learn, connect, and leave with a plan and resources to confidently take your next step.

You’ll walk away with:
💸Grant opportunities you can apply for NOW
📝Free training to strengthen your business skills
💳 Credit counseling and financial resources
🎟️ Invitations to events and summits designed for entrepreneurs
👀 First look at A BRAND NEW OFFER — and you’ll get first access!

This one session could make all the difference in where your business goes next.

05/28/2026

We’re just under 4 months away from the event of the YEAR!✨

This September, we’re bringing together WBCs and their host organizations, business coaches, small business owners, top brands, speakers, and more to elevate WBC services, share ideas and best practices, and build meaningful connections across the network. We can’t wait to see who takes the stage and what new collaborations and conversations will emerge!

🔗 Ready to join us in Denver, CO Sept. 15-17? Register today at awbc.org/2026conference

Verizon Square T-Mobile GrowthWheel U.S. Bank LivePlan Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp. Thryv OutreachSystems

05/26/2026

The U.S. Small Business Administration is hosting a nationwide pitch competition for entrepreneurs who are innovating and shaping the future of their industries. 🎤

Consider sharing this opportunity with your network or apply yourself: https://preview.sba.gov/freedom-250/

Selected businesses will pitch live in Washington, D.C., competing for a share of a $1M prize pool recognizing the innovation and ambition driving American small business!

To celebrate 250 years of American free enterprise, we want to show the country that small business is BIG business.

We’re looking for small businesses that are:

- Strengthening American competitiveness

- Innovating and demonstrating an outsized impact within an industry

- Delivering economic opportunity and quality jobs

- Showing strong fundamentals and ex*****on readiness

Apply to the Patriot Pitch Competition: sba.gov/freedom250

05/26/2026

Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation’s (WWBIC) Hayward office is the U.S. Small Business Administration 2026 National Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award winner! 🎉🏆

Congratulations to their entire team on this well-deserved recognition. Through their work, the Hayward office continues to expand opportunities, strengthen rural communities, and demonstrate the powerful role play in driving economic growth.

“It’s such an honor to have the SBA recognize the strides we’ve made to encourage economic development and promote small businesses here in North Central Wisconsin,” said Jaci Sulley, WWBIC North Central Regional Director. “It can be challenging for entrepreneurs to find resources to assist them in rural areas like ours, so it’s been a real joy to bring the services WWBIC provides to these counties.”

We are so proud to celebrate this monumental achievement by WWBIC and the incredible impact of their team! 👏

05/26/2026

Square is back as a sponsor for the 2026 AWBC Annual Leadership Conference in Denver, Colorado! 🌄

We’re grateful for Square’s dedication to entrepreneurs and small business growth. This partnership and continued support help make this work possible and strengthen the network nationwide.

🎟️ Haven’t secured your conference ticket yet? Join us September 15–17 for an unforgettable few days of connection, learning, and leadership: https://awbc.org/2026-leadership-conference/

05/20/2026

In remote rural areas, 70% of young children live in a licensed childcare desert. 🏡 Small business owners like Mikaela Wolfe of The Wolfe Den Daycare in Nebraska are helping change that.

Mikaela is a graduate of a recent Childcare Accelerator program offered by Center for Rural Affairs — made possible by AWBC and Stearns Bank N.A.

Through the program, Mikaela strengthened her business plan, separated her finances, and even purchased a van to take her kids on field trips, museum visits, and swimming lessons this summer. 🚐

Her story reminds us tat childcare isn't just a service, it's the backbone that allows families and communities to function. Read more here: https://awbc.org/childcare-provider-spotlight-the-wolfe-den-daycare-llc/

05/19/2026

Meet Katty Ibarra — AWBC Board Member and Regional Director of the San Diego and Imperial Women's Business Center, hosted by Southwestern College. 💜

Katty's leadership has turned the San Diego & Imperial WBC into a powerful force. Under her direction, the center has:

✦ Launched 526 new businesses
✦ Secured over $36 million in capital for clients
✦ Served more than 3,800 unique clients
✦ Supported 230 childcare providers — creating 2,070 new childcare slots for families across the region

But these numbers only tell part of the story. Katty is also a key part of the fiscal agent team supporting the California WBC Network, where she helps 21 centers across the state secure vital funding and maintain compliance.

What sets Katty apart is her belief that entrepreneurship is about more than business — it's personal. That's why initiatives like her Mindset Program help clients break through the personal and professional barriers that stand between them and their goals.

We are grateful for Katty's dedication to the WBC network and are proud to have her on the board!🎉