Central Missouri News

Ahead of a House Small Business Committee hearing, Congressman Mark Alford, representing Missouri's 4th District and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations, has reintroduced the Rural Innovation and Small Business Support Act. This legislation mandates that the Small Business Administration (SBA) increase its outreach in rural areas to improve access to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.

"For too long, middle America has been left high and dry with limited access to federal programs like SBIR and STTR," stated Congressman Alford. "The Rural Innovation and Small Business Support Act will give rural small businesses, including those in Missouri’s fourth district, greater opportunities to access these vital funding programs. I’m proud to once again lead this important bill to support rural innovators and entrepreneurs."

House Small Business Committee Chairman Roger Williams also expressed support for the initiative. "America’s rural communities are often left underserved by the federal government," he said. "Rep. Alford’s Rural Innovation and Small Business Support Act will improve the outreach to rural communities and ensure that all small businesses are given the opportunity to compete for valuable federal contracts and force the federal government to include rural Americans in SBIR and STTR programs."

The SBIR and STTR programs annually invest $4 billion into approximately 4,000 American small businesses and startups without taking equity or intellectual property in return. Presently, most SBA outreach workshops occur predominantly in traditional private investment hubs on the east and west coasts. The new act aims to broaden this reach into rural areas across middle America.