The Women’s Business Center (WBC) Program was established by the Women’s Business Ownership Act of 1988 (Public Law No.
100-533) as the Women’s Business Demonstration Pilot, providing grants to private non-profit organizations to aid and encourage the development and growth
of small women-owned businesses through long-term training and counseling.
The program was expanded and made permanent in 2007 when the WBC Sustainability Grant Program, established in 1999, was replaced with the WBC Renewal Grant Program.