SBA Awards $9.5 Million for Manufacturing Training
Navajo Technical University and Chippewa Sustainable Solutions Inc. will use the funds to offer free training and advising to eligible small manufacturers.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Manufacturing
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The Small Business Administration awarded Navajo Technical University and Chippewa Sustainable Solutions Inc. a combined $9.5 million. The funding supports free in-person courses, workshops and individual advising for manufacturers eligible for the SBA's 8(a) and HUBZone programs.
Why it matters
The awards aim to strengthen small manufacturers that qualify for federal set-aside programs, with training covering workforce skills, operations, regulatory compliance and contracting. For the United States, the grants expand manufacturing capacity beyond traditional industrial hubs.
The SBA awarded $9.5 million across two grantees, with $4.54 million to Navajo Technical University and $5 million to Chippewa Sustainable Solutions. The filing does not yet specify how many manufacturers or workers the programs will reach.
The players
Small Business Administration
The U.S. federal agency that supports small businesses through lending, counseling and contracting programs, including the 8(a) and HUBZone set-aside programs.
Navajo Technical University
A tribal college in Crownpoint, New Mexico, that serves the Navajo Nation and operates a Center for Manufacturing.
Chippewa Sustainable Solutions Inc.
A North Dakota organization that provides advanced manufacturing training in Belcourt, serving the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa region.
The details
Navajo Technical University's initiative serves the Navajo Nation and nearby tribal communities in New Mexico, Arizona and Utah, and plans to expand a mentor-protégé program with Ridgeline Manufacturing and Engineering Inc. Chippewa's program in Belcourt, North Dakota offers advanced additive manufacturing and friction stir welding training, and will collaborate with the University of North Dakota, Turtle Mountain Community College and the Center for Technology Commercialization.
Timeline
November 7, 2026: The SBA awards for manufacturing training were announced.
Industry Context
The awards operate under the SBA's 8(a) Business Development program, which reserves federal contracts for socially and economically disadvantaged firms. Funding eligible manufacturers through training grants complements those set-aside contracts by building the production capacity needed to win them.
Small manufacturers eligible for the 8(a) and HUBZone programs can access free courses, workshops and advising through these grantees. Workers in tribal communities may gain access to local manufacturing training and jobs.
The takeaway
Eligible manufacturers should check whether they qualify for the 8(a) or HUBZone programs, since that status determines access to these free training resources. Tribal and rural manufacturers interested in the programs can contact the grantees directly for enrollment details.
Further reading
For broader coverage, see the Manufacturing section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Tribal Business News.
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