SCRANTON, Feb. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman traveled to Scranton, Penn., where she joined Mayor Paige Cognetti and White House Senior Advisor and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Tom Perez to announce more than $540,000 in new grants to local small businesses by the City of Scranton through funding in the American Rescue Plan. 

Administrator Guzman kicked off the day at Zummo’s Café, a local coffee shop and beneficiary of the new wave of Scranton’s Small Business Startup and Expansion grants, where she joined Mayor Cognetti and Director Perez to meet with the business owners and tour the shop. They then participated in a press conference where Mayor Cognetti unveiled the new grants for local small businesses through President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

Administrator Guzman, Director Perez, and Mayor Cognetti then headed to On&On Vintage Marketplace, a locally-owned vintage and antique store. They met with owners Meegan Possemato and Andrew Planey, who have benefitted from SBA loans and received assistance through the local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and discussed how the Small Business Boom under President Biden is powering Main Streets across the country.

The Administrator, Director, and Mayor finished the day at Noteology, a woman-owned small candle design studio and perfumery that has received assistance from the SBA’s local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and benefitted from Scranton’s small business grants made possible through American Rescue Plan funding. Administrator Guzman and owner Danielle Fleming discussed how the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda is supporting entrepreneurs and fueling our nation’s economic growth.

Under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda, America is experiencing a historic Small Business Boom, with a record-breaking 16.5 million new small business applications filed since President Biden took office – including 440,000 in Pennsylvania.

For follow-up interview requests for Administrator Guzman, please contact Rebecca Galanti at Rebecca.Galanti@sba.gov.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration  
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.  

Christine Saah-Nazer
U.S. Small Business Administration
202-756-0304
press_office@sba.gov