Community Navigator Pilot Program (CNPP)
The Community Navigator Pilot Program was a 2.5 year grant-funded program uplifting America’s entrepreneurs, especially socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and entrepreneurs in rural and low-income communities.
In 2021, the Delaware SBDC was awarded a $2.5 million Community Navigator Pilot Program Grant (CNPP) from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Selected from out of 700+ applications, Delaware SBDC was one of eleven “Tier 2” winners. With this funding, a dedicated team worked to fortify a network of organizations around the state and deliver programming and services outlined by the CNPP grant.
After the end of the grant period in 2024, the Delaware SBDC continues to serve entrepreneurs with our key services and programming, supported by a stronger small business ecosystem across Delaware.
Community Navigator's Impact
* Data is from December 2021 – May 2024.
Fostering Partner Relationships
The Community Navigator Program was designed as a Hub and Spoke model. As the Hub, the Delaware SBDC supported it’s Spoke organizations in connecting to specific sectors within the entrepreneurial community to provide assistance.
Facilitated by the Hub, our original community Spokes worked together to not only ensure access to resources but expand the help available to entrepreneurs all over the state. Through outreach efforts, trainings and programmatic development, our partners and providers played a key role in ensuring necessary information reached all communities.
Partner relationships established during the Community Navigator program continue to help the Delaware SBDC support entrepreneurs across the state. These partnerships were forged by a mutual commitment to community and providing business resources to entrepreneurs throughout Delaware.
Learn more about each of our partners below.
Community Navigator Spokes
Partners & Providers
Our Navigator Clients
* Data reflects CNPP grant-funded activity from December 2021 – May 2024
Client Success Stories
The Community Navigator Program offered vital services to socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs in Delaware. Read more about how the program and advising services from the Delaware SBDC helped these businesses grow!
Community Events & Trainings
The Community Navigator Program helped to facilitate and connect organizations across the state under one mission – to better serve our community. One primary way we served local businesses and entrepreneurs was offering high-quality, high-demand, community-focused events. Check out some photos and highlights below from popular events that were hosted by the Navigator Program.
![61[1]](https://delawaresbdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/611-e1733775221275.png)
![59[1]](https://delawaresbdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/591-e1733775252926.png)
![43[1]](https://delawaresbdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/431-e1733775293205.png)
The Delaware SBDC continues to provide trainings and events to our small businesses. For more information and to check out upcoming events, please visit the Delaware SBDC Events Calendar.
Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.