The University of Tennessee (UT) Center for Industrial Services (CIS) was one of three recipients of grants awarded from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA awarded $1.1 million to the three organizations to provide training and technical assistance to support small manufacturers in the SBA’s Empower to Grow (E2G) program.
“We’re excited and proud to be one of three E2G award winners across the U.S.” said CIS Executive Director Paul Jennings. “We look forward to helping small manufacturers in rural, distressed areas achieve their performance goals.
The award recipients will deliver regional support to small manufacturers in critical industries, in support of the agency’s Made in America Manufacturing Initiative to restore American jobs, industry and national security.
CIS, an agency of the UT Institute for Public Service, will provide workforce training, hands-on technical assistance, and process improvement services to small manufacturers across Tennessee. CIS’ grant is $350,000 over 12 months. The initiative will focus on customers in rural, underserved, and economically distressed areas that face significant workforce shortages, operational inefficiencies, and limited access to formal training. The project will reach 150 individuals at 20 to 25 E2G-eligible businesses, with priority on manufacturers in persistent poverty counties. CIS will deliver services through its locations in Knoxville, Nashville, Jackson, and Tullahoma, and through on-site delivery at participating manufacturers’ facilities.
CIS has a proven track record of supporting manufacturers, this project represents an opportunity to scale and tailor services for customers that have historically lacked access due to factors such as size, location, staffing, or operational limitations. SBA funding will enable CIS to integrate nationally recognized workforce credentials into its service offerings, expand outreach to previously underserved customers, and provide support to companies employing individuals often overlooked by conventional training systems.
SBA’s E2G program offers eligible small manufacturers free topical courses, hands-on training, and one-on-one consulting to support their growth, operations, hiring, regulatory compliance and government contracting competitiveness.
