NEWARK, N.J.—The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced that it is cohosting two education events this fall aimed at women entrepreneurs as a continuation of the 2024 National ChallengeHER road tour. The SBA will partner with Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and American Express (AMEX) on the education initiatives. ChallengeHer is a government contracting education initiative that aims to bring more women-owned firms into the federal government’s supply chain, encourages participation in the SBA’s Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract Program and provides an avenue for government agencies to meet qualified women-owned small business contractors.

The ChallengeHER events provide matchmaking opportunities between women-owned businesses and government contractors. It also provides world-class programming and training facilitated by subject-matter experts who offer tips on entering and navigating the public sector supply chain. These sessions are offered in-person and online.

The first event was held today at George Mason University (GMU) in Fairfax, Va. The second event, scheduled for December 3, will be held in in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., at the Marriott Harbor Beach Hotel. The event is free for all registrants and registration is open here.

“ChallengeHER has helped more than 26,000 women-owned small business owners gain access to federal contracts and grow their revenue by selling to the world’s largest buyer: the U.S. government,” said Jackie Robinson-Burnette, associate administrator for SBA’s office of government contracting and business development. “Our continued collaboration with Women Impacting Public Policy and American Express on the ChallengeHER initiative, reaffirms the SBA’s pledge to eliminate disparities for women-owned businesses in the federal marketplace by empowering them to connect with federal buyers directly via matchmaking events and by continuously advocating on their behalf.”

“WIPP is honored to be a national partner on this much needed and well-respected program,” said Angela Dingle, president and CEO of Women Impacting Public Policy. “Now in its 11th year, we have served nearly 26,000 women-owned small businesses, providing the education and resources needed to navigate the road to success and sustainability during these historical times,”

“American Express has a long history of backing small businesses, providing the tools and resources they need to grow and thrive as we aim to help businesses do more business,” said Jessica Ling, executive vice president of global brand advertising for American Express. “We’re proud to continue to support ChallengeHER, which unlocks real opportunities for women-owned businesses to drive sales and growth through access to contracts and important connections.”