National recognition highlights CIWBC’s impact in job creation, access to capital, and support for women entrepreneurs across Central Indiana.
Ind. (Mon. May 12, 2025) — The Central Indiana Women’s Business Center (CIWBC), a program of the Indy Chamber’s Business Ownership Initiative, has been recognized by the Indiana District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration as the 2025 Women’s Business Center of Excellence.
This prestigious award honors CIWBC’s outstanding impact in supporting women entrepreneurs through individualized counseling, access to capital, and high-impact training. In 2024 alone, the CIWBC provided nearly 2,000 one-on-one counseling sessions, supported the creation or retention of more than 1,700 jobs, and facilitated over $1.3 million in capital infusions.
“Being recognized as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Women’s Business Center of Excellence is an incredible honor that reflects the strength, resilience, and determination of the entrepreneurs we serve,” said Stephanie James, Director of the CIWBC. “This recognition affirms the impact of our work and fuels our commitment to creating even more opportunities to empower women to succeed in business.”
The CIWBC is one of two SBA-designated Women’s Business Centers in Indiana and is part of a national network that helps level the playing field for women in business. It is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and supported by the Indy Chamber’s Business Ownership Initiative.
“SBA Resource Partners are a critical asset for small businesses in the SBA entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Stacey Poynter, SBA’s Indiana District Director. “They are in your neighborhood, and provide free one-on-one counseling, mentorship, and expertise that you need at all stages of your small business ownership journey. The Central Indiana Women’s Business Center team embodies what it means to be an excellent resource, and they are well-deserving of this award.”
In 2024, CIWBC hosted 33 trainings and events and reached over 1,200 attendees, deepening its community impact and expanding its reach among emerging entrepreneurs throughout Central Indiana.
The award will be formally presented during the SBA’s National Small Business Week celebrations, recognizing CIWBC as a model for excellence among more than 150 Women’s Business Centers nationwide. Additionally, the Great Lakes Region awarded the CIWBC the Women’s Business Center of the Year. The Great Lakes region consists of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
For more information about the CIWBC or to access services, visit indychamber.com/ciwbc.
