H.R. 5826

119 HR 5826 IH: Increasing and Developing Entrepreneurship Access Act of 2025
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2025-10-24
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 I  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  H. R. 5826  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   October 24, 2025   Ms. Stevens  (for herself and  Mrs. Beatty ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Financial Services , and in addition to the Committee on  Small Business , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned   A BILL
To establish a grant program to provide minority business enterprises access to entrepreneurship opportunities, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Increasing and Developing Entrepreneurship Access Act of 2025   or the   IDEA Act of 2025  .
2.
Grants to provide minority business enterprises access to entrepreneurship opportunities
(a)
Establishment
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development shall establish a program to provide grants to business accelerator entities to provide entrepreneurship opportunities to minority business enterprises.
(b)
Application
A business accelerator entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit to the Under Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Under Secretary may reasonably require.
(c)
Amount and term
The amount of a grant provided under this section shall be $1,000,000 each year for a period of five consecutive years.
(d)
Federal share
The Federal share of a grant provided this section to a business accelerator entity may not exceed 75 percent of the total amount of funds provided by the entity to carry out activities using grant funds.
(e)
Use of funds
(1)
In general
A grant provided under this section shall be used by a business accelerator entity to provide—
(A)
capital, including direct cash transfers of grant funds, to minority business enterprises in a region;
(B)
networking programs that connect minority business enterprises to sources of capital and innovation in a region; and
(C)
any other assistance that the Under Secretary determines to be appropriate for minority business enterprises in a region.
(2)
Region described
A region described in this subsection is a region in which not less than 15 minority business enterprises, each with a revenue of not less than $250,000 a year, are located.
(f)
Report
The Under Secretary shall submit to Congress, for each fiscal year in which the Under Secretary provides grants under this section, a report on the program established under this section, including—
(1)
an identification of the number of grants provided in such fiscal year and the total amount of such grants;
(2)
an identification of the number of minority business enterprises that have received assistance from such entities in such fiscal year; and
(3)
a description of any noncompliance by any business accelerator entity.
(g)
Misdemeanor
A business accelerator entity that receives a grant under this section that knowingly uses amounts under the grant for any purpose not otherwise permitted under the program established by this section or who knowingly attempts to do so, shall be fined as provided in title 18, United States Code, or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
(h)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Business accelerator entity
The term  business accelerator entity  means an entity that—
(A)
engages in a partnership with one or more public or private organizations that support minority business enterprises;
(B)
provides opportunities to expand minority owned business enterprises through seed investment or networking opportunities; or
(C)
offers start-up capital or opportunities to raise capital from investors for minority business enterprises.
(2)
Minority business enterprise
The term  minority business enterprise  has the meaning given in section 1108(a) of the CARES Act ( 15 U.S.C. 9007(a) ).
(3)
Under secretary
The term  Under Secretary  means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development of the Minority Business Development Agency (established under section 100002 of the Minority Business Development Act of 2021 ( 15 U.S.C. 9501 )).
(i)
Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2026 through 2030.