H.R. 10785: SCORE for Small Business Act of 2026

This bill would update and extend the Small Business Administration’s SCORE program, which provides volunteer mentoring and counseling to people who own, or want to start, small businesses.

What the bill does

• It formally reauthorizes SCORE and updates the Small Business Act to refer to SCORE as the group carrying out the program.
• It requires the SBA to enter into a cooperative agreement with SCORE to run the program.
• It authorizes $17 million per year for fiscal years 2027 and 2028 to support the program.

How the program would operate

The bill sets out a more detailed framework for how SCORE would be run and overseen. It would require SCORE to:

• Manage chapters nationwide.
• Provide free, one-on-one counseling and mentoring to small business owners and aspiring owners.
• Offer free or low-cost workshops.
• Expand online services such as webinars, electronic mentoring, and online toolkits.
• Keep federal funds separate from donated money and other program income.
• Maintain consistent accounting and compliance procedures across chapters.
• Train employees on how to generate and use program income.
• Set and enforce rules for volunteers, including expectations for counseling, mentoring, and use of outside resources.

Oversight and reporting

The bill adds several oversight requirements for the SBA and SCORE, including:

• Financial examinations of SCORE every two years.
• Review and approval of certain contracts above a threshold set by the Administrator.
• A system for documenting contracts.
• Reconciliation of quarterly program reports with SBA performance data.
• Annual reporting to Congress on the program’s activities and results.

The annual report would cover things like:

• How many people were counseled or trained.
• How many workshops were held and attended.
• Client and volunteer demographics, where practicable.
• How many new businesses were started.
• How many jobs were created.
• The program’s total cost.
• How SCORE is working with other SBA programs and outside organizations.

Privacy and whistleblower protections

The bill would generally prevent SBA or SCORE from disclosing the names, addresses, emails, or phone numbers of people or small businesses receiving help, unless consent is given or disclosure is needed for certain legal or audit purposes. It also directs SCORE to update materials and train employees and volunteers on whistleblower reporting procedures and protections.

Strategic planning and additional reports

The bill would require SCORE to study its future role and create a 5-year strategic plan for serving small businesses. It would also require reports on:

• The cost of donated leased space used by SCORE.
• The effectiveness of SCORE’s online counseling services.

Technical changes

The bill makes a series of wording changes in other laws to replace older references to the “Service Corps of Retired Executives” with “SCORE,” so the statutes match the updated program language.

Relevant Companies

None found