Strengthening U.S. Small Manufacturing under the Made in America Initiative

Guidehouse is a consulting firm working with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to support the Made in America Manufacturing Initiative, which aims to strengthen the competitiveness of small and medium-sized manufacturers across the United States. Small manufacturers play a critical role in domestic production, regional employment, and supply chain resilience, but many face structural constraints that limit their ability to scale and modernize. Our Capstone team was asked to analyze the key barriers affecting small manufacturers and develop practical policy and program recommendations to improve their competitiveness. To address this task, our team conducted market research, analyzed industry data and policy literature, and evaluated workforce, capital access, and supply chain challenges affecting small manufacturing firms. Based on this analysis, we developed recommendations focused on workforce capability development, improved capital access mechanisms, and ecosystem coordination tools to support sustainable growth in the U.S. small manufacturing sector.