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Greetings!

As we embark on a new fiscal year, I’d like to begin by thanking all of you who helped make our Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week Conference such a huge success. We had over 800 people in attendance learning about the best strategies to pursue government contracting opportunities, take advantage of new industries, and cultivate strategic partnerships to grow.  Please visit the MED Week website to view the photos and...

The face of America – and of American agriculture – is changing. The number of farms in the United States has grown 4 percent and the operators of those farms have become more diverse in the past five years, according to results of USDA’s most recent Census of Agriculture.  The 2007 Census counted nearly 30 percent more women as principal farm operators. The count of Hispanic operators grew by 10 percent, and the counts of American Indian, Asian and Black farm operators increased as well.  In addition, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that the number of minority-owned businesses grew more...

Proposed rules published today for comment in The Federal Register by the U.S. Small Business Administration would adjust the size definition of small businesses in 52 industries in two broad categories of businesses, ranging from travel agencies and movie production to waste management.

The proposed adjustments to size standards in 15 industries in Sector 51 of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), “Information,” and in 37 industries in Sector 56, “Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services,” reflect changes in marketplace...

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) is one of eleven awardees in a Small Business Teaming Pilot Program designed to help small businesses work together to compete for federal contracts, grow, and create jobs.

On September 27, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Small Business Jobs Act, the most significant piece of small business legislation in over a decade designed to provide critical resources to help small businesses continue to drive economic recover and create jobs. The...

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) today announced grant awardees in a pilot program designed to help small businesses work together to compete for federal contracts, grow, and create jobs. 

The Small Business Teaming Pilot Program, made possible by the Small Business Jobs Act, awards grants to organizations for training, counseling, and mentoring to help small businesses enter into teaming relationships and compete for larger federal contracts.  Teaming may take the form of joint venture and mentor-protégé relationships.

Eleven grantees were selected from hundreds...

Greetings,

Recently, President Obama presented an aggressive plan to help small businesses get Americans back to work. The American Jobs Act would provide payroll tax cuts for 98% of businesses, a $4,000 tax credit for hiring workers who have been unemployed for more than six months, and extend the 100% expensing tax credit for large and small businesses.

The plan also includes provisions to expand job opportunities for hundreds of thousands of low-income youth and adults through a new...

Small businesses borrow for four principal reasons: starting a business, purchasing inventory, expanding, and strengthening the firm’s financials.

 “Small business owners across the country tell me that access to capital remains one of their central concerns,” said Chief Counsel for Advocacy Winslow Sargeant. “The research we are releasing today will add to the understanding of small business financing needs and sources, and will inform policymakers seeking to strengthen the productive small business sector.”

The ...

President Obama explained his proposal for putting creating jobs now and putting Americans back to work before Congress. In addition to giving the economy a shot in the arm with more money in the pockets of working Americans, his proposed American Jobs Act has several new ideas, backed by both Democrats AND Republicans, which are a win for businesses and employers. The President is focused on rebuilding the economy the American way, through the ingenuity and hard work of the American people.

Businesses and employers stand to win under the...

The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service today requested public comment on a proposed affordability safe harbor for employers under the shared responsibility provisions included in the Affordable Care Act that will apply to certain employers starting in 2014.

Under the Affordable Care Act, employers with 50 or more full-time employees that do not offer affordable health coverage to their full-time employees may be required to make a shared responsibility payment....

One hundred nonprofit organizations from 44 states and the District of Columbia received grants under the Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs Act (PRIME), the U. S. Small Business Administration announced today. 

Grants will be used to provide business-based training and technical assistance to low-income and very low-income entrepreneurs to help them start, operate, or grow a small business.  Grants will also be used to better equip community-based nonprofit organizations to provide training. 

“In the midst of the economic downturn the country has

...

Greetings!

MBDA is gearing up for a busy month, and I’d like to share some of the exciting things we’re working on.

On September 1, I’ll be traveling to Cleveland, Ohio to welcome our newest MBDA Business Center to the nationwide network.    Joining us at the open house will be U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (OH-11), and a wide range of local business leaders, trade groups and minority chambers of commerce.  I will then participate in an inaugural reception for the new MBDA Business in...

Congratulations to MBDA’s National Conference award recipients! This year’s conference was held in Houston, Texas during June 20-24; celebrating the accomplishment of MBDA’s business centers. Representatives from the centers were acknowledged for their outstanding performance and contributions to minority business development.

National Outstanding Performance Award

The San Antonio Business Center was awarded the 2010 National Outstanding Performance Award, which recognizesthe top center achieving the highest scores in multiple...

Business owners aren't always aware of all the resources the government makes available for them. For example, the Department of Commerce has tools to directly help companies at every point in the business life cycle. And we’re particularly focused on helping the small and medium-sized businesses that create over half of all new jobs.

With this in mind, President Obama launched the National Export Initiative (NEI) with the goal of doubling U.S. exports by the end of 2014. The rationale is simple: The more that companies export, the more they produce. The more they produce, the...

In 2010, MBDA achieved substantial agency wide level results including several that were of historic nature. Establishment of the first MBDA-led National Advisory Council in nearly 40 years In early 2010, MBDA petitioned U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to establish a secretarial-level advisory council on minority business enterprises. On November 3, 2010, the Secretary approved the creation of the National Advisory Council for Minority Business Enterprise (NACMBE).

The...

For over 40 years, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) has facilitated job growth by fostering the development of minority-owned business here in the United States. Minority business enterprises (MBEs) create jobs in a variety of economic sectors, from manufacturing to hospitality services and everything in between.  

To ensure that our country remains competitive in the future, we must ensure that minority-owned businesses are providing the jobs of the future. That’s why MBDA works to help minority-owned businesses participate in some of our fastest growing sectors...

The Internal Revenue Service encouraged taxpayers to guard against being misled by unscrupulous individuals trying to persuade them to file false claims for tax credits or rebates.

The IRS has noted an increase in tax-return-related scams, frequently involving unsuspecting taxpayers who normally do not have a filing requirement in the first place. These taxpayers are led to believe they should file a return with the IRS for tax credits, refunds or rebates for which they are not really entitled. Many of these recent scams have been targeted in the South and Midwest.

Most...

A best-kept secret is that domestic trade shows are great places to meet and sell to international buyers. U.S. businesses that have discovered this relatively low-cost channel for drumming up new sales claim that exhibiting at the “right” shows can fill their order books for the entire year.

It may sound counter intuitive to make international sales without leaving the U.S., but the fact is that international buyers are attracted to large trade shows in the U.S. And let’s not forget the draw of Las Vegas, Chicago, Miami and other big trade show venues.

...

On May 31st, 2011, President Barak Obama officially nominated Mr. John Bryson to succeed Gary Locke as Secretary of Commerce.  John Bryson was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison and Edison Mission Group, from 1990 to 2008. He is a director of The Boeing Company, The Walt Disney Company and Coda Automotive, Inc. and is a senior advisor to KKR among his many other roles in the private sector.

Stepping into Commerce, Bryson will be charged with continuing to further President Obama's agenda on the issues of...

Small businesses interested in starting or expanding sales of their goods and services overseas have access to a new, free online tool that will gauge their readiness to export and help them develop an export business plan.

The Export Business Planner, developed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, offers a ready-made, customizable and easily accessible document that can be updated and referenced continuously as the business grows.

The Planner, located at...

Ford Motor Company announced recently that it had exceeded its supplier diversity sourcing goal, purchasing $4.1 billion in goods and services from minority-and women-owned companies.

The success of Ford’s supplier diversity efforts illustrates how valuable minority-owned business enterprises are to our country’s top companies and our economy overall. From heavy equipment to financial services, no matter what the demands of your supply chain are, there’s a minority-owned firm that can fulfill them.   In fact...

Recently, a number of state and local governments have begun taking a close look at their existing Minority and Women-owned contracting programs. A number of intergovernmental groups, such as the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, have advocated for additional assistance to minority-owned firms. The State of Maryland and the City of New York are two particular examples of this increased focus.

On May 10, 2011, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley (D) signed Senate Bill 120 into law which aims to change the way the state contracts with minority-owned businesses.

SB...

A proposed rule published today for comment in The Federal Register by the U.S. Small Business Administration would adjust the size definition of small businesses in the transportation and warehousing sector to reflect changes in marketplace conditions in those sectors.  

The proposed revisions would increase the revenue-based size definition businesses must meet to qualify as small businesses in 22 industries of the transportation and warehousing sector. As part of its ongoing comprehensive review of all size standards, the SBA...

The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved an initial group of six community-based, mission-focused lenders to start accepting and processing Community Advantage loan applications from small business borrowers immediately, the agency announced today.

The new Community Advantage pilot program was announced by SBA in December and is designed to expand access to lower dollar loans and lending in traditionally underserved communities.  SBA and U.S....

A new video series launched today by the U.S. Small Business Administration and ADP® offers insight into the story behind the story of six successful American companies.  Featuring the individuals who built their businesses from an idea to become industry leaders, the “America’s Best” series shares keys to success, best practices and lessons learned for today’s entrepreneurs.

“With this series, SBA and our partner ADP offer current and potential entrepreneurs a chance to hear from the people who built their big ideas into some of America’s most successful companies,” SBA...