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Created on April 14, 2015 |
In commemoration of the 2015 National Women’s History Month, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) hosted a “Meet the Author” event inside Commerce’s Research Library on April 8.
The guest speaker for the event was Dr. Andrea E. Smith-Hunter, a Professor of Management and Sociology at Siena College and author of several books. Dr. Smith-Hunter spoke to Commerce...
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Created on April 13, 2015 |
This year’s tax season is the first time tax filers will be asked to provide basic information regarding their health coverage on their tax returns.
Here’s what taxpayers need to know:
1. Most people just need to check a box: Most tax filers – about 75 percent – will just need to check a box when they file their taxes to indicate that that...
We wanted to invite you to apply for an incredible opportunity to pitch your business at a Breakfast Casting Call with the casting team from ABC’s Shark Tank on Saturday, April 11th at 8:30am at thehive 2.0 in Washington, DC.
Shark Tank is the critically-acclaimed reality show that has helped reinvigorate entrepreneurship in America. The recipient of the 2014 Emmy Award for Outstanding Structured Reality Program, Shark Tank attracts millions of viewers each...
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Created on April 3, 2015 |
Global business opportunities thrive in Laredo, Texas. The City’s unique geographical position neighboring Mexico makes this hub ideal to conduct international business.
That is why the U.S. Department of Commerce’s U.S. Commercial Service, in conjunction with Congressman Henry Cuellar are hosting a seminar April 7 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Texas A&M International University featuring this dynamic market...
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Created on March 30, 2015
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When you think of business and investment opportunities in the United States, where’s the best place to start? America is made up of 50 states plus territories and each location has its own unique economic profile. The U.S. Cluster Mapping Tool, a combined effort of the...
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Created on March 27, 2015 |
MBDA Associate Director Kimberly Marcus was a presenter at the 2015 Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) Industry Day on March 25th. The annual event gathers aviation professionals and key stakeholders to discuss the legislative and regulatory agenda of the organization and to hear from industry leaders on and off Capitol Hill.
As the Office of Legislative, Education and Intergovernmental...
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Created on March 25, 2015 |
The U.S. Department of Commerce Connecticut District office invites you to participate in a series of thirteen one hour to 90 minute nationally promoted webinars beginning in early April through late May 2015.
The International Trade Compliance Webinar Training Program will provide U.S. companies either who supply the nation’s largest exporters, including Prime and Tier-one contractors in supply chain, or want...
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Created on March 24, 2015 |
Connect Americas is the first social network for businesses in the Americas, dedicated to promoting foreign trade and international investment. It seeks to help SMEs strengthen their businesses, by providing them with direct access to potential clients, suppliers and investors in the region and all over the world, segmented by industry.
It also provides useful and simple information about procedures and...
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Created on March 20, 2015 |
Attention technology entrepreneurs!!!
The Spring National SBIR/STTR Conference will take place June 15-17, 2015 at the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center at Washington DC National Harbor.
At this conference, attendees learn from and network with SBIR/STTR leaders and program experts on how to...
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Created on March 20, 2015 |
The SBIR Road Tour is a national outreach effort to convey the non-dilutive technology funding opportunity provided through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Over the course of this year individual program managers from the 11 participating agencies representing $2.5 billion in early stage funding will embark on a 20 state road tour, participating in a...
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Created on March 18, 2015 |
The International Trade Administration is pleased to announce a webinar for U.S. exporters focused on the opportunities in Brazil’s Airport Sector.
Since 2012, five of Brazil’s largest airports have been successfully privatized through concession rounds. The auction generated over US$ 14 billion for the federal government, which is now being invested in 270 regional airports throughout the country through a...
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Created on March 17, 2015 |
Alejandra Y. Castillo, National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and agency officials joined representatives from several MBDA Business Centers around the country at the National Reservation Economic Summit (RES) in Las Vegas last week. This multifaceted event was hosted by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) and featured unparalleled access to respected...
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Created on March 17, 2015 |
EXIM/MBDA's Minority Exporter of the Year Business Award showcases the fastest-growing Minority-Owned Exporters based on revenue growth and U.S. job creation over the immediate past two years.
The winner will be publicly recognized at EXIM’s Awards and Recognition Luncheon during the 40...
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Created on March 16, 2015 |
Summit Will Focus on Evolving Role of Urban Innovation in the American Economy
The U.S. Department of Commerce and Columbia University today announced that they will co-host the first-ever Future of Urban Innovation Summit, which will take place at the Columbia University campus in New York City on Tuesday, June 9, 2015. The summit is part of the Commerce Department’s ...
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Created on March 11, 2015 |
It’s tax season, which means it’s also time for tax scams, with numerous online scams that attempt to steal people’s tax refunds, bank accounts, or identities. Last year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) estimates it paid $5.2 billion in fraudulent identity theft refunds in filing season 2013. Websense Security Labs reported in 2014 it saw approximately 100,000 IRS-related scams in circulation every two weeks....
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Created on March 9, 2015 |
Whether you are an established small business or just getting started, join us on March 18 for GSA’s Office Small Business Utilization...
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Created on March 6, 2015 |
On March 11th 1:30 pm EST, take advantage of this FREE presentation to learn about our exciting International Trade Compliance Webinar Training Program.
The program is a webinar series which consists of thirteen one hour to 90 minute webinars starting in early April running through late May 2015. These training webinars will cover
International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR)
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Created on March 5, 2015 |
The U.S. Department of the Treasury created myRA (my Retirement Account), a new retirement account, to help people save for retirement. myRA is a simple, safe, and affordable way to take more control of your future. Here are the top questions employees have about myRA.
What is myRA?
myRA is a new type of Roth IRA* – a popular retirement savings tool – that has been specifically...
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Created on March 4, 2015 |
In the first of a series of new industry-based fact sheets released by MBDA, data reveals that minority-owned manufacturing firms employ 342,000 workers and grew faster than their non-minority counterparts in three areas—number of firms, employees and gross receipts.
This data supports MBDA’s...
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Created on March 3, 2015 |
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently published a proposed rule to amend its regulations to establish a government-wide Mentor-Protégé Program for all small businesses as directed by the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 and the National Defense Authorization Act of 2013 (NDAA). As directed by the statute, the proposed...
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Created on March 3, 2015 |
The U.S. Department of Labor is rolling out a number of improvements to its CareerOneStop Business Center site, including new videos and tutorials to help businesses train and retain employees. Employers can send their workers to the CareerOneStop for employees for information...
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Created on March 2, 2015 |
Small employers should be aware of changes to the small business health care tax credit, a provision in the Affordable Care Act that gives a tax credit to eligible small employers who provide health care to their employees.
Beginning in 2014, there are changes to the tax credit that may affect your small business or tax-exempt organization:
Credit percentage increased from 35 percent to 50
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Created on February 27, 2015 |
Join the U.S. Commercial Service and the Florida District Export Council for DISCOVER GLOBAL MARKETS: The Americas, the premier international business conference for U.S. executives. Come explore new market opportunities and learn effective strategies from senior U.S. Diplomats and business leaders in the...
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Created on February 27, 2015 |
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced new data that shows 26 states achieved records in goods exports in 2014, while eight additional states experienced growth in merchandise exports over 2013 levels. Total merchandise exports from all 50 states helped the U.S. achieve the fifth consecutive record-setting year of goods and services exports, which reached $2.35 trillion in 2014.
Secretary...
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Created on February 26, 2015 |
Register now to join us on March 10th at 4:30 pm Eastern Time for Japan’s Energy and Nuclear Industries Webinar. There is a $25 fee to register. Instructions for accessing the webinar will be sent to you after completing the registration process.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Global Asia Team is...
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Created on February 25, 2015 |
I am a native of Columbia, South Carolina and a graduate of Benedict College with a BS in Business Administration. I also received a Masters of Business Administration from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. After college, I began my career with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2000, I joined the MBDA Atlanta Regional Office and have been with the Department of...
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Created on February 23, 2015 |
The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and Coppin State University (CSU), joined forces to celebrate Black History Month with “The Future of Business, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship” event held Feb. 12 in Baltimore.
The event, held at CSU, a Historical Black College and University (HBCU), offered a range of activities and speakers focused on...
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Created on February 18, 2015 |
We know that our workforce looks very different from 50 years ago. Women now make up nearly half of the labor force and play a critical role in our nation’s economic prosperity. Most children live in households where all parents work. And as...
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Created on February 17, 2015 |
The Internal Revenue Service today announced the release of IRS2Go 5.0, an update to the only official IRS smartphone application, compatible with both Apple and Android devices.
Download IRS2Go free of charge for Android devices from the Google Play Store or from the Apple App Store for Apple devices. Use it to check your refund status, watch...
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Created on February 17, 2015 |
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will launch an 18 state road tour, joined by 11 fellow federal agencies in the SBA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
The SBIR Road Tour “Seeding America’s Future Innovations,” is a nationally focused outreach initiative targeting advanced technology communities, including women-owned and minority-...
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Created on February 17, 2015 |
Led by National Director Alejandra Y. Castillo, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) has been collaborating with the San Francisco MBDA Business Center (SFMBC), operated by ASIAN, Inc., to advance a groundbreaking technology transfer and innovation agenda.
The SFMBC, along with its sister San Jose and Fresno MBDA Business Centers, serve the Greater San Francisco Bay Area, which is...
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Created on February 11, 2015 |
The Internal Revenue Service has announced the launch of a new, online public directory of tax return preparers.
This searchable directory on IRS.gov will help taxpayers find a tax professional with credentials and select qualifications to help them prepare their tax returns.
“This new directory will be a practical tool for the millions of Americans who rely on the services of a paid...
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Created on February 11, 2015 |
It was our honor for the International Trade Administration to join the Virginia-Washington D.C. District Export Council and Ambassadors from three of Africa’s fastest-growing economies at a recent networking event focused on U.S. companies doing business in Africa.
The message from the Ambassadors from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania was loud and clear: “We are ready for your business to come to Africa.”...
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Created on February 10, 2015 |
As a business owner, it’s important to understand what the new health care law means for you and how you can benefit. There are a lot of misconceptions out there, so here are the facts you should know.
Before the Affordable Care Act (ACA), small businesses paid on average 18% more in premiums than their larger competitors for the same benefits. The ACA helps small employers by lowering...
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Created on February 6, 2015 |
The U.S. Small Business Administration will expand the American Supplier Initiative with matchmaking events that will be held throughout 2015. The matchmaking events will help provide small businesses with the tools and resources needed to become effective suppliers and connect with federal and commercial supply chain opportunities.
“The American Supplier Initiative is part of a comprehensive plan to create...
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Created on February 6, 2015 |
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Western Union have launched the third round of the African Diaspora Marketplace business plan competition (ADM III).
Successful ADM III applicants will receive a matching grant of up to $50,000 and will have access to technical assistance and other support services. The ADM III...
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Created on February 5, 2015 |
Trade Agreements Will Help Accelerate Economic Growth
Today, the Commerce Department announced new data that show U.S. businesses exported $2.35 trillion of our goods and services in 2014, hitting a record high for the fifth straight year. U.S. goods exports increased 2.7 percent to a record $1.64 trillion in 2014. Records were set in exports of capital goods; consumer goods; petroleum products;...
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Created on January 30, 2015 |
Puerto Rican businesses and entrepreneurs looking for opportunities that drive growth found them during Puerto Rico’s MBDA Business Center’s Minority Enterprise Development Week (MED Week) conference held on January 30th in San Juan’s Condado Plaza Hotel.
The MED Week in Puerto Rico continued the celebration of the Minority Business Development Agency’s (MBDA) 45th Anniversary. It...
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Created on January 28, 2015 |
In his State of the Union address, President Obama said that “21st century businesses, including small businesses, need to sell more American products overseas. Today, our businesses export more than ever, and exporters tend to pay their workers higher wages…”
Following on the President’s remarks, we thought it would be valuable to take a quick “...
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Created on January 27, 2015 |
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is a highly competitive program that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) that has the potential for commercialization.
Through a competitive awards-based program, SBIR enables small businesses to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its...
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Created on January 27, 2015 |
You are cordially invited to attend “The Global Connect: Texas Trade Finance Seminar” on February 20, 2015 at the International Trade Center at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
This seminar is (1) a must attend event for Texas and Southwest-based businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, interested in entering, growing, and succeeding in global markets; (2) a major networking...
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Created on January 26, 2015 |
Accessing Africa What U.S. Firms Need to Know for Success
The Doing Business in Sub-Saharan Africa Webinar Series offers convenient access to the most current business outlook and opportunities in 8 dynamic markets.
Six webinars, offered from February to April, focus on delivering a market overview and best practices for business success. Hear from...
The bite of winter is fast approaching, with some areas already covered in frosty white. While many workers will be earning a living indoors, plenty of people in the United States will be working outside in the coming months, often in the bitter cold. Employers should be aware of the dangers, and plan accordingly.
Here are four things every employer should know in the winter:
1. What do I need to know about shoveling snow?
Shoveling snow can be a strenuous activity, particularly because cold weather can be taxing on the body, and can create the...
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Created on January 23, 2015 |
The San Antonio MBDA Business Center’s specialty is helping minority businesses (MBEs) find exporting opportunities in Latin America. Aligning with White House initiatives such as Look South, the center has assisted numerous MBEs develop international market entry strategies that vary by sector, size, capabilities, targeted countries and regions....
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Created on January 20, 2015 |
Joe Matthews recently completed an internship in the International Trade Administration’s Office for Export Policy, Promotion, and Strategy.
As yet another polar vortex bears down on much of the United States, we in the trade community can still find some sunshine in the fresh trade data through November...
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Created on January 16, 2015 |
The MBDA Business Center-El Paso (Texas), operated by the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, kicked off the New Year with its first Business Sunday Event at Destiny Family Christian Center this past weekend. The event was organized in collaboration with the local El Paso SBA office and the Women’s Business Border Center (a joint project of the U.S. SBA and...
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Created on January 13, 2015 |
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently published a proposed rule to implement Section 1651 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2013 (NDAA), proposing to change several key areas, including: the performance requirements applicable to small business and socioeconomic program set aside contracts and small business subcontracting, the non-manufacturer rule and affiliation rules, and the...
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Created on January 13, 2015 |
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) recently added new events to its website for 2015. USTDA events, like workshops and business briefings, showcase U.S. technologies and services that can help partner countries achieve their development goals.
Business briefings provide a platform for foreign delegates to present their upcoming procurement needs to U.S. businesses. A hallmark of USTDA-sponsored...
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Created on January 13, 2015 |
In November 2014, President Obama announced a series of executive actions to fix our broken immigration system. As part of these actions, the President created a...
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Created on January 12, 2015 |
We are pleased to present the January webinar series featuring informative sessions on capital, contracts, and markets for business growth and sustainability. Register at http://1.usa.gov/1BbG0xG
Access to Capital: Denied for a Bank Loan, Now What?
January 21, 2015 | 1:...