May 10-13: SBA, AEO to Co-Sponsor National Conference to Promote Microenterprise Development and Job Creation

Expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs and small-business owners will be the focus of the 2010 National Microenterprise Conference and Training Institute, May 10-13, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Va.

"Some of the most innovative and promising businesses across the country are microenterprises, small companies that offer significant opportunities to create jobs and strengthen the nation’s competitive edge in the global market," said Karen G. Mills, administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration. "This conference gives us the chance to bring together a broad coalition of organizations to ensure we are leveraging our resources in effective ways and making sure that these entrepreneurs and small-business owners have the tools and support they need to succeed and drive our nation’s economic recovery.”

"Our country has been, and its recovery will be, built on the enterprise of our people -- on their ideas, their energies, and their willingness to take risks and pursue their aspirations," noted Connie E. Evans, president and CEO of the Association for Enterprise Opportunity [pictured]. "Through microenterprise development, those kinds of dreams can become reality for countless numbers of people to create jobs, support their families, and revitalize our communities. This gathering represents more than a conference; it is a validation of our commitment to provide economic opportunity for those who seek to seize the promise of America through microenterprise."

Co-sponsored by SBA and AEO, the event will bring together hundreds of representatives of nonprofit institutions, government agencies, foundations and universities to promote and support small-business job creation in the U.S.

The event will focus on microenterprise development, credit building and microfinance, and will feature workshops, town hall meetings, networking opportunities, plenary sessions and speaker presentations on solving the challenges that small businesses face in order to succeed in the new economy.

Mills will be the luncheon keynote speaker on Tuesday, May 11. In addition to Mills and Evans, other confirmed speakers include:

* Robert Annibale, Global Director, Citi Microfinance & Community Relations
* James Gutierrez, Founder & CEO, Progress Financiero
* Jennifer Henderson, CEO, Strategic Decisions LLC; and Director, Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream Inc. Board of Directors
* Ted Howard, Executive Director, Democracy Collaborative
* Chris Larsen, CEO, Prosper.com
* Rae-Ann Miller, Special Advisor to the Director, Division of Insurance and Research, FDIC
* Eskinder Negash, Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
* Jane Oates, Assistant Secretary of Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Dept. of Labor

About SBA & AEO
SBA is an independent agency of the federal government that was created to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small-business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise, and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.

AEO is a national membership organization and voice of microenterprise development in the United States. AEO strives to foster greater understanding of the importance of strong and effective microenterprise initiatives to the U.S. economy, and to increase capacity of the field to support underserved entrepreneurs in starting, stabilizing and establishing businesses.

For more information about the 2010 National Microenterprise Conference & Training Institute, or to register as a participant, visit http://www.microenterpriseconference.org/.

SOURCES: Association for Enterprise Opportunity [photo], U.S. Small Business Administration
____________________

Top Deals for the Business Traveler -- Only at Expedia.com!

Treasury, SBA Submit Small Business Financing Forum Report to the President

Today, as a follow-up to the Nov. 18 Small Business Financing Forum, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA] issued a report to President Barack Obama, summarizing the policy ideas and recommendations discussed. Last month's forum brought together small-business owners, lenders, regulators and policymakers for an open discussion focused on the best ideas for providing the support that small businesses need to continue to drive economic recovery.

The report is aimed at continuing this important dialogue going forward -- including President Obama's Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth tomorrow, during which SBA Administrator Karen Mills and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner [pictured] will be leading a session, "Paving the Road for Small Business Job Growth."

For more information regarding Recovery Act-related small-business funding policy, check out the following resources:
* Small Business Financing Forum Report to the President
* Small Business and Community Lending Initiatve
* Fact Sheet: Unlocking Credit for Small Businesses
* Q&A for Small Business Owners

SOURCES: FinancialStability.gov, U.S. Department of the Treasury
____________________

Save 20% Off QuickBooks Pro Small Business Accounting Software + Free Shipping

SBA Administrator Mills Encourages Americans to Plan for Disasters During National Preparedness Month

Citing current wildfires in Southern California and several storms impacting coastal regions, the U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA] is encouraging Americans to be prepared. In a message posted today on YouTube, SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills [pictured] reminds the public about National Preparedness Month and the devastating effects of disaster, encouraging everyone to develop and implement disaster preparedness plans.

"There’s a tendency to think that a large-scale disaster is not going to happen 'where I live,'" Mills. "We should all realize that storms, floods, earthquakes, fires and man-made disasters can strike at any time and anywhere. Taking responsibility for your own post-disaster recovery is a good step toward protecting your family, your business and your community."

The U.S. Small Business Administration is one of many federal, state and local government and private-sector coalition partners participating in this September’s National Preparedness Month.

The Administrator’s video can be found at www.youtube.com/sba.

To prepare for disasters, SBA offers the following tips:

Develop a solid emergency response plan. Find evacuation routes from the home or business, and establish meeting places. Make sure everyone understands the plan beforehand. Keep emergency phone numbers handy. Business owners should designate a contact person to communicate with other employees, customers and vendors. Homeowners, renters and business owners should ask an out-of-state friend, colleague or family member to be a "post-disaster" point of contact, supporting the flow of information about short-term relocations, recovery, additional sources of assistance, etc.

Make sure you have adequate insurance coverage. Disaster preparedness begins with having adequate insurance coverage -- at least enough to rebuild your home or business. Homeowners and business owners should review their policies to see what is or isn’t covered. Companies should consider business interruption insurance, which helps cover operating costs during the post-disaster shutdown period. Flood insurance is essential. To find out more about the National Flood Insurance Program, visit the website at www.floodsmart.gov/.

Copy important records. It’s a good idea to back up vital records and information saved on computer hard drives, and store that information at a distant offsite location in fireproof safe deposit boxes. You should have copies/backups of important documents ready to take with you if you have to evacuate.

Create a "Disaster Survival Kit." The kit should include a flashlight, a portable radio, extra batteries, first-aid supplies, non-perishable food, bottled water, a basic tool kit, plastic sheeting and garbage bags, cash, and a digital camera to take pictures of the property damage after the storm.

More preparedness tips for businesses, homeowners and renters are available on the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disasterassistance.

The Institute for Business and Home Safety [www.disastersafety.org/] also has information on protecting your home or business. To learn more about developing an emergency plan, visit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Ready Campaign website at www.ready.gov/; or, call 1-800-BE-READY to receive free materials.

Following a disaster, the SBA makes low-interest loans to homeowners, renters and non-farm businesses of all sizes. Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace damaged real estate. Individuals may borrow up to $40,000 to cover losses to personal property.

Non-farm businesses and nonprofit organizations of any size may apply for up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged business assets and real property. Small businesses that suffered economic losses as a direct result of the declared disaster may apply for a working capital loan up to $2 million, even if the property was not physically damaged.

To learn more about the SBA’s disaster assistance program, visit the website at www.sba.gov/disasterassistance.

SOURCE: U.S. Small Business Administration
____________________

Need On-Call Professional Talent? Find a Great Graphic Designer, Browse Profiles, and Hire Experts on Elance.

Recovery Act Funding to Expand Microlending to Small Businesses Across the U.S.

With the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding an additional $50 million for loans, plus $24 million for technical assistance, the U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA] is expanding its Microloan program and increasing access to capital for small businesses across the country.

The program is shifting to funding provided under the Recovery Act, now that it has exhausted the regular FY 2009 appropriations for $20 million in loans and $20 million in technical assistance. With the additional resources, SBA is focused on adding new lenders and encouraging entrepreneurs to seek out SBA-backed microlenders to finance their businesses.

"SBA’s Microloan program provides a critical source of capital for entrepreneurs -- including women, low-income individuals and minorities, who often have difficulty obtaining capital to start and grow their businesses," said SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills. "With these resources, we can put more entrepreneurs and small-business owners in a position to succeed and create jobs that will, in turn, help drive our nation’s economic recovery."

Since the Recovery Act, SBA has approved eight new applications from lenders to join the Microloan program, and has 15 new loans to microlenders for $10.7 million in Recovery Act funds ready to be disbursed. Of those 15 loans, eight are for new microlenders.

The approved new microlenders are: Vermont Community Loan Fund Inc., of Montpelier, Vt; Neighborhood Development Center, of St. Paul, Minn.; Cen-Tex Certified Development Corp., of Austin, Texas; The Emperor Organization, of Tallahassee, Fla.; Staunton Creative Community Fund Inc., of Staunton, Va.; Lane MicroBusiness [d.b.a. eDev], of Eugene, Ore.; FINANTA [formerly known as American Street Financial Services], of Philadelphia, Pa; and ACCION USA Inc., of New York, N.Y.

SBA’s Microloan program supports microlenders by providing them with up to $3.5 million in low-cost loans from SBA to finance their lending to small businesses. SBA’s interest rate to microlenders is based on the five-year Treasury rate, with adjustments tied to a microlender’s average loan size.

Microlenders use the SBA funding to provide loans of up to $35,000 to entrepreneurs. Loans can be used for working capital and acquisition of materials, supplies, furniture, fixtures and equipment.

SBA also provides grant funding to microlenders, to finance technical assistance and counseling programs for their borrowers -- including staff, classroom training, and occupancy costs. SBA’s reimbursement is capped at 25 percent of the microlender’s outstanding SBA loan portfolio.

Organizations interested in becoming SBA microlenders must meet specific criteria -- in terms of organizational status, microlending experience, and matching requirements from non-federal sources. For more information, please visit: http://www.sba.gov/services/financialassistance/sbapartners/microloan; e-mail microloans@sba.gov; or, call 202-205-6485.

Entrepreneurs who wish to learn about SBA's Microloan program can visit: http://www.sba.gov/services/financialassistance/sbaloantopics/microloans/index.html.
____________________

Business Plan Pro Is the Easiest Way to Create a Professional Business Plan. Respected by Banks, Lenders and the SBA, This Streamlined Software Has Everything You Need. Click Here to Learn More About the Best-Selling and Most Recommended Business Planning Software Available.

Recovery Act Changes to SBIC Program Mean Increased Funding Available for Small Businesses

Effective today, small businesses that would otherwise have difficulty securing private equity or venture capital may find funding easier to get as a result of changes made as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Investment Company program.

"The Recovery Act expands SBA’s venture capital program to increase the pool of investment funding available to the Small Business Investment Companies licensed by SBA," said SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills. "We believe those companies will be better equipped by these changes to help sustain and grow small businesses for their next important growth steps."

SBICs are privately owned and managed venture capital firms which are licensed and regulated by SBA. SBICs use a combination of funds raised from private sources and money raised through the use of SBA guarantees to make equity and mezzanine capital investments in small businesses. There are approximately 338 SBICs, with $17.4 billion in capital under management.

The changes made as part of the Recovery Act are:

* The Recovery Act makes SBICs eligible for greater SBA guaranteed funding, and requires SBICs to invest 25 percent of their investment dollars into "smaller" businesses. Also, the amount of funding an SBIC may invest in a single small business is set at 10 percent of an SBIC’s total capital, rather than the previous limit of 20 percent of an SBIC’s private capital only. This translates to an effective 50 percent increase in funding available to a single business by an SBIC.

* Maximum SBA funding levels to SBICs will increase up to three times the private capital raised by the SBIC -- up to a maximum of $150 million for single SBICs, or up to $225 million for multiple SBICs that are under common control.

* The cap for all licensees was set at $137.1 million before the Recovery Act.

* These limits are even higher for SBICs that are licensed after Oct. 1, 2009, which certify that at least 50 percent of their investments will be made in small businesses located in low-income areas -- up to $175 million for single licensees, and up to $250 million for jointly controlled multiple licensees.

* Changes made to the SBIC program under the Recovery Act are permanent.

Industry associations have commended SBA for these changes, and SBA continues to encourage new SBICs to apply for licensing and actively participate in the program.

The SBIC program was created to stimulate the growth of America’s small businesses by supplementing the long-term debt and private-equity capital available to them. Since the SBIC program’s formation in 1958, it has invested approximately $56 billion in more than 106,000 small businesses in the United States through April 2009.

For more information about the SBA’s Investment Division and SBIC program, go to http://www.sba.gov/INV; e-mail sbic@sba.gov; or, call 1-800-U-ASK-SBA.

SOURCES: Recovery.gov, U.S. Small Business Administration
____________________

Save 20% Off QuickBooks Pro Small Business Accounting Software + Free Shipping.

Verbatim: Influencers on Sotomayor, Small-Biz Lending, Broadband, New Native American Leadership, National Cybersecurity, Net Neutrality

As often as possible, GoodBiz113 presents diverse perspectives on small business and entrepreneurship from those who help shape small-business policies and practices, as well as those who report on small-biz-related developments. Here's what some folks said last week...

"...Generally speaking, Sotomayor is also considered pretty moderate, at least when it comes to other issues businesses care about, such as limiting class action lawsuits and pre-empting state laws with federal laws, several attorneys said. She has ruled for investors and companies in many different types of cases..." -- CNNMoney.com senior writer Jennifer Liberto, comparing U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor [pictured] to outgoing Justice David Souter. [May 26, "Sotomayor: Important Business Awaits," CNNMoney.com]

* * *

"In the current financial climate, it’s especially critical for small firms to know which banks and financial institutions have been the most likely to make small and microbusiness loans." -- SBA Office of Advocacy economist Victoria Williams, upon release of a study that ranks banks on small-business lending and provides hints about current financial trends.

According to the latest edition of the Office of Advocacy’s annual study of lending to small firms, Williams and co-author Charles Ou, a senior economist, found that the growth of small and microbusiness lending remained positive during the first half of 2008, although the expansion was slower than in the previous year. Their new report, "Small Business and Micro Business Lending in the United States for Data Years 2007-2008," gives a detailed account of small-business lending overall, plus state-by-state totals and totals for individual lenders. The full study, including expanded state-by-state tables, is available online at: http://tinyurl.com/n2okmh.

The U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, the "small-business watchdog" of the federal government, examines the role and status of small business in the economy and independently represents the views of small business to federal agencies, Congress, and the President. It is the source for small-business statistics presented in user-friendly formats, and funds research into small-business issues. [May 26, SBA Office of Advocacy]

* * *

"Ensuring that every American has access to broadband services is an important policy goal for the new Administration. With the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Congress and the Administration directed a number of federal agencies, including the Federal Communications Commission [FCC], to work toward this goal...

"Because small businesses are the heart of the American economy, they are critical to driving an economic recovery. However, access to modern technologies, including broadband, is critical to allow small businesses to grow. At the same time, small broadband providers will supply the competition and innovation necessary to expand advanced telecommunications services to all Americans. The Office of Advocacy will continue to play a leading role in ensuring that the needs of all small businesses are represented in the federal government throughout this process." -- Shawne McGibbon, acting chief counsel for SBA's Office of Advocacy, reporting that the FCC has launched a 13-month effort to develop a national broadband strategy to be presented to Congress by Feb. 17, 2010 [May 27, "Got Broadband? A National Broadband Strategy for Small Business," The Small Business Advocate]

* * *

“The SBA’s plan to offer floor-plan loans to America’s dealerships will help small businesses stay open in this uncertain economy... These loans will enable dealerships to maintain their inventory and save jobs. The provisions that the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee secured in the Recovery Act will also make floor-plan financing more affordable by eliminating borrower fees on the loans. This is another critical step toward increasing access to capital for America’s small businesses.” -- Sens. Mary Landrieu [D-La.] and Olympia Snowe [R-Maine], chair and ranking member, respectively, of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, commenting on the SBA's announcement that the agency will waive its floor-plan lending prohibition that is currently part of the 7[a] loan guarantee program.

The policy change will allow the SBA to guarantee up to 75 percent of floor-plan loans to dealerships to purchase cars, RVs, manufactured homes, boats and motorcycles. Floor-plan loans will be available for a minimum of $500,000 up to the $2 million allowable under the 7[a] program, and have a maximum repayment term of five years.

Floor-plan financing is a line of credit that allows dealers to borrow against their inventory, and then repay that debt as they sell their inventory or borrow against the line of credit again to add new inventory. Under the new program, the SBA will provide loan guarantees for lines of credit through its 7[a] program. These loans will be made through SBA lenders only for titled inventory. The pilot program will begin July 1 and will be available through Sept. 30, 2010, at which time the SBA will make the determination of whether or not to extend the program. [May 28, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship]

* * *

“I am pleased to have Clara Pratte joining our team at the SBA in this vital post... Clara’s background and experience will be an asset as we strengthen our efforts at the SBA to support the growth and development of small businesses and the economic opportunities they provide for Native Americans.” -- SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills announcing the appointment of Clara Pratte as national director for the agency’s Office of Native American Affairs.

As national director, Pratte will help to ensure that American Indians, Native Alaskans and Native Hawaiians seeking to create, develop and expand small businesses have full access to the necessary tools available through the SBA’s entrepreneurial development, lending and procurement programs. [May 29, U.S. Small Business Administration]

* * *

"[The President] committed to protect the Internet from those who would sacrifice the openness and freedom of the Internet for their own parochial interests when he said he 'remained firmly committed to net neutrality'... This makes sense in an announcement on the nation’s cyber infrastructure, because having Internet traffic content neutral is what everyone -- from the small-business owners to venture capitalists Obama mentioned in his speech -- rely on daily to do their jobs.” -- Ed Black, president of the Computer & Communications Industry Association, after President Barack Obama announced that he will soon name a national cybersecurity coordinator to protect America's communications and information infrastructure, and that the government is going to start treating the nation's digital infrastructure, broadband networks and computers as strategic national assets that should be "open and free." [May 29, "Obama Committed to Network Neutrality," Broadcasting & Cable]

SOURCES: Broadcasting & Cable, CNNMoney.com, The Small Business Advocate, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Small Business Administration, The White House [photo]
____________________

Norton 360 V. 3 -- 10 User Pack: Comprehensive, Automated Protection for All of Your Business's Online Activities. Click Here.

Verbatim: Leaders Address the Power of 'Necessity-Driven Entrepreneurship,' Recovery Act Funding, Eco-Friendly Vehicles, National Small Business Week

Periodically, GoodBiz113 presents diverse perspectives on small business and entrepreneurship from those who help shape small-business policies and practices. As we kick off National Small Business Week 2009, we highlight what some small-biz champions said last week...

"I think we’re going to see a lot of businesses started by people who otherwise would not have started businesses [in better times]... Necessity-driven entrepreneurship can be a powerful motivator.” -- Bo Fishback [pictured], vice president of entrepreneurship for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a Kansas City entrepreneurial-research organization [May 11, "Starting Over -- as an Entrepreneur," The Wall Street Journal]

* * *

"When a small manufacturer goes under, it sparks a ripple effect that resonates throughout the entire economy, shrinking a supplier base even further that can undermine large businesses like GM and Chrysler. If small manufacturers are cut out of the auto restructuring process, the result will only be further setbacks and large-scale job losses that reach far beyond the auto industry... It is critical that any restructuring accounts for small suppliers. Proposals to aid second-tier manufacturers, for example, would go a long way... Regardless of how the auto overhaul takes place, one thing is certain: it needs to be deep enough and comprehensive enough to reach small businesses." -- Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez [D-N.Y], chairwoman of the U.S. House Committee on Small Business

Auto suppliers told lawmakers they have seen little relief from efforts to shore up big automakers, and without help, many small-parts manufacturers will be forced out of business, sparking a ripple effect which will further undermine the entire automotive sector. During a House Small Business Committee hearing, small manufacturers appealed to Congress and the Obama administration to expand aid beyond major "first-tier" auto suppliers to stabilize an industry which employs millions across the country. [May 13, U.S. House Committee on Small Business]

* * *

“As banks throughout the country continue to tighten credit for small businesses, our small businesses are increasingly turning to credit cards to keep their doors open. At the same time, credit card companies are cutting credit limits and cancelling some accounts altogether... When entrepreneurs with outstanding credit are unable to get bank loans and suffer skyrocketing interest rates on their credit cards, they run out of sources to finance their businesses and are less likely to succeed... I will continue to work with Ranking Member [Olympia] Snowe and the other members of this committee to find new ways of freeing up credit for small businesses struggling to survive, including Senate Amendment 1079 that I filed to the Credit Card bill that is moving through the Senate this week. Protections from abusive practices should apply to small businesses as well as individual consumers.” -- Sen. Mary Landrieu, chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Landrieu's committee held a hearing to explore how the small-business provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are being implemented, and to find alternative sources of financing for small-business owners. The committee heard from SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills and from the president of American Express’s OPEN program, the company’s division that handles small business; a community development credit union; a microlender; and a company specializing in capital for high-growth firms.

In addition to ensuring that credit cards used by small-business owners are covered, the Landrieu-Snowe amendment would increase the Truth in Lending Act exemption of cards with credit limits of $25,000 or more to cards with limits of $50,000 or more. Fifty-two percent of respondents to a National Small Business Association survey reported having a credit card limit of $25,000 or more, essentially eliminating them from any of the protections of the Credit Card Act without the Landrieu-Snowe amendment. [May 13, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship]

* * *

"...The SBA-related provisions of the Recovery Act were designed not only to help entrepreneurs and small businesses keep the doors open… but also to help them grow and create jobs. I’m pleased to say that they are doing just that.

"First, of the SBA’s $730 million in Recovery Act funding, over half – $375 million – is targeted to temporarily increase the federal guarantees and reduce or eliminate fees on our two largest lending programs – the 7[a] and the 504... About 10,000 Recovery Act loans have been approved providing overall funding for about $3.3 billion in credit support to small businesses.

"Also, the average weekly loan volume is up over 25 percent compared to the weeks prior to the Recovery Act’s passage. This increased lending is partially due to the fact that lenders are returning to these SBA loan programs, or, in some cases, participating for the first time. More than 1,200 lenders have approved 7[a] loans as part of the Recovery Act. Of these, more than 360 lenders had not made a loan since October 2008, and about 40 percent of those lenders had not made a loan since at least 2007..." -- SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills, during her speech at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's America's Small Business Summit 2009, in Washington, D.C. [May 13, U.S. Small Business Administration]

* * *

“Transit Connect is a brand-new offering for small business in the United States. We call it a ‘white space’ vehicle because there is nothing else like it on the market.” -- Len Deluca, Detroit-based Ford Motor Co.'s director of Commercial Vehicles, after Ford submitted a proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy [DOE] for economic stimulus funding that would bring a fleet of 66 all-electric Ford Transit Connect delivery vans and Ford Escape Hybrid Plug-ins to the Twin Cities by the end of 2010, cutting the municipalities’ use of gas and providing an energy-saving example to the public. The vehicles would be charged up at special stations installed by Xcel Energy on city streets and parking ramps, as well as several high-profile “marquee” locations.

DOE set aside $378 million in federal stimulus package funds for such projects; the Minneapolis-St. Paul area proposal could be one of 34 projects to receive funding. Under terms of the proposal, each government, non-profit or participating entity must invest $20,000 in electrical infrastructure to charge up the vehicles. Courtesy of the stimulus package funding, the Transit Connect and Escape models would be free, leaving only the cost of the per-vehicle electrical infrastructure. Thus, the 18 Fords that would go to the city of Minneapolis would cost $360,000. In turn, the city would receive rechargeable vehicles worth nearly $1.2 million.

Electric cars were a key part of President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign; he wants at least 1 million battery-powered vehicles on U.S. roads by 2015. Ford’s proposal to the DOE coincides with the automaker’s campaign to have 3,000 small-business owners and consumers in 13 U.S. cities test-drive Transit Connect vans before the vehicles reach showroom floors this summer.

Among all the myriad partners in this transportation electrification program: Ford Motor Co.; Xcel Energy; cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul; Hennepin and Ramsey counties; Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and state Department of Administration; the University of Minnesota; American Lung Association; Fresh Energy; and car-rental venture Hourcar. [May 15, Finance and Commerce]

* * *

"The entrepreneurial spirit lies at the core of our Nation's economy and identity. If Americans with good ideas can work hard, put their plan to the test, and succeed, the American economy will continue to create jobs and lead the world in innovation and productivity. During National Small Business Week, we honor the entrepreneurs and small-business owners who are the engine of our economy. Their ingenuity and hard work are critical to our Nation's prosperity... Our Nation's success depends on America's small businesses and entrepreneurs. Their contributions are necessary to rebuild our economy, so that it once again offers the opportunity to succeed to all who seek it. This week, we thank small-business owners, entrepreneurs, and employees for helping America achieve that promise..." -- President Barack Obama, proclaiming May 17 through May 23 as National Small Business Week 2009 [May 15, The White House]

SOURCES: Recovery.gov, U.S. House Committee on Small Business, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Small Business Administration, The Wall Street Journal, The White House
____________________

Find Qualified Freelance Professionals on Elance.com -- and Get Results!