New SBA Website to Go Live This Fall; Revamped SBA.gov Will Deliver Essential Information and Services to Small Businesses

The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that a complete redesign of its website, SBA.gov, will launch this fall.

The new SBA.gov will make it easier for small businesses, lending institutions, small-business counselors and other members of the small-business community to more quickly find the information they need through a simplified navigation structure. In addition, new features will allow users to tailor their experience to provide information that is specific to their needs and location.

SBA.gov also will also offer a dedicated lender area that helps banks and other financial institutions that partner with the SBA.

"Our goal as an agency is to get information, tools and services into the hands of small-business owners more quickly, so they can spend more time doing what they do best: creating the jobs that will drive our economic recovery," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills [pictured]. "Through a new, personalized and dynamic SBA.gov, we will be better able to support job growth across the country."

The website redesign is part of the SBA’s goal to create a dynamic online presence that delivers information to customers wherever they are online. To achieve this goal, the agency recently began using social media to reach constituents through a variety of online channels, such as Facebook and Twitter.

In advance of this fall's launch of the new site, the agency also recently launched an improved search function on the current SBA.gov website, which vastly improves the speed at which users can find the information they are seeking.

SBA's website redesign is also the Flagship Initiative of the agency’s Open Government Plan, and addresses all three of SBA’s Open Government goals -- i.e., transparency, participation and collaboration -- by providing direct access to agency programs and operations. It also allows users to customize their online experience and, beginning next year, incorporates community features, such as discussion forums and public feedback tools.

For more information on the SBA’s online expansion, please visit www.sba.gov/next.

SOURCE: U.S. Small Business Administration
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SBA, Homeland Security Issue Small-Biz Prep Guide for H1N1 Flu

Yesterday, Small Business Administration [SBA] Administrator Karen Mills and Department of Homeland Security [DHS] Secretary Janet Napolitano [pictured] announced the availability of a preparedness guide designed to assist small businesses in planning for the possibility of an H1N1 flu outbreak this fall.

During a call with reporters, Mills made clear the importance of flu preparedness for small businesses. "Small-business owners should take the time to create a plan, talk with their employees, and make sure they are prepared for flu season," she said. "For countless small businesses, having even one or two employees out for a few days has the potential to negatively impact operations and their bottom line. A thoughtful plan will help keep employees and their families healthy, as well as protect small businesses and local economies."

Outbreaks of H1N1 flu are occurring now across the country, and will likely coincide with the return of seasonal flu this fall and winter. The preparedness guide offers small-business employers tools and information to help them plan for and respond flexibly to varying levels of severity of an H1N1 outbreak -- which may lead to increased absenteeism and, if the outbreak becomes more severe, may include restricted service capabilities and supply-chain disruptions.

Employers are encouraged to put strategies in place now to protect their employees and their businesses in advance of the fall flu season. Included in the preparedness guide are tips on how to write a continuity of operations plan, steps for keeping employees healthy, frequently asked questions about the 2009 H1N1 flu, plus a list of additional resources that employers can access online.

To download the 10-page preparedness guide [pdf], please visit http://www.sba.gov/flu.

SOURCE: U.S. Small Business Administration
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