News and Announcements

Quarter by quarter, small businesses with fewer than 500 workers continued to outperform large firms in net job creation three out of four times from 1992 through 2010, when private-sector employment rose, according to data in the latest edition of The Small Business Economy.

The newest edition is formatted to improve the accessibility of the data in an online series of tables on small business in the economy and small business financing. This rich collection of information about small business contributions to the economy and trends over time is offered this year, for the first time, in tabular form online in place of the paperback report.

Minority Business More Likely to Export

Exporting is good for American business, good for American workers and good for American jobs. Ninety-five percent (95%) of the world’s customers lie outside the United States and Minority Business Development Agency is committed to working with U.S. companies to help American-made goods and services succeed in the global market.

Export Sales

Minority businesses have a competitive advantage in global trade based on their cultural ties, language skills and nimbleness. The 2007 Survey of Business Owners reveals that among firms with export sales representing 20 percent or more of their overall receipts, minority-owned businesses are twice as likely to export compared to non-minority firms. In addition, minority firms are more than three times as likely to have businesses generating 100 percent of all their sales in exports compared to non-minority respondent firms. This finding is quite substantial because it can support the Administration’s goal of doubling the nation’s exports by the end of 2014. Minority businesses can play an important role in meeting that goal through exports.

The Obama Administration today announced a $15 million multi-agency Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator challenge to spur job creation and economic growth in distressed rural communities. This competition, which is being funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), was designed by the Taskforce for the Advancement of Regional Innovation Clusters and the White House Rural Council.

President Obama recently announced the challenge as part of the Administration's "We Can't Wait" efforts to strengthen the economy, create jobs and support business growth, particularly expanding opportunity for rural Americans and supporting new and innovative businesses nationwide.

Initiative Aims to Foster National Teaming Arrangements with Alaskan Native Corporations

David A. Hinson, National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce joined Mayor Dan Sullivan at a press conference and ribbon cutting ceremony to open a new satellite center on Tuesday, February 21, 2012. The new satellite center is designed to help minority-owned firms both in Alaska and throughout the country create and retain jobs, increase size, scale and capacity, and build globally competitive firms.