Advocacy
Modernize, Fund, and Leverage the WBC Program at SBA to Carry Into the 21st Century
- Re-authorize the WBC Program for the first time in 20 years.
- Significantly increase the appropriations funding for the WBC program.
- Prioritize WBCs as a technical assistance provider in future legislation.
Create Access to Capital Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs
- Reform SBA lending programs to ensure utility for women entrepreneurs.
- Leverage the Community Reinvestment Act to increase lending to women.
- Incentivize early-stage investment in women-owned companies through additional federal programs.
- Increase funding, and designate funding for WOSBs, to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
- Ensure standardization and equitable deployment for the Department of Treasury's (DOT) State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) funding allocations.
Expand Opportunity for Women-Owned Small Businesses Through Open Government and Foreign Markets
- Simplify the SBA's WOSB certification process and allow WBCs to certify businesses.
- Adopt a trade policy agenda that prioritizes small and, by extension women-owned small businesses.
Level the Playing Field By Addressing Longstanding Barriers Women Entrepreneurs Disproportionately Experience
- Expand women-oriented healthcare options to support women entrepreneurs.
- Recognize solopreneur as a "job" under the Department of Labor (DoL) and IRS.
- Ensure correct mechanisms are in place for women re-entering the workforce after incarceration.
- Increase opportunities for women business owners to utilize federal assistance in childcare and caretaking.
- Make affordable healthcare options for small businesses to increase competitiveness in the marketplace and retain talent.
Prepare the Next Generation of Women's Entrepreneurship by Increasing Knowledge and Viability
- Enable entrepreneurs to save for retirement.
- Provide opportunities for youth to learn about entrepreneurship and business.
Identify and Establish Gender Parity in Underrepresented Industries
- Establish solutions for known industries where women are underrepresented help bridge the gender divide.
- To comprehensively understand the industries where women are underrepresented, implement a GAO study to identify which industries have the most disparate representation and potential avenues to increase WOSB presence.
- Create and deploy a national broadband plan to ensure that entrepreneurs in low-income and rural communities have the same opportunity to fast and reliable internet.
