Feds Launch Web Site Catering to Women Business Owners

Kicking off women’s history month, U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao and Small Business Administrator Hector Barreto unveiled a new Web site http://www.women-21.gov/ to help businesswomen effectively and efficiently access federal government resources.

Government Technology

Officials also said the site builds on the president’s initiative to foster the growth of women-owned businesses he announced at last year’s National Summit on Women’s Entrepreneurship.

According to the Census Bureau’s latest Survey of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises, women owned 26 percent of the nation’s 20.8 million non-farm businesses-which translates into 5,417,034 firms. Those businesses also employed 7.1 million paid workers, and generated $818.7 billion in sales and receipts.

Officials said highlights of the Web site include up-to-date information regarding key issues such as access to capital, health insurance, government procurement, retirement security, technology, and the tax code.

"These businesswomen are vital to our nation’s economy," Chao said. "I hope this Web site will provide easy access to federal resources to help women entrepreneurs in advancing their businesses’ growth and, in turn, further our nation’s economic expansion and create more jobs."

The site will be regularly updated and will provide special features for women business-owners such as web casts, registration for upcoming events, and reports on what women entrepreneurs are thinking and saying on key issues.

http://www.govtech.net/news/news.phtml?docid=2003.03.05-42481