The National Women’s Business Council released a new report this month featuring the major outcomes and recommendations from its April town hall
meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. The seventh in a series of town hall meetings across the country, the discussions at the Atlanta event tackled timely
themes like the implications of the economic downturn on small business owners’ access to capital and the challenges of finding affordable health
care. The report outlines participants’ major policy recommendations on these and other topics, such as taxes, workforce development, and
procurement.   The Council will use the recommendations to guide the formation of future policy recommendations to the President, Congress and
the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Women’s Business Summit Report Highlights Areas for Growth
The proceedings and recommendations of a summit hosted by the Council in February are outlined in a new report released this month.  During the 2009
Women’s Business Summit, congressional leaders and members of the administration joined with thought leaders from the women’s business
community to take the first steps in creating goals and milestones for the women’s business community for the next decade.  The report, which is
available at www.nwbc.gov, provides highlights of the event’s proceedings, including discussions among breakout groups on proposed short-term, mid-term
and long-term goals for achieving economic growth in the women’s business community.

NWBC Sponsors International Best Paper Award
NWBC joined the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) and the International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship (IJGE) in presenting
the Award for the Best Paper on Women’s Entrepreneurship at the ICSB World Conference in Seoul, South Korea.  After a review of qualifying papers, the
award was presented to Muhammad Azam Roomi of the University of Bedfordshire’s Centre for Women’s Enterprise for his paper, “Entrepreneurial
Capital, Social Values and Islamic Traditions: Growth of Women-owned Enterprises in Pakistan.” NWBC has sponsored the women’s entrepreneurship
award all six years it has been offered.  The paper explores variables, such as personal resources and social capital, contributing to the growth of
women-owned enterprises in Pakistan.

New Initiative to Promote Federal Contracting for Minority and Women-Owned Firms
On August 18, the Obama Administration announced a new initiative to increase access to contracting opportunities for minority-, women-, and veteran-owned small businesses.  The new effort will involve federal agency procurement officials holding or participating in more than 200 events over the next 90 days to share information on government contracting opportunities in order to allow the government to better meet or exceed the goal of 23 percent of prime contracts for small businesses.

NWBC to Exhibit at National MED Week Conference
The U.S. Small Business Administration and the Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency will celebrate the achievements of minority entrepreneurs and business leaders during the 27th annual National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week conference on Aug. 26-28 in Washington, D.C.  NWBC staff members will participate in the conference, Energizing the American Economy with Minority Business Enterprises, which will focus on fostering innovation, competitiveness and opportunities for minority businesses.

New Forum to Focus on Growth Strategies for Business Owned by Women of Color
On September 8, the Center for Women’s Business Research will host a forum in Dallas, Texas to present the findings of its multi-year research study,
Accelerating the Growth of Businesses Owned by Women of Color. This multi-year study, which was partially sponsored by the Council, explored the
impact of race and gender on the growth of businesses owned by African-American, Asian and Latina women. The free event, What Works: Strategies for Business Growth, will also include the introduction of a new dialogue on Access to Corporate Decision Makers.

WIPP to Host Annual Legislative Meeting
In October, Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) will host a day of advocacy for women business owners in Washington, D.C.  The event will include policy briefings and interactive sessions, as well as visits to legislators at the U.S. Capitol.  For more information or to register, visit www.wipp.org.

Upcoming Workshops to Provide Assistance Entering Global Marketplace
Two upcoming workshops, sponsored by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), will provide assistance to minority and women-owned
small businesses interested in gaining access to emerging overseas markets. For the third year, NWBC is cooperating with OPIC and the Minority Business
Development Agency to promote the Expanding Horizons workshops, which will be held September 24, 2009 in Boston, MA and October 22, 2009 in St. Louis, MO.  The workshops will provide participants with an understanding of the programs and resources provided by OPIC, which is the U.S. government agency responsible for supporting private sector investment in developing countries.

Congress Continues to Discuss Health Care Reform
Congress is out of session until September 8, but when congressional leaders return, health care legislation will be a top priority.  Currently, H.R.
3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act, has been the foundation of the health care conversation in the House. Following much debate and numerous amendments, House lawmakers are expected to vote on this legislation in late September. Senate leaders have been considering multiple pieces of legislation in an effort to overhaul the current health care system. Unlike the House, no single bill has gained traction for a full Senate vote, but political
insiders believe the yet-to-be produced bill from the Senate Finance Committee will be the most bi-partisan and politically pragmatic piece of
legislation to be brought for vote.