Industry News – April 28, 2022

SBA Releases First Ever Equity Action Plan

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) released its first ever Equity Action Plan as part of The White House’s executive order for all federal agencies to evaluate how they can reach and serve more communities. The plan outlines how SBA will reduce barriers and improve access to capital, federal procurement and contracting opportunities, disaster assistance, and business counseling and training.

Source: SBA.gov 

 

Small Business Week Virtual Summit Starts Next Week 

The Small Business Administration (SBA) will host a four-day virtual summit as part of National Small Business Week May 2-5. The free event will allow attendees to access federal resources, learn new business strategies, and chat with industry experts. 

Source: SBA.gov  

 

Visa and Mastercard Urged Not to Raise Swipe Fees 

A group of bipartisan U.S. lawmakers and the National Retail Federation have publicly called for Visa and Mastercard to postpone their scheduled credit card swipe fee increase for later this month. Lawmakers are concerned that the swipe fees could add to current inflation woes for consumers.   

Source: Pymnts.com  

 

Small Business Development Center at Howard University Adds New Service Center 

The DC Small Business Development Center (DCSBDSC) at Howard University recently added a new full-time service center to its network – The Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GWHCC) Foundation. The DCSBDC has been a long-time member of the chamber and a strategic partner with its foundation.   

Source: The Dig – Howard University 

 

Amazon Web Services Launches $30 Million Accelerator for Underserved Businesses 

Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon subsidiary that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms, will commit $30 million to startups of underserved business owners. The initiative is part of the AWS Impact Accelerator which gives high-potential, pre-seed startups the knowledge and tools required to reach key milestones. 

Source: Small Business Trends 

 

Virginia Small Businesses Deal with Mental Health Challenges  

The recent pandemic brought many challenges to small businesses. That included owners and employees finding ways to address and find support for mental health challenges that they experienced. 

Source: WXFRTV.com