Muriel Bowser
**FILE** D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (Courtesy of the Mayor's Office)

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser aims to spend nearly $1 million on assistance for small businesses in the coming fiscal year, her office said this week.

The goal was announced as part of the mayorโ€™s release of the Small Business Enterprises Opportunity Guide for fiscal 2021, also known as the โ€œGreen Book.โ€

The document outlines the cityโ€™s spending priorities and available resources to increase access to procurement opportunities.

For fiscal year 2021, the cityโ€™s goal is to spend $917 million on small business enterprises, up from $910 million the previous year. The District eventually ended up spending more than $976 million in fiscal 2020.

โ€œSmall businesses are the backbone and driving force behind our local economy. When they succeed, so do our neighborhoods and residents,โ€ Bowser said. โ€œThis yearโ€™s Green Book is about giving our small businesses a fair shot by investing in them through the procurement process. And, each year, weโ€™ve increased our spending goal so we can enhance equity and create even more economic opportunities for our entrepreneurs. We will continue to support our small business community, no matter the economic climate.โ€

This correspondent is a guest contributor to The Washington Informer.

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