National Small Business Week (April 29- May 4), not only promotes supporting entrepreneurs and their dreams, but honors their strength, resilience, innovations and benefits toward empowering the community through providing economic opportunities and overall resources.
“We know what it means when people invest in our neighborhoods — when they take a chance on our city, when they train and hire D.C. residents — and we want to do everything we can to make sure they succeed,” said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. “Local businesses create jobs, they provide essential goods and services, and they help build vibrant neighborhoods across all eight wards.”
As part of the weeklong celebration, Bowser, the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD), and other local agencies are offering programming to honor the District’s more than 70,000 small businesses and the entrepreneurs behind the brands.
“During Small Business Week, let us take a moment to acknowledge that behind every storefront lies the passion and determination of an entrepreneur with a dream, and every purchase we make from small businesses is a sign of appreciation for the diverse and thriving community that they help to build,” said Rosemary Suggs Evans, acting director of DSLBD, in a statement.
The mayor kicked off programming on Monday, April 29 with a ribbon cutting at Bandura Design, an interior design company on Rhode Island Avenue NE, and the “Power Up for Success: 2024 D.C. Small Business Summit,” is today until 3 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest. In addition, throughout the week Washingtonians can tap into informative sessions, discussions and celebratory receptions.
The mayor’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget includes efforts to aid small businesses, such as $4.9 million to support the Main Streets Program to promote the revitalization of the District’s business corridors and $26 million to implement the Business and Entrepreneurship Support to Thrive (BEST) Act, which will work to simplify the business licensing process. In addition, there will be $1.5 million allotted for the D.C. Business Portal, to streamline the licensing process, $6.7 million for Clean Teams, to ensure the cleanliness and beauty of commercial corridors, and $7 million for retail grants.
“We at DSLBD understand the crucial role small businesses play in our city’s success,” said Suggs-Evans. “By providing them with the necessary resources and support, we are not only promoting economic development but also securing a brighter future for our communities.”