Small businesses are types of corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships which have a small number of employees and/or less annual revenue than a regular-sized business or corporation. Businesses are defined as "small" in terms of being able to apply for government support and qualify for preferential tax policy. The qualifications vary depending on the country and industry. Small businesses range from fifteen employees under the Australian Fair Work Act 2009, fifty employees according to the definition used by the European Union, and fewer than five hundred employees to qualify for many U.S. Small Business Administration programs. While small businesses can also be classified according to other methods, such as annual revenues, shipments, sales, assets, annual gross, net revenue, net profits, the number of employees is one of the most widely used measures.
Energy Star is a program run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that promotes energy efficiency. The program provides information on the energy consumption of products and devices using different standardized methods. The Energy Star label is found on more than 75 different certified product categories, homes, commercial buildings, and industrial plants. In the United States, the Energy Star label is also shown on the Energy Guide appliance label of qualifying products.
The General Services Administration (GSA) is an independent agency of the United States government established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. GSA supplies products and communications for U.S. government offices, provides transportation and office space to federal employees, and develops government-wide cost-minimizing policies and other management tasks.
A sole proprietorship, also known as a sole tradership, individual entrepreneurship or proprietorship, is a type of enterprise owned and run by only one person and in which there is no legal distinction between the owner and the business entity. A sole trader does not necessarily work alone and may employ other people.
The Small Business Innovation Research program is a U.S. government funding program, coordinated by the Small Business Administration, intended to help certain small businesses conduct research and development (R&D). Funding takes the form of contracts or grants. The recipient projects must have the potential for commercialization and must meet specific U.S. government R&D needs.
Steven C. Preston is the president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. He formerly served as the 14th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 2008 to 2009 and the 22nd Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration from 2006 until his appointment as HUD Secretary. Before entering public service, Preston spent nearly 25 years in financial and operational leadership positions in the private sector.
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) is perhaps the most comprehensive effort by the U.S. federal government to balance the social goals of federal regulations with the needs and capabilities of small businesses and other small entities in American society.
Lloyd Alan Chapman is the current president and founder of the American Small Business League.
Native American Services Corp. is a TSB, HUBzone certified company, located in Northern Idaho's Silver Valley. The company was founded in 1998 by Dennis "Rusty" Sheppard and branded as Environmental Indian Construction (EIC), which focused on environmental remediation type projects. In 2002, CEO Matthew D. James purchased controlling interest in the small company and changed the name from EIC to Native American Services Corp (NASCO). NASCO is a Design Build, CM/GC company that primarily performs commercial and industrial construction in approximately 30 states nationwide, and internationally. NASCO specializes in Job Order Contracting (JOC) for various Governmental agencies including all branches of the U.S. Military, the Department of Defense (DOD), Homeland Security, Center for Disease Control (CDC), as well as several other Governmental agencies. In December 2012 NASCO purchased a 49% ownership interest in DWG & Associates Inc.. In January 2016 NASCO completed a stock buy back, of all of James' outstanding stock shares, and Rick L. Luna was named president and CEO in May of that year. Also in 2016, NASCO formed NASCO Energy International (NEI), A United Kingdome (UK) corporation, as it procured energy based contracts internationally. In 2016 NASCO began leveraging its Job Order Contract (JOC) expertise gained in its dealings with the Federal Government, and began procuring JOC awards at several universities around the United States. In 2017 Nasco incorporated Nasco Safe Productions in an effort to provide quality control (QC) and Safety support for Small Businesses, and others in the Federal and Constriction disciplines. Additionally in 2017, NASCO formed NASCO Industrial Services and Supply (NISS) to perform Construction Services, and Industrial Supply for global mining organizations.
The United States Government sets aside contract benefits for companies considered to be "Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business" (SDVOSB).
The Tibbetts Award ("Tibbie") is a national award made annually to those small firms, projects, organizations, and individuals judged to exemplify the very best in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) achievement. The award was established in 1995 and the first awards were made in 1996. The award was named after Roland Tibbetts of the National Science Foundation.
Business.gov is sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration to provide small business owners with access to federal, state and local government resources from a single access point.
The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent agency of the United States government that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the Small Business Administration is "to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small businesses and by assisting in the economic recovery of communities after disasters." The agency's activities have been summarized as the "3 Cs" of capital, contracts and counseling.
Karen Gordon Mills is an American businessperson and former government official who served as the 23rd Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). She was nominated by President-elect Barack Obama on December 19, 2008, confirmed unanimously by the Senate on April 2, 2009, and sworn in on April 6, 2009. During her tenure, her office was elevated to the rank of Cabinet-level officer, expanding her power on policy decisions and granting her inclusion in the President's cabinet meetings. On February 11, 2013, she announced her resignation as Administrator and left the post on September 1, 2013.
Jovita Carranza is an American businesswoman who served as the 26th Administrator of the Small Business Administration from 2020 to 2021, having previously served as the 44th Treasurer of the United States from 2017 to 2020. She was appointed to both roles by President Donald Trump. Before that she served as the Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration from December 2006 to January 2009. Appointed by President George W. Bush, Carranza was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Prior to her first appointment to the SBA, Carranza served as Vice President of Air Operations for United Parcel Service (UPS) at its facility in Louisville, Kentucky.
The U.S. Small Business Administration's SBA 504 Loan or Certified Development Company program is designed to provide financing for the purchase of fixed assets, which usually means real estate, buildings and machinery, at below market rates. The program is so named because it was originally created by Section 504 of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958. Section 504 was subsequently codified at 15 U.S.C. § 697a.
A woman-owned business is a specific designation used by American government agencies and industry associations to set aside special programs to encourage and empower female business owners. Most definitions of this term involve a practical look at the legal and ownership structure, as well as the issue of control of the day-to-day operations of a business. The consideration of control of a business is meant to discourage the practice of men placing wives, daughters, or low-level female employees in positions of ownership, when in fact she may have little to do with the day-to-day management of the company, for the sake of receiving some government benefits or other consideration.
Ashley D. Bell is an American attorney, political advisor, and government official serving as Regional Administrator of the Small Business Administration for Region IV, which is in the Southeastern United States.
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a $953-billion business loan program established by the United States federal government during the Trump administration in 2020 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to help certain businesses, self-employed workers, sole proprietors, certain nonprofit organizations, and tribal businesses continue paying their workers.
The Biden administration COVID-19 action plan, also called the Path out of the Pandemic, is a substantial increase in the use of vaccination mandates as part of the U.S. federal government response to the COVID-19 pandemic announced by President Joe Biden on September 9, 2021, to be carried out by officials in the Biden administration. The plan included various announced prospective efforts, as well as the issuance of several executive orders.
