NAWBO Advocacy: Championing Women Entrepreneurs

At the heart of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is our unwavering commitment to advocacy. For decades, we have championed the voices of over 12 million women business owners across America, ensuring their unique needs are met and aspirations realized. In line with our mission, the 2023 Advocacy Agenda focuses intently on elevating microbusinesses, the backbone of our community.

Our drive underscores the significance of microbusinesses. Recent insights from our partnership with ADP highlight a staggering 92% of women-led businesses classifying as microbusinesses. While they might be small in scale, these businesses play a paramount role, often contributing 50-100% of household incomes.

Here’s a snapshot of our advocacy efforts:

• Defining Microbusinesses: A call for Congress to establish a uniform definition of a microbusiness, enabling consistent and robust federal support.
• Enhanced Access to Capital: Pushing for dedicated set-asides within the SBA loan programs for women-owned microbusinesses. A mere 18% of such businesses report revenues exceeding a million dollars annually.
• Federal Procurement Opportunities: Encouraging Congress to understand and cater to the distinct contracting needs of microbusinesses. With the right support, these businesses can seamlessly execute federal contracts.
• Empowering Through Education: Recognizing the interest of nearly 80% of women business owners in leveraging technology for marketing, we’re championing the dissemination and access to vital digital tools. Our hope is for these tools to receive federal support, amplifying their reach and impact.

Are you interested in diving deeper into our work advocating for women business owners? Join us for an enlightening conversation with Rebecca Swain-Eng, our Advocacy Chair. Learn more, share your insights, and be part of our mission to uplift women entrepreneurs.

Email Rebecca at rswaineng@swainengassociates.com to schedule a chat.