GLENARDEN, Md. — There are an increasing number of women-owned businesses across the country and many are looking to expand.
In the D.C. area, government contracts are seen as a way to help expand business.
The second annual Women-Owned Small Business Forum helped get D.C.-area businesswomen in the same room as the agencies with whom they are trying to work. The goal is to attract business from the federal government and to learn the best practices to get additional capital.
“I develop games and simulations that reduce unconscious bias,” forum attendee Bridget Davis told WTOP. “I know a lot of government agencies and corporations do this training, trying to be more inclusive.”
She described the application process as being very confusing, tedious and difficult. However, she credits the District of Columbia Small Business Development Center with helping her through the process.
“I think I have a really good chance of getting that grant,” says Davis.
The members of the government at the forum were also there to remind local businesswomen that the government wants to work with them.
“We have a 5 percent goal,” Erin Andrew, director of Women’s Business Ownership with the Small Business Administration, told attendees. “Five percent of government spending needs to go to small businesses.”
Right now, Andrew said the government has not met that goal, which means there are great opportunities for local, women-owned businesses to win federal government contracts and help grow the local economy.
