Washington D.C., March 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the Small Business Digital Alliance (SBDA), a co-sponsorship between the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Business Forward, Inc., celebrates its one-year anniversary. The SBDA provides a comprehensive suite of free digital resources, virtual trainings, and expanded opportunities to help small businesses grow their online presence, reach new customers, strengthen business operations, and more.

“Our Small Business Digital Alliance has empowered countless small businesses to make or strengthen their digital pivot,” said SBA Administrator Guzman. “The SDBA helps American entrepreneurs leverage valuable free resources to grow revenue, build resilience, and advance the American dream of business ownership. This unprecedented collaboration between the SBA, Business Forward, and leading private sector technology companies is bringing opportunity to more entrepreneurs by helping them with everything from cybersecurity to workforce strategies and marketing."

Since its launch in March 2022, the SBDA has:

• Reached more than 15 million small businesses and entrepreneurs across America through national programming, regional events, and digital content tailored to small business needs.
• Worked with 15 of America's most respected companies and 40 local organizations to provide small business owners and entrepreneurs with more than 300 free digital tools to grow their businesses in the e-commerce economy, create competitive advantages, and lower barriers to entry.
• Organized a series of 13 regional events and virtual trainings across the country to help entrepreneurs expand their networks and learn new skills, discuss small business trends, and showcase local success stories.
• Hosted four national webinars highlighting free digital tools and featured expertise and testimonials from our National Members and Local Allies.

As the SBDA celebrates its one-year anniversary, it is:

• Publishing reports on the state of small businesses across America highlighting the economic contributions of small businesses, the benefits of free digital tools, and the advantages of a digital economy.
• Sharing thought leadership from National Members, Local Allies, and the SBDA on small business trends, promoting American competitiveness by going digital, lowering the barrier to entrepreneurship, and more.
• Hosting regional events with entrepreneurs, small business advocates, and private sector leaders on how to create a more customer-centric, tech-forward, and equitable small business ecosystem.

“Since the launch of the SBDA, nearly two-thirds of small businesses have gone digital. Last year, e-commerce sales contributed more than $770 billion to the U.S. economy, representing about one-fifth of total annual retail sales,” said Liz Fairchild, Executive Director of Business Forward. “Thanks to the SBDA’s National Members and Local Allies, our small business community has become more resilient by leveraging digital tools to reach new talent, strengthen their operations, and attract demand from around the world.”

The SBDA’s full National Membership includes Amazon, Comcast, Cowbell, Google, LinkedIn, Meta, Microsoft, PayPal, Principal Financial Group, Square, TriNet, Venmo, Verizon, Visa, and ZenBusiness.

The SBDA’s full Local Allyship includes: ACE Women's Business Center, Act!, Albany, Community Together, All You Need Method, Anderson Area Chamber, Arena, Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia, Caspio, Continuity Strength/Succession Strength, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce, For All Things Digital, GetSetup, GoodCarts, Greater Georgia Black Chamber, Greater Houston LGBT Chamber, GS1 US, International Rescue Committee, Miami Growth Machine, Moneda

Moving Forward Small Business, National Minority Business Council, NextFab, Nogales Chamber of Commerce, Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, Resilience Innovation Hub, State Business Executives, Suazo Business Center, Synergies Work

TechTown, Temple SBDC, Terminal B, and Unique Markets.

To learn more about our work, visit https://www.smallbusinessdigitalalliance.com/

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Co-sponsorship Authorization No: 22-5-C: The SBA’s participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products, or services of any cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

This website is provided as a public service under co-sponsorship Authorization #22-5-C. It is not an official U.S. government website and may contain links to non-U.S. government information. The inclusion of such links does not constitute or imply an endorsement by the SBA. The SBA is not responsible for the content, accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of linked information.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.