Need To Determine Whether Existing Federal Programs Can Meet the Needs of Women Entrepreneurs

Highlights

GAO reviewed the actions taken by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Interagency Committee on Women's Business Enterprise to promote women entrepreneurs and to suggest ways to improve such activities.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Small Business Administration	The Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) should direct the Associate Administrator for the Women's Business Enterprise Division to establish procedures governing the Division's operation, including how it will interact with other SBA units.	Closed Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
Small Business Administration	The Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) should direct the Associate Administrator for the Women's Business Enterprise Division to determine, in conjunction with the above evaluation, data requirements necessary to continually monitor the responsiveness of SBA programs to the needs of women business owners. When this determination is made, reporting forms should be modified, to the extent possible, to satisfy these data requirements.	Closed Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
Small Business Administration	The Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) should issue a directive specifying the line of authority between the Women's Business Enterprise Division and the women's field coordinators. This directive should also provide guidance to the Women's Division regarding interaction with other SBA program offices.	Closed Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
Small Business Administration	The Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) should direct the Associate Administrator for the Women's Business Enterprise Division to prepare position descriptions and guidelines describing the specific responsibilities of the women's field coordinator. These guidelines should address any responsibility for coordinating or monitoring other agencies' activities. Moreover, procedures should be prepared, and a reporting system developed, to monitor the field coordinators' activities.	Closed Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
Small Business Administration	The Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) should direct the Associate Administrator for the Women's Business Enterprise Division to provide the Interagency Committee with the staff support necessary to revise the interagency guidelines and to develop a more structured reporting system for monitoring and coordinating agency activities.	Closed Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
Small Business Administration	The Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) should direct the Associate Administrator for the Women's Business Enterprise Division to evaluate whether existing SBA programs are, or can be made, responsive to women entrepreneurs.	Closed Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.

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Topics

Business Regulation and Consumer Protection

Agency missionsDiscriminationFederal aid programsMinority business assistanceProgram evaluationSmall business assistanceStandards evaluationWomen-owned businessesWomen's rightsSmall business