Recently, the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) has launched a citywide campaign to further support and promote District businesses. This campaign, the #iBuyDC Challenge, allows residents and businesses to showcase how they support the local economy everyday while highlighting the local businesses they love to visit and challenge their friends and family to do the same to keep the challenge going. 

As part of the Local Business Enterprise Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2020, in addition to the existing CBE requirements, CBEs must meet one of the following new requirements in order to obtain or maintain certification as a local business enterprise: be independently owned, operated, and controlled; be owned, operated, and controlled by a District-based enterprise; or be owned by a non-District-based business enterprise that is more than 50% owned by District residents. 

DSLBD is excited to announce that we will be accepting applications for the 2021 Robust Retail: Citywide Grants starting December 7, 2020 and closing January 28, 2021 at 2 p.m. ET. Learn more and apply now! 

Mayor Bowser has announced the District Government's FY21 Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Spending Goal and announced that the FY21 Green Book has gone all virtual with a newly created Green Book Website and Interactive District Spend Data Dashboard. Visit the GreenBookDC.com Today! 

The Executive has listened to the small and local business community and has been working hard on strengthening the current CBE Law to weed out non-local CBEs, streamline payments to CBE subcontractors, and increase penalties for bad actors, among other comprehensive changes.

DSLBD's Build Back Better DC video series provides District small businesses with unique access to advice and useful tips, resources, timely information and in-depth conversations with industry leaders across the various sectors. Watch now!

Using the CBE Wizard, you can begin the process of helping your business become a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE).