On Friday, January 13, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves traveled to Chicago to highlight the recently announced Minority Business Development Agency’s Capital Readiness Program, a $93.5 million grant competition dedicated to helping minority, women, and other underserved entrepreneurs grow and scale their businesses. “Entrepreneurship is a pathway to the American Dream,” said Deputy...

As we welcome 2023, we reflect on some of the most popular stories, issues, and accomplishment from 2022. This past year, the Commerce Department remained at the forefront of many critical issues like no other time in history. Commerce played a central role in enacting President Biden's economic, trade, and innovation agenda to build a better America. One of the most important accomplishments of...

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo issued the following statement on the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations for the U.S. Department of Commerce after President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 into law. “Once again, President Biden is showing that the United States government is capable of delivering on its promises to the American people and I congratulate...

The Capital Readiness Program grant competition marks the largest investment to support minority entrepreneurs and businesses from the Commerce Department Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce launched the Capital Readiness Program grant competition, which dedicates $93.5 million to help minority and other underserved entrepreneurs launch and scale their businesses. This program, administered by...

Thank you, my friend and colleague, Chair Lewis, for that warm introduction. It is indeed a pleasure to be here at the EXIM Annual Conference. The range of topics you are discussing at this conference – from clean energy technologies to global infrastructure, from small business financing to semiconductors and transformational exports – reflect the incredible breadth and depth of EXIM’s work with...

Native American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate and honor the rich history and heritage of Native Americans and recognize their vast contributions to our country’s progress and to our economy. The Commerce Department is committed to ensuring that Tribal communities have the resources they need for economic growth. That commitment starts with high-speed internet. For too long, Tribal...

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, the U.S. Department of Commerce has recognized the extensive impact of Native American innovators, entrepreneurs, and minority business enterprises throughout the nation. As the only federal agency solely dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of minority business enterprises, Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) offers a...

Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo issued the following statement regarding the one year anniversary of the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA): “A year ago today, President Joe Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a transformative investment that is already helping grow our economy and benefiting American...

Thank you, Under Secretary Cravins, for that introduction. We’re thrilled to have you on board as the Commerce Department’s first-ever Under Secretary for Minority Business Development. And I want to thank all of you − our minority business enterprises in particular – for being here for the first in-person MED Week Conference in two years. America has more than 9 million minority-owned firms that...

Additional funding from Biden Administration brings total up to $37 million to bolster services that will help minority-owned businesses expand and prosper across 34 states Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is extending an award for $4.72 million in federal funding to strengthen and expand its...