Small businesses are the bedrock of the local economies in cities of all sizes. NLC’s 2024 State of the Cities Report found that mayors frequently identified attracting and supporting businesses as a key goal to expand economic development in their city. This collection of factsheets highlights innovative policies, practices and tools that municipal leaders can use to empower small and BIPOC-owned businesses in their communities.
These factsheets focus on four key topics and include ways to implement each strategy, key benefits and challenges, and city examples.
Download the individual factsheets below.
E-Commerce Procurement Solutions for Cities and Small Businesses
E-commerce procurement solutions are tools for cities to broaden access to municipal procurement opportunities and support small and minority-owned businesses using their own buying power.
Digitizing Permitting and Licensing
Strategies of digitizing municipal permitting and licensing processes to clarify and expedite small businesses obtaining permits and licenses.
Working with Anchor Institutions
Tips on how to connect local businesses to anchor institution procurement opportunities to expand the reach of anchor institutions’ resources.
Helping Small Businesses Grow Online
Recommendations of ways cities can help local businesses grow online sales and utilize digital marketing.
NLC has supported inclusive entrepreneurship through the City Inclusive Entrepreneurship program. Though the grant program is no longer accepting new applications, visitors can browse the initiative page and learn more about the program structure, various commitments cities have taken to improve outreach to BIPOC and women entrepreneurs, and a series of city spotlights with interviews from city economic development staff and local entrepreneurship support organizations (ESOs) with examples of their outreach efforts to small businesses.