The Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy is calling for award nominations to honor innovative and successful programs and policies at the state and local level that promote the growth of small business. The Office of Advocacy’s Vision 2000 Models of Excellence awards program is in its second year. The awards will be presented at the Vision 2000: The States and Small Business Conference on December 1 and 2, 1999, in Washington, D.C.

Vision 2000 is an awards conference designed to showcase outstanding state and local initiatives that advance small business programs and policies. State policy-makers, state and local small business program directors, small business owners, and small business trade association executives, to name a few, will attend Vision 2000. Last year’s conference drew over 300 participants from throughout the nation. The "Models of Excellence" award-winning programs have since been considered and/or replicated in other states. A listing of last year’s "Models of Excellence" winners is available at http://www.sba.gov/ADVO/vision98.html.

The Office of Advocacy is again searching for small business programs and policies that contribute to the vitality of small businesses at the state and local level. Nominations are being sought for the "Models of Excellence" awards in the following categories:

• Leadership in Small Business
• Small Business Development
• Access to Capital
• Government Procurement
• Regulations that Work for Small Business
• Programs that Support Small Technology Businesses
• Women’s Business Development Programs
• Minority Business Development Programs
• Rural Business Development Programs

The Office of Advocacy also will consider other visionary programs for a Vision 2000 award that may not fit into the other categories yet fill a niche for small businesses in their community.

The nomination guidelines and forms are available on the Vision 2000 home page at http://www.sba.gov/ADVO/vision.html or information may be obtained from an SBA regional advocate (listed below). Registration information for the conference is also posted on the home page. Inquiries about program content may be directed to David Voight at (202) 205-6888 or by email at david.voight@sba.gov.

The SBA’s Office of Advocacy was created by an act of Congress in 1976 to protect, strengthen and effectively represent the nation’s small businesses within the federal government. As part of this mandate, the office conducts policy studies and economic research on issues of concern to small business and publishes data on small business characteristics and contributions. For instant access to small business resources, statistics and research, visit the Office of Advocacy’s home page at http://www.sba.gov/ADVO/.

Mr. David O’Brien