Kansas City, MO - The First Step Fund of Kansas City, Missouri will receive the Vision 2000 Models of Excellence Award at Vision 2000: The States and Small Business Conference to be held on Dec. 1-2, in Washington, D.C. Winners of these national awards were selected from hundreds of nominations submitted to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy, which is sponsoring the awards program. Vision 2000 is designed to showcase outstanding initiatives that advance small business programs and policies.

"It is an honor to present a Vision 2000 Award to so many outstanding local small business initiatives," Chief Counsel for Advocacy Jere W. Glover said. "These award-winning small business programs and leaders are the surest guarantee for small business success in the new millennium. The Office of Advocacy will give these awards in December to celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of entrepreneurship in the 20th Century."

Vision 2000 Models of Excellence Awards for Small Business Development are given to Services or programs (such as tax credits, home-based, micro-enterprise, workforce development) that bring enhanced assistance to small firms and may be tailored to the needs of special markets or businesses of a specific geographic area, industry, or size. First Step Fund is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1993 on the belief that self-employment, or entrepreneurship, can be a viable alternative to public assistance or minimum wage and other low-paying jobs. The program fulfills its mission of fostering economic self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship by providing a variety of services including a nine-week business planning and training program, individual case management, a microloan program, an alumni group, and a mentoring program. All participants must meet federal low- to moderate-income guidelines. For more information about First Step Fund or its programming contact its offices at 816-474-5111 Ext. 247 or visit its web site at www.firststepfund.org.

State policy-makers, state and local program directors, non-profit service providers, small business owners, and small business trade association executives will attend this years conference to honor winners in a number of categories including: Small Business Development; Access to Capital; Government Procurement Opportunities; Regulations that Work for Small Business; Programs that Support Small Technology Businesses; Women’s Business Development; Minority Business Development; Rural Business Development and; Vision 2000.

Supporters of the event include the American Franchisee Association, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Ceridian, ChamberBiz.com, Fortune Small Business Magazine, International Franchise Association, Microsoft, National Association of Women Business Owners, National Business Association, National Federation of Independent Business, National Small Business United, Onvia.com, Pacific Bell, Small Business Association of Michigan, Small Business Legislative Council, Small Business Technology Coalition, SMC Business Councils and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Vision 2000: The States and Small Business Conference will be held on Dec. 1-2, in Washington, D.C. at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is located at 1615 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20062. For more information about the conference and award winners visit the Vision 2000 home page at http://www.sba.gov/ADVO/vision.html. Inquiries about program content and awards may be directed to Brad Douglas at (816) 374-6380 or David Voight at (202) 205-6888.

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/.

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