Linking Policy

SBA Linking Policy

Linking Policy Evaluation Criteria

As a public service, SBA may provide links to other organizations that provide information of benefit to small businesses. External links do not constitute an endorsement by SBA of the opinions, products or services presented on the external site, or of any sites linked to it. 

External links are intended to support SBA’s mission. They are not intended to support private or commercial organizations or businesses. Links to .org, .gov, .edu, .mil or other non-profit sites that provide small business information related to SBA’s mission are encouraged because of their general non-commercial, public-interest nature. Links to .com, .net, and other commercial, for-profit sites may be acceptable if supportive of small business needs and relevant to SBA’s mission.  These sites may include:

  • Organizations funded by SBA through grant or cooperative agreement;
  • Organizations engaged in a formal partnership with SBA such as SBA Resource Partners and cosponsors;   
  •  Federal, state and local government agencies; and
  •  Small business related associations

 

The SBA.gov staff evaluates all suggested links using the following criteria:

  • Is the recommended website an official government-owned or supported website? 
  • Does the recommended website provide official government information or services? 
  • Does the recommended website complement existing information, products and services on SBA.gov? 
  • Is the recommended website accessible and applicable to a wide audience? 
  • Is the recommended website's content relevant, useful and authoritative for citizens, businesses and/or government officials? 
  • Does the recommended website's information appear to be accurate and current? 
  • Does use of the recommended website require registration and if so is its approach to the collection of personal information consistent with SBA’s privacy and security policies? 
  • Is the recommended website "user-friendly?"

 

SBA will not link to websites which contain the following:

  • Website which exhibits hate, bias, or discrimination or promotes one political party over another
  • Website which is primarily commercial in nature (i.e., advertising a product, charging a usage fee, soliciting user information, etc.), 
  • Websites which charge a user-fee for access
  • Websites which violate federal ethics policies or only promote or endorse non-Federal products or services
  • Websites that are deemed to be misleading, contain unsubstantiated claims or are determined to be in conflict with SBA’s mission

 

Use of SBA notification regarding links to sites outside of SBA.gov:

  • Links to Web pages and all forms of content that reside outside of SBA.gov must contain a notification (bye-bye message) to the user that he or she is leaving the SBA’s web site
  • A statement about endorsement and liability must accompany the bye-bye message

 

Mandatory Links

Section 207(f) of the E-Government Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-347) stipulates that all Federal agency public websites identify and post the following mandatory links on major entry points of their sites:

  • Agency strategic plan and annual performance plans
  • Descriptions of agency organizational structure, mission and statutory authority
  • Information made available under the Freedom of Information Act
  • Specific website privacy policies
  • FirstGov.gov
  • Summary statistical data about equal opportunity complaints filed with the agency and written notification of “Whistleblower” rights and protections as required by the No Fear Act of 2002
  • Agency point of contact for small businesses as required by the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002
  • Other cross-government portals or links required by law or policy

 

Reciprocal Links

We may link to information in accordance to our linking policy, whether or not the other website links to us or not. SBA does not routinely engage in reciprocal linking.

Links from an Outside Resource

Any public or private entity may link to SBA.gov as long as the descriptive words of SBA.gov are accurate and not misleading and do not misrepresent any relationship between the linking site and SBA.gov. Entities may not use the SBA logo as its link.  Advance permission is not required in order to link to SBA.gov provided these conditions are followed. 

Reproduction of SBA Content

Government information on SBA.gov is in the public domain. Public domain information may be freely distributed and copied, but it is requested that in any subsequent use of SBA’s information be given appropriate acknowledgement.  When using SBA.gov you may encounter documents, illustrations, photographs, or other information resources contributed or licensed by private individuals, companies, or organizations that may be protected by U.S. and foreign copyright laws. Transmission or reproduction of protected items beyond that allowed by fair use as defined in the copyright laws requires the written permission of the copyright owners.  It is your responsibility to identify the copyright owner and obtain permission before making use of this material.

Featured Links

SBA.gov highlights links of special interest to wide audiences by temporarily posting them in a position of prominence on the website. Featured links may include: seasonal information; current topics of interest to small business owners; cosponsored activities; cross-agency portals that enhance the public's interaction with government; and new links

Disclaimers

  • The SBA does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of information contained on a linked website
  • The SBA does not endorse the organizations sponsoring linked websites, and we do not endorse the views they express or the products/services they offer. 
  • The SBA cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked websites. Users must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked website. 
  • The SBA is not responsible for transmissions users receive from linked websites. 
  • The SBA does not guarantee that outside websites comply with Section 508 (Accessibility Requirements) of the Rehabilitation Act.


SBA Disclaimer of Endorsement:

Any reference obtained from this server to a specific product, process, or service does not constitute or imply an endorsement by SBA or the United States Government of the product, process, or service, or its producer or provider. The views and opinions expressed in any referenced document do not necessarily state or reflect those of the SBA or the United States Government.

SBA Disclaimer of Liability:

Neither SBA, the United States Government, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, or assumes any legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information from this server or the links to servers on the Hot List.

Privacy and Security

Check the SBA.gov Privacy and Security  to learn more about the privacy and security policies of SBA.gov.