Business Gateway Partners Program

What is the Partners Program?

Business Gateway Partners work collaboratively with our team to help small businesses start, expand and succeed. Government agencies, trade associations, and members of the business community are invited to contribute their expertise and authoritative resources to Business.gov, using the site's tools and features as a platform for sharing information, outreach and collaboration.

The Partners Program aims to create a dialogue among business owners and organizations serving them, making the government more transparent and data more accessible to the nation's small business community. Partners may use Business.gov as platform to

• Create social networks and online communities that help business owners interact with experts and each other
• Publish authoritative resources that help small business start, operate and expand their operations
  
• Disseminate public information and data to industry.  Business.gov can help government agencies comply with the E-Government Act by making public data and information more accessible on the Internet

What Are the Benefits of Being a Partner?

Through the Business Gateway Partners Program, you can leverage Business.gov's social media technologies, publishing platform and authoritative branding to

• Build trusting, cooperative relationships with business owners, trade groups, and government agencies, including the U.S. Small Business Administration
• Gain recognition as a proactive leader in assisting the nation's small businesses
• Network with business owners, extending reach and building awareness of your organization's programs and services
• Help small businesses meet their legal and regulatory requirements
• Make government more transparent, open and participatory
  

What Kind of Information Can I Contribute?

The Business Gateway team will consider all ideas that help small businesses start, grow and succeed.  We are especially interested in ideas that help small business comply with legal requirements and take advantage of assistance programs, such as loan and grant programs, training and technical assistance, and opportunities for expanding operations.

Here are some possible ways you can partner with us:

• Start an online community or social network in your industry or interest area
• Participate as an expert in online discussions and blogs
  
• Contribute authoritative, co-branded content to the website
  
• Provide publicly available data that can be disseminated to the general public in raw form; used to enhance Business.gov's search tools; and/or used to create a new feature on the site

Business Gateway as two successful partnerships with both the IRS and the ENERGY STAR® program. The IRS has provided resources to enhance the Small Business Taxes section of the website.  Business Gateway has partnered with ENERGY STAR to provide guides that help small business save money by becoming energy efficient.

How Do I Become a Partner?

Contact us if your organization is interested in becoming a Business Gateway Partner.

Potential Partners are chosen based on:

• Nature of the organization.
• Nature of the information and services offered by the organization.
• Industry or business interest area (e.g. home based business, human resources, etc.)
  
• Quality of the information and services provided.
• Reputation of the organization in the business community