Throughout Fiscal Year 2009, the members of the National Women’s Business Council collaborated to promote policies and programs designed to support women’s entrepreneurship. The Council’s activities over the past year concentrated primarily on the following areas: communications and outreach, research, and policy engagement.

In reaching out to the women’s business community, policymakers and other target audiences, the Council held two town hall meetings, produced written and electronic communications, and participated in national and international events promoting women’s business ownership. In addition, the Council produced research reports, partnered in research events with other organizations and released a report on best practices in entrepreneurship education for women.

Members of the Council spoke on behalf of the Council, and Council staff participated in several intergovernmental and organizational meetings and met with hundreds of foreign visitors. For the sixth year, the Council was called on by the International Council for Small Business to judge and support the Best Paper Award for Women’s Entrepreneurship.

Based on research conducted during the year, numerous discussions with the women’s business community at conferences, meetings, and roundtables, and comment letters filed regarding health care and procurement policy, the National Women’s Business Council has developed policy recommendations surrounding issues such as access to capital, affordable health care, microenterprise, procurement, taxes, and workforce development.

This Annual Report summarizes these many activities, offers policy recommendations, and previews Council initiatives for the coming year. We invite public comment on our Annual Report, and on the research and other programmatic activities of the Council.