The Office of Advocacy has also been involved in several other initiatives that have had an impact on rural America's small businesses.
Ace-Net: Access to Capital Electronic Network- Developed in 1997
ACE-Net is an Internet-based listing service for securities offerings of small, growing companies located throughout the nation, which can be viewed anonymously by accredited investors. ACE-Net was developed by the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, working in consultation with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the North American Securities Administrators Association, and the University of New Hampshire's Whittemore School of Business and Economics. ACE-Net is an initiative to help small businesses outside Silicon Valley (and other areas with an abundance of angel capital) to gain access to capital. It has the potential to help many rural businesses. ACE-Net is in the process of being privatized. Additional information can be found at acenet.csusb.edu.
Rural Roundtable Discussions - 1999-2000
The rural regional advocate, in coordination with the Small Business Administration, state rural development councils, and other partners, has conducted six rural roundtables throughout the country. These roundtables bring together local rural leaders to discuss access to capital in rural areas. Participants have included bankers, business owners, rural development leaders, organizational representatives, investors, as well as representatives of local, state, and federal agencies. Due in part to these roundtables, SBA will implementing a Rural Initiative and is in the process of determining next steps from suggestions made by participants.
Models of Excellence Awards - 1998 and 1999
As part of the "Vision 2000" conferences of 1998 and 1999, the Office of Advocacy recognized hundreds of organizations for their contributions in creating and aiding viable small businesses. Fifteen of those organizations were recognized for their work in "rural development." For more information on award winners, visit www.sba.gov/advo/vision.html.
National Rural Development Partnership Truman Fellow
The Office of Advocacy has recently formed a partnership with the National Rural Development Partnership (NRDP) by accepting the placement of a Truman Fellow for the 2000-2001 year. The Truman Fellow, a recent college graduate who has received the Truman Scholarship, is hired by NRDP and will work in the Office of Advocacy to increase institutional awareness of rural issues. NRDP brings together partners from local, state, tribal, and federal governments and from the for-profit and nonprofit private sectors to help rural communities improve their quality of life. If the placement of the Truman Fellow proceeds well, there will likely be many opportunities for collaboration in the future. For more information on NRDP, visit www.rurdev.usda.gov/nrdp.
Information courtesy of the Small Business Administration.
