Everyone's hurting, of course. That said, the many government programs for minority owned businesses have NOT been cut, so a lot of help is still available. If you never have before, now is definitely the time to explore these programs. Get the help! Frankly, I don't think there's any better use of our tax dollars than supporting small business owners, who are truly the lifeblood of the U.S. economy.Another thing minority business owners should keep in mind is that during tough times, communities tend to pull together to support one another. Now more than ever, be an active and visible contributor to your community. Is there a way for you and your employees to volunteer in the community? Can you make some space available for free to a community group in the evening? Do you have excess or aging inventory that could be put to good use in the community? Besides the obvious benefit to your community, you will not only build goodwill, you'll also support economic growth in your community, which ultimately helps your business."Enlightened self-interest" is a great business practice.

The #construction industry has had many partnering agreements, "joint-ventures" formed with GCs, Subcontractors and Suppliers to benefit minority contractors in working on stimulus and other gov't projects that they would not otherwise qualify for. That qualification process works both ways, hence partnering is really a win-win for all parties.

Source: http://www.hagenbusiness.com