Strategic Plan

U.S. Small Business Administration Reimagined: Powering the American Dream -- Strategic Plan | Fiscal Years 2018 - 2022

Analysis

Competitive Environment

Competitors

Direction

Mission

To maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by enabling the establishment and vitality of small businesses and by assisting in the economic recovery of communities after disasters.

Values

Empowerment

Employee Involved: We will ensure that our employees are empowered to make decisions and seek continuous improvement as we extend the hand of service to Americans not only from Washington, DC, but also across the field offices.

Convictions

The SBA has four core values that underscore the work of our employees each day. These core values represent key convictions that are driven and modeled by the Administrator and senior leadership down to every line employee. Throughout this Strategic Plan, the core values are integrated into the strategies that drive policy and resource management decisions.

Efficiency

We will ensure that our programs and services are delivered on-time and at a minimized cost to the taxpayer.

Accountability

We will hold ourselves accountable to deliver meaningful, innovative services to America’s entrepreneurs.

Effectiveness

We will clearly define the outcomes we are striving to achieve and ensure that our programs, processes, and policies are aligned to demonstrate results.

Goals

Revenue & Job Growth

Goal Statement: SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS REVENUE AND JOB GROWTH

Objectives:

• Guaranty Bonds
• Lenders
• Capital
• Partnerships
• Simplification, Attraction & Education
• Research
• Emerging Markets
• Awards
• Oversight & Risk Management
• Trade Promotion
• Contracting
• Training & Counseling
• Exports
• Set-Aside Goals
• Trade Negotiations
• Investment Capital
• Knowledge

Ecosystems & Environments

Goal Statement: BUILD HEALTHY ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEMS AND CREATE BUSINESS FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENTS

Businesses thrive in healthy environments where there is proximity to other businesses and support for growth. Entrepreneurs often need advice and technical assistance to get their businesses started, and minority, veteran, and women entrepreneurs often face even greater hurdles as they may not have access to services that are available in the private sector. In addition, new business startups serve as an indicator of health for entrepreneurial ecosystems. Figure 7 portrays new businesses that have started and are less than 1 year old. An uptick in business startups occurred in 2006 before the Great Recession. As of 2015, about 650,000 new businesses are starting each year.15 While there are signs of new business growth, the numbers have not significantly increased in the past 20 years.

Objectives:

• Growth & Infrastructure
• Resources
• Veterans & Military Families
• Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
• Policy & Avocacy
• Mentors & Protégés
• Emerging Markets
• Native Americans
• Services
• Ombudsman Process
• Environment
• Technical Assistance

Disasters

Goal Statement: RESTORE SMALL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES AFTER DISASTERS

Disaster can strike at any time, and even the most prepared businesses and business owners can be adversely impacted. While many businesses have private insurance, not all small businesses have the same access or the necessary coverage. After a disaster, employers must be able to restore their operations to get a community returned to normal. To help restore communities and return businesses to normal operations, the SBA offers direct loans to businesses, homeowners, renters, and nonprofits to help repair, rebuild, and recover from physical damage and economic losses after a disaster. Approximately 80 percent of SBA’s approved direct disaster loan dollars are made to individuals and households (renters and property owners) that help them repair and replace homes and personal property. In this way, the SBA fulfills a unique role helping all aspects of a community impacted by disasters. SBA disaster assistance is provided in the form of loans, not grants, and therefore must be repaid to the Federal Government. Only survivors located in declared disaster areas (and, for many disasters, contiguous counties) are eligible to apply for disaster loans. Disaster declarations are official notices recognizing that specific geographic areas have been damaged by a sudden event which causes severe damage. Examples include floods and other acts of nature, riots, civil disorders, or other incidents such as spills. Figure 8 represents SBA’s disaster assistance home and business loans provided between FY 1995 and FY 2016. Note the spike in loans that occurred in FY 2006 due to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, and again in FY 2013 from Hurricane Sandy

Objectives:

• Preparedness
• Assistance
• Efficiency & Effectiveness
• Infrastructure

Service

Goal Statement: STRENGTHEN SBA'S ABILITY TO SERVE SMALL BUSINESSES

SBA's ability to respond efficiently and effectively demands cross-office coordination to problem-solving that employs new tools and technologies. An organization that is high performing is characterized by business practices that effectively incorporate innovation, and a work environment that supports staff growth and development, collaboration, and a focus on results. Becoming a high-performing organization requires continuous improvement to both internal and external processes, and the SBA will actively solicit advice and engagement from both within the SBA as well as external partners. To ensure efficiency and effectiveness, the SBA will focus on streamlining business processes and decision-making at all levels. To stay current, programs must be constantly reevaluated to ensure they are well focused and cutting edge. The SBA is committed to process improvement and other business practice improvement techniques, as well as the involvement of the expertise and insights of employees to identify opportunities to succeed. The SBA will be an effective steward of taxpayer dollars and will use information and resources efficiently, operate with fiscal responsibility and management integrity, and demonstrate results. The SBA cultivates a highly skilled and diverse workforce, with employees energized by opportunities to learn and work collaboratively for small businesses. The SBA aims to maintain and attract a workforce of the future to ensure that its employees represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives, are equipped with the most current technical skills, tools, and knowledge, and are positioned to effectively achieve SBA’s goals. The SBA must also be more nimble with fewer resources. As Figure 9 demonstrates, between FY 1990 to FY 2016, the SBA experienced an almost 50 percent reduction in the number of regular-funded full-time equivalent (FTE) staff positions. During that same period, the SBA implemented and supported 17 new programs that came into existence through legislation, Executive Order, or SBA policy. Disaster assistance-funded FTE levels are dependent on the occurrence of natural disasters and subsequent volume of disaster loans processed. The spike in 2006 is attributable to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma.

Objectives:

• Performance & Accountability
• Finances & Culture
• Recruitment & Retention
• Workforce
• Talent Development
• Efficiency & Effectiveness
• Planning & Development
• Stability & Innovation
• Information & Technology
• IT Governance
• Value & Focus
• Service Delivery