We are pleased to provide information about organizations with which our chapter has formed strategic alliances. We believe relationships like these allow groups with similar purpose and mutual interests to cooperate with each other and benefit from the strength of each. Our purpose is to develop strategic alliances with organizations that are suitable and/or complimentary to our membership’s goals and interests.
As a member of NAWBO-Houston you may receive information about the benefits of these organizations at NAWBO meetings, by e-mail, by visiting their websites or by attending their meetings. Please feel free to also contact the NAWBO member liaison with any questions.
WBEA (Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance)
Women Contractors Association
Executive Women’s Golf Association
University of Houston Small Business Development Center Network (UH SBDC)
Join the thousands of small businesses that have started, prospered and grown with the help of the UH Small Business Development Center Network since 1984. We offer real-world business advice and affordable business workshops and seminars.
Our network is comprised of 15 convenient business consulting and training centers located throughout 32 counties in Southeast Texas. Make an appointment with a UH SBDC Network consultant for no cost, confidential consulting assistance customized to your needs. Or attend a practical affordable business workshop. We will help you evaluate your business idea, research your target market or industry, prepare marketing strategies, determine financing needs, put together a loan proposal and create an actionable business plan.
Click here to find your center.
For upcoming Seminars and Workshops, click here.
UH SBDC Technology Program
Looking for assistance for your technology-based business or for ways to utilize technology more effectively? The University of Houston Small Business Development Center’s Technology Program offers expert advice to help you protect your intellectual property assets and find funding for the development and commercialization of your innovative technologies. Technology consulting and practical workshops are also available to help you find IT solutions to increase your business efficiencies.
Contact UH SBDC Network today to locate your business consulting and training center.
(713) 752-8444 General Information
(713) 756-1500
University of Houston Procurement Technical Assistance Center (UH PTAC)
Interested in selling to federal, state or local government agencies? The PTAC can help you develop effective marketing techniques and assist in finding contract opportunities matched to your company’s capabilities. UH PTAC‘s free consulting and low cost technical assistance is available to businesses in 45 counties between and around the major cities of Houston and Austin in the Southeast Texas area. Please visit their web site for more information.
University of Houston International Trade Center (ITC)
Need help identifying business opportunities in foreign markets? The ITC guides small and medium-sized companies through the process of entering the international trade arena. ITC also offers no-cost loan packaging support to help your business obtain export financing and low-cost training seminars focused on trade issues. Please visit their web site for more information.
NAWBO Texas Alliance
The four NAWBO chapters in Texas – Houston, Dallas / Ft. Worth (DFW), San Antonio, and Austin have had a formal alliance in place since 2001. The purpose of this partnership is to combine resources in order to more effectively and efficiently achieve the common public policy objectives of all three organizations.
Our goals are to:
- Influence legislation and governmental decisions that impact us as women business owners.
- Input our ideas and opinions into government and industry processes.
- Increase the visibility of NAWBO throughout the state of Texas.
Projects have included:
- Creation of a state legislative Advocacy Manual to provide the alliance a document to pass onto future chapter Public Policy Council Reps, basic information on state legislature operations, training in state advocacy work, and written procedures for carrying out advocacy activities.
- Development of an “Adopt a Legislator” program and legislation tracking system for the 2003 78th Legislative session.
- Participation in a Small Business Legislative Day session in Austin in 2003.
- The current joint project is to build a Texas State Legislature Women in Business (WIB) caucus to:
- Consider the impact of proposed legislation on Women Business Enterprises (WBEs).
- Ensure that issues important to women business owners (WBOs) are always considered in any proposed state legislation.
- Facilitate the exchange of information on mutually beneficial state legislation.The plan is that legislators from both chambers of the State Legislature would meet on a periodic basis, with the NAWBO Texas Alliance, plus other applicable organizations, giving input to the caucus members on state legislation needed to assist WBOs in operating and growing their businesses. Members of the Alliance would be accessible by caucus members and their staffs, as expert consultants from multiple fields and various industries, for specific initiatives and legislative research. The Alliance would support those caucus members who worked for legislation that positively impacted women-owned businesses.
In early 2004 a political consultant was hired to research past state legislation to determine who should be members of the caucus. 12 lawmakers were identified. The Alliance is in the process of meeting with each to gain his/her commitment, with a planned kick-off date of January 2005.
Website addresses are:
DFW – www.nawbotx.org
San Antonio – www.nawbo-sa.com
Austin – www.nawboaustin.org
