The United States Government has launched a new and improved version of Recovery.gov,
a significantly updated
and improved website intended to consolidate and streamline the
public's ability to gain information on the $787 billion in economic
recovery funds authorized by congress.
The robust new site is a great improvement in functionality and a refreshing illustration of the Obama administration's dedication to transparency.
Grants, Contracts and Loans
— Oh My
The site has sections on available government jobs, available loan
programs, grants, contracts, as well as a huge quantity of information
on funds that have already been awarded and who has received or is
scheduled to receive those funds. For the small business owner,
Recovery.gov may provide valuable information on open contract
programs, but the biggest benefit may be in identifying who in your
area has received the funds, the kinds of projects that are being
funded, and what organizations may have subcontract work available.
On
The Big Map
The main landing page of the site features an interactive map of the
country and US Territories. This map will allow users to quickly
navigate to their local area and identify recovery loans, grants, and
other programs. The maps also identify local agencies who may have
recovery funds to dedicate to programs or projects in your
area. The quantity of information accessible from this main page map is
truly overwhelming. While the news programs have made much of a
supposed lack of progress in administering recovery funds, after a few
minutes exploration of this program it is quickly evident that a huge
number of projects are under way nationwide.
Inspiration and Ideas
The main landing page also has a scrolling feature articles related to
programs funded. I found these articles instructive on the kinds of
projects that are finding success in the government funding game. You
may find inspiration in some of these stories. There are several green
business projects related to transportation, weatherization, and clean
energy featured in this portion of the site.
Get
Help Recovery.gov
is relatively easy to navigate, though the quantity of
information present means that there is some complexity to the
interface. Fortunately, there is a very good tutorial section illustrating
how to quickly access information most useful to you.
The tutorial page features the following site introduction
and tutorial video:
If you have any interest in government contracting, sub-contracting
with larger companies or government agencies, an interest in government jobs, or are
just curious about how your billions are being spent in the post-Bush
economic recovery effort, Recovery.gov is a great resource.
