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: