Just over a week after our Smarter Small Businesses report demonstrated the need to help more of the city's small businesses integrate technology into their daily operations, Mayor Bloomberg launched a set of free tools to help small businesses in New York City use digital technologies and social media to grow their businesses and create jobs. Many of the new resources announced by the mayor echo recommendations made in our report.

The new set of resources, offered online and at NYC Business Solutions Centers throughout the five boroughs, is called the Small Business Digital Toolkit. Through a partnership with NYC Digital, the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) will offer small businesses free training and resources to digitally attract customers, conduct business online and market their products or services through the use of e-commerce technology. In addition, SBS, Citi Community Development and five local nonprofit community organizations announced the creation of the New York City Small Business Technology Coalition, which will help expand technology use by reaching out to underserved entrepreneurs and small business owners.