NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release
	Contact: Anne Woods Asst. Dir. Marketing & Training Kansas Small Business Development Center 785-296-6514 Lisa Counts General Manager Kansas.gov 1-800-4KANSAS

TOPEKA, Kan., – January 5, 2009 – Today small business owners and entrepreneurs have easier access to the tools they need to start and grow a business – especially in these tough economic times. Kansas Small Business Development Center (KSBDC) has launched its enhanced Web site at http://www.kansas.gov/ksbdc. The KSBDC partnered with Kansas.gov to develop the new site which is housed in the Kansas Business Center, the state’s online “one-stop-shop” for businesses in Kansas http://www.kansas.gov/businesscenter.

“This partnership will provide current and future KSBDC clients access to the resources they need as entrepreneurs,” said Wally Kearns, KSBDC state director. “It is a collaborative effort that illustrates the commitment the state has to economic development and providing online access to state resources.”

The redesigned KSBDC site includes information about how to access one-on-one business consulting at no charge from one of 12 regional or outreach centers throughout Kansas. Online virtual business training in areas such Starting Your Business, Managing Your Finances, and Foundations of Marketing is accessible anytime at http://www.kansas.gov/ksbdc. The free online courses are also available in Spanish. In addition, the new site includes business success stories of Emerging and Existing Business of the Year in Kansas.

The KSBDC provided more than 12,000 hours of free one-to-one counseling to 2,000 clients in 2007. Approximately 4,650 individuals attended onsite workshops at the eight regional and four outreach centers throughout Kansas. In 2007, the KSBDC assisted clients in 263 new business ventures and helped generate approximately 1,400 new jobs in Kansas.

About Kansas Small Business Development Center
The KSBDC is a partnership program with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Kansas Department of Commerce, Allen County Community College, Cloud County Community College, Coffeyville Community College, Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University, Fort Scott Community College, Garden City Community College, Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce, Independence Community College, Johnson County Community College, Labette Community College, Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, Neosho County Community College, Pittsburg State University, University of Kansas, Washburn University and Wichita State University. The statewide host for the KSBDC is Fort Hays State University.

About Kansas.gov
Kansas.gov is the official Web site for the state of Kansas. The portal operates through a public-private partnership between the Information Network of Kansas, (INK) and the Kansas Information Consortium, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC Inc. (NASDAQ: EGOV).

About NIC
NIC is the nation’s leading provider of official government portals, online services, and secure payment processing solutions. The company’s innovative eGovernment services help reduce costs and increase efficiencies for government agencies, citizens, and businesses across the country. NIC provides eGovernment solutions for 2,900 federal, state, and local agencies that serve more than 70 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at www.nicusa.com.

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