Strong women.
Strong infrastructure.
Stronger communities.
About Women First
Women First is a leading advocate for the protection and expansion of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program.
We have been championing women-owned small businesses in the construction industry since 1987.
Our members are partners to their cities and states – they are economic drivers and job creators that make communities better.
We empower women entrepreneurs across all 50 states.
We advocate for federal support to help remedy past and present discrimination.
Help Save the DBE Program
Protecting the DBE program means protecting small, independent American businesses — and the local economies they keep alive. But without Congressional reauthorization in the 2026 Highway Bill, the continuation of this vital program will be at serious risk, along with jobs for half a million workers.
News
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Minority Contractors Say Trump DEI Rollback Poses Threat to Their Livelihoods
Five months after a federal court ruled in favor of the Trump administration’s overhaul of a U.S. Department of Transportation program, minority-owned businesses say they are being shut out of…
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“We Can’t Let Them Win”: DBE Leaders Take Message to Capitol Hill on Protecting Small Businesses
Members of the Women First National Legislative Committee and DBEs of America traveled to Washington, D.C. in early March for a two-day Capitol Hill fly-in to urge Congress to prioritize…
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Businesses Owned by Minorities, Women Lobby to Reauthorize Federal Program
Kenneth Canty, a Georgia infrastructure company owner, hopes to help restore the Francis Scott Key Bridge by repurposing the large bridge structures for environmental restoration. But like his colleagues in…