In an effort to boost the area’s economy and create better opportunity for the LGBT business community, King County, Washington (Seattle) has announced that it will keep track of LGBT-owned businesses that are awarded government contracts and create a directory of them.
The King County’s Contract Opportunities Program has already had success with a very similar program aimed at women- and minority-owned businesses. The program lead to a steep increase in certified small contractors over a period of five years, with minority-owned consulting firms increasing by 187 percent.
Jonathan Lovitz, VP of External Affairs at the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, said that the move would be positive for civil rights, stressing that “economic equality backs up social equality.”