(Washington, DC) - The Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) and Southeastern University’s Centre for Entrepreneurship announce the 2009 Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) Institute, which offers training for small businesses. The CBE Institute provides a variety of courses in topic areas that will improve the sustainability and infrastructure of both certified and non-certified business enterprises located in the District of Columbia.

A free introductory course explains the CBE program and gives guidance on the contracting process. The other courses feature specific training tracks designed to address small business capacity building and professional development needs in the areas of RFP/Proposal Writing, Accounting, Project Management, and Relationship Management. To receive a certificate of completion for the program, you must take all five classes offered in the program.

There is a flat training fee of $100 for each course upon meeting the early registration deadline or $125 if you register after early registration closes.

Early registration is open now through a week before each class begins. Classes take place on weeknights in the Citywide Conference Center at 441 4th Street, NW and run from January through June. Course dates are listed below.

To register, call (202) 478-8231 or visit stars.seu.edu. You can find more information about the CBE Institute online at southeastern.edu.

CBE Precertification Workshop

Dates: 1st Thursday/monthly (1:30pm – 3:30pm); 3rd Thursday/monthly (6 pm – 8 pm)

RFP Proposal Writing

• January 27, February 3, February 10, February 17, February 24 

Accounting

• March 17, March 10, March 24, March 31, April 7

Project Management

• April 21, April 28, May 5, May 12, May 19

Relationship Management

• June 2, June 9, June 16, June 23, June 30