About DSLBD The Department of Small and Local Business Development is a full-service, cabinet level agency charged with fostering economic growth and the development of emerging District-based business enterprises through programs and opportunities, agency and public/private contract compliance, advocacy, and supportive legislation. The Department works to stimulate and expand the local tax base of the District of Columbia, to increase the number of viable employment opportunities for District residents, and to extend the city’s economic prosperity to local business owners, their employees, and the communities they serve. DSLBD is comprised of the following four divisions that work in conjunction to sustain and grow small and local businesses: Certification, Compliance and Enforcement; Business Opportunities and Access to Capital; Training and Education; and Commercial Revitalization.