Part 1 · 5 of 50 states
The November 3 election decided who will shape the next round of state budgets and agency priorities. Here’s what small business owners can watch and where they can go today for contracts, financing or bid assistance.
Part 1 covers Georgia, Minnesota, Ohio, Tennessee and New York. This article will expand as each five-state installment goes live. Election outcomes below reflect reporting available November 4, 2026. See the state election offices directory for official returns and certification.
Georgia: State purchasing
Who was elected: Keisha Lance Bottoms won the governor’s race, according to the Associated Press. Status: Media race call as of November 4, 2026. State election office results (check for certification).
Georgia’s supplier portal is the first checkpoint
Georgia’s Department of Administrative Services directs suppliers to register in GA@WORK Marketplace for Suppliers. Its guide asks for business details such as employee count, Georgia residency and any applicable business designations.
What to watch next: Watch the first executive budget and any procurement guidance the incoming administration issues. Agency notices will show whether purchasing opportunities or supplier requirements actually change.
What you can do now: Use the state’s registration guide to set up your profile. Then search for an open solicitation and check its buyer, deadline and registration instructions. Georgia’s state contracting guide.
Minnesota: Small-business lending
Who was elected: Amy Klobuchar won the governor’s race, according to Axios. Status: Media race call as of November 4, 2026. State election office results (check for certification).
Minnesota lenders can use a state-backed guarantee
DEED says its program can guarantee up to 80% of principal for enrolled lenders on loans to eligible Minnesota businesses. Eligible uses can include working capital, equipment and inventory. Borrowers apply to a lender and repay the loan.
What to watch next: Watch the next executive budget and DEED program announcements for changes in state support for lenders or technical assistance. The current terms come from DEED.
What you can do now: Open DEED’s enrolled-lender list. If you need equipment or working capital, tell the lender what you need, how much, and where the money will be used. Ask about underwriting, collateral and repayment terms. Minnesota DEED’s loan guarantee program and lender list.
Ohio: Help with government bids
Who was elected: Amy Acton won the governor’s race, according to the Associated Press. Status: Media race call as of November 4, 2026. State election office results (check for certification).
Ohio already offers no-cost help with government bids
Ohio’s Department of Development hosts APEX Accelerators, part of a federal network. Regional offices offer Ohio businesses no-cost bid matching, help reviewing requirements and bid preparation assistance.
What to watch next: Check the Ohio budget calendar, which lists March 15, 2027 for publication of the governor’s Executive Budget Blue Book. Look for the Department of Development’s proposed appropriations, then compare them with the enacted budget. APEX’s federal role is separate from Ohio’s budget decisions.
What you can do now: Find your regional office. Bring a solicitation number or a one-paragraph description of what your business sells and ask which agencies buy it and what you need to qualify. Ohio APEX Accelerators and regional offices.
Tennessee: State procurement priorities
Who was elected: Marsha Blackburn won the governor’s race, according to the Associated Press. Status: Media race call as of November 4, 2026. State election office results (check for certification).
Tennessee firms can preview bids before registering
Tennessee’s Central Procurement Office says suppliers can review bid opportunities before creating an Edison account. Registration is required to receive new solicitation notifications or be awarded a contract.
What to watch next: Watch Blackburn’s first executive budget for proposed spending in the agencies you sell to. The agency solicitation and Central Procurement Office guidance will show whether a bid opens and which rules apply.
What you can do now: Review current solicitations for your industry. If you see recurring demand, register in Edison and set up notifications so you have time to review the next bid. Tennessee supplier information and Edison portal.
New York: State contracts and program funding
Who was elected: Kathy Hochul won reelection as governor, according to the Associated Press. Status: Media race call as of November 4, 2026. State election office results (check for certification).
New York’s $1.5 million discretionary purchasing rule
New York State Finance Law § 163(6)(d) allows state agencies to buy commodities or services from eligible state-certified minority- and women-owned businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses for up to $1.5 million without a formal competitive process. The threshold is purchasing authority for the agency. Certification does not guarantee an award.
What to watch next: Check the next New York Executive Budget for bill language amending State Finance Law § 163. Compare the proposal with the enacted law and agency instructions before assuming a contract qualifies.
What you can do now: Search the New York State Contract Reporter by agency or product. For each notice, check what certification the buyer recognizes and whether the notice requires a separate submission through an agency portal. New York State Contract Reporter.
The WWI perspective: Can an owner use what the state offers?
What businesses are reporting. In the Federal Reserve Banks’ 2026 report on employer firms, reaching customers and growing sales was the most commonly reported operational challenge, and rising costs were the top financial challenge. NFIB’s September 2026 survey also reported weaker expansion plans and continued concerns about labor quality and inflation.
What we’ve heard at Women Who Influence. In our 2026 outreach to 2,000 entrepreneurs, 347 people responded and 50 participated in a listening session. That input helped shape our focus on connecting business owners to capital readiness and market opportunities. It reflects the entrepreneurs we reached.
In Empire State Development’s 2024 disparity study, an unnamed woman-owned professional services firm reported covering payroll and required insurance while waiting more than 200 days to be paid for city work. For an owner weighing a bid, that experience raises a practical question: How long could the business carry those costs before the first payment arrives?
What we’ll watch after the election. If an administration announces a contracting initiative, we’ll look for the actual bid, the eligibility rules and when the agency pays. A business can qualify and still lack the cash to cover payroll or materials before its first payment. If a state expands a loan program, we’ll look for the lenders taking applications, what they finance and what the borrower will have to repay. Those details determine whether a program can help a business take on its next order.
Federal Reserve Banks’ Small Business Credit Survey · NFIB’s September survey · WWI’s community listening and impact
What to do now
If you’re looking for a contract or financing now, start with the official resource in your state section. Before you commit, check whether you qualify, what you’ll need to pay upfront, and when you can expect payment or funding. As new budgets, agency rules, and bid notices come out, those are the details WWI will be watching.
We’ll add the next five states to this same article in Part 2.
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