Every Company Counts, a program run by the state Economic Development Corporation to assist small businesses, has launched a new Web site.

"Making sure that our small businesses have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed through the program's newly designed Web site is one of the most important things we can do to support economic growth for the small business community," J. Michael Saul, the EDC's interim executive director, said in a statement.

The EDC started Every Company Counts in 2004. It organizes lectures -- such as a seminar on Feb. 24 about "How to start and grow your small business" -- and posts articles geared toward small businesses. The new Web site, in Spanish and English, includes a calendar of events.

Rhode Island's small businesses have been suffering during this recession. In December, Governor Carcieri proposed a small business stimulus plan that would include expanded access to loans. But that plan has come under criticism by lawmakers, Providence Journal reporter Neil Downing has reported.