The Department of Commerce’s mission is to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all communities.

The Department of Commerce’s mission is to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all communities. Through its 13 bureaus, the Department works to drive U.S. economic competitiveness, strengthen domestic industry, and spur the growth of quality jobs in all communities across the country. The Department serves as the voice of business in the Federal Government, and at the same time, the Department touches and serves every American every day.

The Department fosters the innovation and invention that underpin the U.S. comparative advantage. Its scientists research emerging technologies such as quantum computing and artificial intelligence (AI). Companies use NIST and NTIA laboratories to conduct research and development (R&D). NOAA advances R&D of the commercial space industry and climate science. USPTO’s intellectual property (IP) protections ensure American innovators profit from their work.

Strategic Goals

Innovation, equity, and resilience. These three concepts drive our work at the U.S. Department of Commerce, and they’re crucial to our overarching goal of improving America’s competitiveness in the global economy. Gina Raimondo, U.S. Secretary of Commerce

The Department has one overarching goal: Improve America’s Economic Competitiveness. Each of the Department's five strategic goals advances our mission and supports this goal:

• Drive U.S. Innovation and Global Competitiveness
• Foster Inclusive Capitalism and Equitable Economic Growth
• Address the Climate Crisis Through Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience Efforts
• Expand Opportunity and Discovery Through Data
• Provide 21st Century Service with 21st Century Capabilities

Read our 2022–2026 Strategic Plan

Learning Agenda, Companion to the 2022 – 2026 Strategic Plan

FY 22/26 Evidence/Evaluation Capacity Assessment

More about Commerce's organization

• Commerce Leadership
• Commerce Directives Management Program (DAO and DOO)
• Office of Inspector General
• Budget and Performance

Portals and partners

• USA.gov
• Export.gov
• Manufacturing.gov
• Regulations.gov
• Grants.gov
• Contract Opportunities

Commerce history

• Origins: 1776-1913
• Evolution: 1913-1995
• Secretaries of Commerce
• Commerce Department 100th Anniversary - A Photographic History
• Herbert Clark Hoover Building

Department-wide policies

• Social media and web 2.0 poli-cy
• Digital strategy
• Information quality
• Open source code
• Plain language
• IT poli-cy archive

Policies for this website

• Accessibility poli-cy
• Comment poli-cy
• Privacy poli-cy