Supporting Struggling Small Businesses
The pandemic and Covid-19 mitigations began inflicting immense damage to many small businesses in March of 2020. Thousands of small businesses initially applied for Illinois Business Interruption Grants. While these grants helped some small businesses, approximately 80% of eligible small businesses which applied were not awarded a grant.
Subsequently, Illinois received over 8 billion dollars in American Rescue Plan Act funds. However, only $250 million were allocated for Back to Business grant program. These funds will likely be exhausted before many struggling and eligible businesses receive grants.
Illinois still has billions of federal funds and should replenish the Back to Business grant program with an additional $300 million. Our policymakers should not pick winners and loses when there is adequate funding to support the struggling small businesses.
House Bill HB5489 will allocate an additional $300 million for the Back to Business grant program. Please ask your legislators to support this legislation so that struggling small businesses can receive the support they need to recover from a pandemic, and associated mitigations, which they could not control.
Legislation Focused on Reducing Health Insurance Premiums of Small Businesses
View and Download the SBAC FACT SHEET Legislation Focused on Reducing Health Insurance Premiums of Small Businesses Passes! Governor Pritzker signed legislation focused on protecting small businesses from excessive premium increases and increasing transparency so that consumers can understand the cost drivers of health insurance. This legislation will apply to health insurance plans beginning in…
SBAC Legislative Agenda 2023
2023 SBAC Lobby Day in Springfield SBAC Legislative Agenda 2023 The Small Business Advocacy Council (SBAC) is laser-focused on formulating and fighting to pass policies that support small businesses and local communities. The SBAC’s 2023 agenda includes legislation that will support small businesses struggling to hire and retain employees and stabilize the costs of health…
Procurement Bidding Reform
View and Download the SBAC FACT SHEET Legislation Focused on State Procurement Contracts Passes! The Illinois General Assembly passed legislation focused on helping small businesses receive their fair share of state procurement contracts. This legislation is important for job creation and the success of the state’s small businesses. This legislation will: Require the chief procurement…
