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.
Byline Bank Recognizes Small Business Saturday with Small Business Advocacy Council Contribution
Byline Bank Recognizes Small Business Saturday with Small Business Advocacy Council Contribution CHICAGO, IL (November 2021) – This Small Business Saturday, November 27, Byline Bank, Illinois’ top Small Business Administration lender, is recognizing the work of the Small Business Advocacy Council (SBAC) of Illinois with a $5,000 sponsorship contribution. The SBAC is a nonpartisan member-driven…
Chicago businesses are feeling the effects of supply-chain slowdowns
“Small businesses are just having a tremendously difficult time getting the supplies that they need to run their business, and, of course, this is even more concerning with the holiday season approaching,” said Elliot Richardson, president of the Small Business Advocacy Council in Chicago. He said the supply-chain problems are impacting all kinds of retailers.…
IACCE Conversation with Speaker of the House, Chris Welch
The SBAC’s Elliot Richardson had the distinct pleasure of moderating the IACCE – Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives call with Emanuel Chris Welch and Office of State Representative Carol Ammons last Friday. Watch the entire conversation addressing issues such as Back to Business Grants Workforce Development Unemployment Trust Fund Child Care Tax Credit/Grant…
