The RISE Grant Program
The pandemic has had a significant impact on the Illinois workforce. Small businesses are still struggling to hire qualified employees which has greatly impacted their operations. Illinois policymakers will need to promptly pass forward-thinking policies to help get folks back into the workforce.
The SBAC is advocating for the passage of The RISE Grant Program - HB4455. This legislation connects those interested working in a new field or industry with small businesses struggling to hire new employees. Importantly, HB4455 offsets the costs associated with on-the-job training at the inception of the employer-employee relationship. The legislation provides funding for $5,000 grants which can be awarded to businesses that (1) retrain and hire employees that lost their jobs or businesses because of the pandemic; (2) employ less than 50 employees; and (3) create a new net job.
Illinois received over $8 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act funds. The SBAC contends a responsible portion of those funds should be used to support small businesses struggling to hire new employees. This legislation allocates $250,000,000 in funding for this new grant program. This legislation connects those interested working in a new field, in part, facilitated by the pandemic, with small businesses that are struggling to hire new employees. HB4455 creates opportunities for small businesses, while helping get people back into the workforce.
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…
Funding For Local Chambers of Commerce
HB4993 -> 1 Pager & Endorsements Chamber Relief Grant Program Local chambers of commerce provide important support and services to small businesses. They connect small businesses to potential customers and play a pivotal role in fostering commerce in local communities. However, many chambers have been devastated by the pandemic. For that reason, we are asking…
Laws You Should Know About
Baking Good Legislation On August 27, Governor Pritzker signed into law the Home-to-Market Act. The Home-to-Market Act allows producers of home-based food products to sell their goods directly to customers. This new law goes into effect on January 1, 2022. This will foster the growth of home-based entrepreneurs, known as the cottage food businesses. Prior…
