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.
SBAC Empower and Greater Roseland Entrepreneurial Circle
DONATE An Exciting New Program for Small Businesses… Starting this September, the Greater Roseland Chamber of Commerce and SBAC Empower will be launching an incubator and joint mentoring program dedicated to helping both prospective small business owners and established small business owners in the Greater Roseland area. Each applicant will be assigned a specific cohort…
Congrats to Patti & Her Team!
DONATE Congrats Patti! Patti is one of the recipients of the Best Networking Mentor award from Networlding! From their LI post: These mentors will now join a vibrant community focused on aiding new adults in kick-starting their careers. Building on the success of my 2002 networking contest, we aim to recreate that magic. Stay tuned…
Congrats to our Founder Scott Baskin!
DONATE Congrats Scott! Scott has been appointed to the Illinois Health Benefits Exchange Advisory Committee: a committee charged with helping implement the Illinois Health Benefits Exchange to provide affordable health care options for individuals and small businesses. This is due to Scott and the SBAC’s hard work passing a law about this back in 2023.…
