Illinois Policymakers Should Support Small Businesses
The pandemic and COVID-19 mitigations began inflicting immense damage to small businesses in March 2020. Thousands of small businesses initially applied for Illinois Business Interruption Grants. While these grants helped some small businesses, approximately 80% of applicants were not awarded a grant.
Illinois then received over $8 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funds. However, only $250 million was allocated to the new grant program for struggling small businesses. These funds will likely be exhausted before many eligible businesses receive grants. With billions of ARPA funds remaining, policymakers should allocate an additional $300 million for grants to struggling small businesses.
Illinois politicians should finish what they started. They should replenish the Back to Business grant program and promptly get funds to struggling small businesses, some of whom have waited almost two years for a grant to help offset the damage caused by the pandemic and mitigations established to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Please fill out the call to action below and ask your legislators to support struggling small businesses. Thank you for supporting the small business community!
Taking Advantage of Your Membership
We want to ensure you are getting the MOST out of your membership at the SBAC. As a member-driven organization, YOU are our top priority, Want to know how to maximize your membership investment? Get involved and join us one Tuesday for our policy committee! Come join us at our Golf outing! Update your information…
Small Business Mayoral Forum Recap
The Small Business Advocacy Council and a robust number of chambers and organizations hosted a small business mayoral forum. This was a lively discussion about each candidate’s visions for supporting small businesses and neighborhood business districts. We want to thank all of the local chambers of commerce that partnered with us on this important forum.…
SBAC Women in Business: Roundtable on Small Businesses and Child Care
The SBAC Women in Business hosted a virtual roundtable with Chairman Edgar Gonzalez Jr. to discuss accessibility to affordable child care and small businesses. It was an insightful conversation and we sincerely thank Chairman Gonzalez for taking the time out of his busy schedule to join us and for championing this legislation! We look forward…
