Legislation to Support Local Chambers Passes
Many chambers of commerce were devastated by the pandemic. However, this did not stop them from providing crucial support to local businesses. The SBAC is thrilled to report that Illinois politicians have provided 5 million dollars to support the recovery of chambers of commerce in Illinois. The SBAC has been working to procure this funding…
Childcare Tax Credit
Authors: Minna Pomeroy, Leverage People Leslee Cohen, All Rise Legal Counsel Employers across our state are struggling to find enough employees to support their businesses. Indeed, some businesses have been forced to scale back their operations because of a lack of employees in the workforce. The Small Business Advocacy Council is championing legislation that will…
SBAC Empower’s 2023 Impact Report
Our Impact (Report) SBAC Empower had an incredible year in 2022. We are proud to report our impact in the SBAC Empower 2023 Impact Report. This report is a detailed collection of data from 2019 – 2022 carefully articulated to show the impact we are making in communities throughout Chicagoland. Check out some snippets below…
Ordinance Filed to Reduce Special Use Zoning Fees For Small Businesses
The Small Business Advocacy Council has been working with a strong coalition on efforts to revitalize neighborhood business districts in Chicago. As part of these efforts, we are advocating to reduce fees for small businesses that want to open in Chicago. We are thrilled to report that we have worked with Alderman David Moore to…
Coalition Engagement Sparks New Chicago Zoning Guide
Navigating the zoning rules in Chicago just became easier. The newly released Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) Chicago Business Zoning Guide will help small businesses and property owners more easily navigate the zoning process in Chicago. This was crucial as chambers of commerce and small business advocates advised that clear,…
NRC New Look, New Logo, Same Mission
New Look, New Logo, Same Mission In our 2nd year of actively and ardently working to revitalize neighborhoods throughout Chicago, we thought we’d bring a fresh new look to the incredible work that the SBAC and a robust group of chamber partners have spearheaded. We continue to advocate for policy reform to reduce vacancies, cut…
Forum on Small Businesses and Child Care
The cost of affordable and quality childcare has kept people from re-entering the workforce. This has significantly impacted many small businesses that continue struggling to find employees to support their operations. Join us for a virtual forum with Chairwomen Carol Ammons and Representative Edgar Gonzalez to discuss how to help get people struggling with childcare…
Thank you for joining us at the 2022 SBAC C.A.N Holiday Party!
THANK YOU for attending our 2022 SBAC C.A.N Holiday Party!! Thank you to everyone who came out to our Holiday Party on December 1st, 2022 to celebrate the holiday season and the SBAC. It was a beautiful day out in the sun. We had a great time and hopefully you did too! Want to…
Hear From our NRC Coalition Partners
The Small Business Advocacy Council and a coalition of engaged stakeholders have come together to revitalize, empower, and connect commercial corridors in the Chicagoland area. This is a collaborative effort involving grassroots engagement, policy advocacy, and educational initiatives. Our coalition looks to address the vacant property crisis in Cook County, cut red tape that burdens…
SBAC Mentoring Program
We are thrilled that one of our very own Mentees is the recipient of such an award! We are so proud of you Walter Mendenhall IV and wish you continued success!! #sbacempower #smallbuisness #sbacempowermentoring #MaleMogul And check out Walter’s Linked In Post: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6999124047074648064 Learn more about the SBAC Empower Mentoring Program by clicking here. SPONSORS…