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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!

Insights Archive

ACTION CALL! Legislation To Get People Back To Work

By mrevis@sbacil.org | February 19, 2021

Legislation To Get People Back To Work State Representative Gong-Gershowitz has filed the RISE Act.  This legislation will get people back to work and support small businesses.  The RISE Act (House Bill 0801) creates a tax incentive for businesses that retrain and hire employees who have lost their jobs or businesses because of the pandemic.…

Business Interruption Grant Program

By mrevis@sbacil.org | February 15, 2021

IL – Many small and local businesses were devastated by the pandemic but only 20% of applicants received Illinois Business Interruption Grants.  Watch coverage of SBAC President Elliot Richardson testifying before the Illinois Senate Commerce Commission about the need for an improved and more inclusive process in the future.   Please translate this page to…

Summarization of EEOC Vaccine Guidelines

By patti@sbacil.org | January 29, 2021

December 16th – The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has addressed the most common employer questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. As of now, there are currently no state or federal laws that prohibit employers from requiring vaccinations as a condition of employment, however, employees can refuse to get the vaccine if they have certain medical…

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