Skip to content

Back to Business Grants Action Call

+ACTION CALL

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

Chamber Stimulus

501(c)(6) Relief

By steve@sbacil.org | November 10, 2020

Stimulus for 501(c)(6) Organizations Small businesses, nonprofits, and chambers of commerce across the nation are struggling to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.   While the CARES Act included relief for 501(c)(3) organizations, 501(c)(6)s were inexplicably excluded from this important legislation that would have provided significant aid to these crucial nonprofits, including local chambers of…

Occupational Licensing Reform

Occupational Licensing Reform

By steve@sbacil.org | November 9, 2020

READ H.B 4012 Why Occupational Licensing Needs Reform Occupational licenses are issued to protect the public’s health, safety and welfare. The number of required licenses in Illinois has grown from a handful in the 1950’s to over 430 today. Policymakers across the political spectrum are challenging states to examine occupational licensing and its impact on…

prevent foreclosures 2020

Support Small Business and Prevent Foreclosures

By steve@sbacil.org | November 9, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on the small business community. Many small businesses are struggling to pay their employees and rent. Commercial property owners cannot pay their mortgage when their small business tenants cannot pay rent. Without swift action, small businesses will fail and foreclosures will skyrocket. Federal Legislation Needed The…

Scroll To Top