We lose a lot when we don’t treat small business as a serious constituency and build power with them in authentic and meaningful ways. It’s clear that we can win when small businesses are organized effectively. MSA has successfully engaged thousands of small businesses around many policy issues and platforms, pushing for a greater and more progressive agenda. To continue and build off of this framework, the organizing team will follow a strategic regional organizing structure to help reach and engage more small businesses at the federal and state level, amplifying their voices on the most pressing small business issues across the nation. Our organizing promotes vibrant businesses and communities, and fosters leadership development of socially responsible business owners that will change the course of policy, beneficial to our members. We will build strong relationships through grassroots organizing throughout our recruitment and leadership development process, ensuring a member-led movement. We are excited to demonstrate our power in 2022 by organizing our members around two national actions:

• May Small Business Month: Small business owners have the power to influence decision makers and shape new understandings about our economy. MSA is preparing for its first Small Business Month of action in May 2022. This will be a key opportunity to reframe lawmakers’ understanding of small businesses, as they hear directly from business owners in cities and rural towns across the country and on the Hill. MSA is organizing small businesses to reclaim their voices and tell their own stories.

• Get out the Vote fall activities: Cultivating small business voices and votes to impact decision-makers for the 2022 midterm elections.