As the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and Paycheck Protection Program Come to an End, Congress Must Make More Small Business Grants Available
May 25, 2021
With key federal relief programs out of funds, more than 1,500 business organizations and small business owners nationwide express need for unrestricted direct grant assistance for hard-hit small businesses.
“Main street businesses have been crying for flexible grants from the beginning. Great strides have been made, but with many businesses not able to access PPP now that banks have shut down applications, and industry specific grants ending without meeting the full need, it’s time to heed that call for all small businesses,” said Stephen Michael, Executive Director of the Main Street Alliance.
TIME'S UP Launches Care Economy Business Council, including Main Street Alliance Small Business Members, to Reimagine Nation's Caregiving Infrastructure
May 20, 2021
Washington, DC - Yesterday, TIME'S UP, along with Main Street Alliance members, launched the Care Economy Business Council, a coalition of over 200 businesses across industries with a simple mission: reimagine our nation's caregiving infrastructure so we can get people back to work and build a stronger, more resilient economy for all of us.
"We are at a pivotal moment in the fight for safe, fair, and equitable workplaces," said Tina Tchen, president and CEO of TIME'S UP. "Business leaders recognize that caregiving can no longer be a personal responsibility for workers to solve on their own. We need to invest in our caregiving infrastructure just as much as we invest in traditional infrastructure like roads and bridges. And employers must play a critical role in this effort."
Main Street Alliance, Rural Democracy Initiative, Family Farm Action and RuralOrganizing.org, today released a report calling on leaders to take policy actions that will benefit Rural America
May 13, 2021
A national collaborative of rural policy and advocacy organizations released the “2021 Rural Policy Action Report” this week, which outlines specific investments, policy improvements, and regulatory reforms designed to improve the economy, infrastructure, and equity for diverse rural communities.
Supermajority of small businesses support a role for government in NEW report released this week
May 4th, 2021
A new report from Business Education Fund, in partnership with the Main Street Alliance reveals a supermajority of 67% of small businesses owners overwhelmingly believe in government responsibility for protecting Main Street.
In a launch event yesterday, Main Street Alliance Executive Director Stephen Michael outlined what this could mean for governments from local to federal as we transition from rescue to recovery.
American Families Plan Invests in the Care Infrastructure Needed for a Strong Economic Recovery
On the release of the American Families Plan today, the second half the of Biden-Harris administration’s Build Back Better Agenda, Main Street Alliance Executive Director Stephen Michael had this to say:
“Small businesses across the nation applaud the serious investment in critical care infrastructure included in the American Families Plan.
With a bold national plan for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave, significant new investments to make child care more affordable -- including support for the Child Care for Working Families Act as well as extensions to tax credits for child care and the EITC -- President Biden is acknowledging the importance of care infrastructure in keeping our economy competitive as small businesses and working families work to build back better….