Our Research: Access to Capital
Small business owners are suffering from a lack of access to capital. It is difficult for small business owners to access the capital that will help them grow, hire and jumpstart the economy. Our new opinion polling shows an overwhelming 90% of small business owners nationwide agree the availability of capital for small businesses is a problem.
Over the past several months, Small Business Majority hosted five roundtable discussions with nearly 50 small business owners in Cortland, Long Island, Queens and Manhattan focusing on many of the biggest challenges small businesses are facing today, including rising healthcare costs, unpredictable tariffs, rising inflation and unaffordable living, difficulty accessing capital, workforce shortages and childcare access. The entrepreneurs also shared how running a business in 2026 can require mental and physical sacrifice as these challenges continue to escalate.
The State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) represents a critical federal investment in U.S. small businesses. Originally established under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 and reauthorized under the American Rescue Plan in 2021, SSBCI provides states, territories and tribal governments with federal funding to incentivize small business lending. Through a range of programs, SSBCI helps ensure that entrepreneurs have access to the capital they need to launch and sustain their businesses. Our research and interviews with small business owners highlight both the successes and the challenges of the program. Based on these findings, we also developed recommendations to help states maximize SSBCI’s impact and ensure that dollars flow to the smallest and most under-resourced entrepreneurs who need them most.
This Voice of Main Street poll shows entrepreneurs face major capital challenges and oppose the administration’s proposed spending cuts. Notably, 78% are concerned about cuts to the SBA, which provides vital resources small businesses need to succeed.
As recent banking closures like the Silicon Valley Bank collapse shake the financial system, Small Business Majority surveyed small business owners and decision-makers around the country to understand their concerns about banking and access to credit.
Entrepreneurs continue to navigate a number of challenges operating their businesses, more than two years since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Small Business Majority and Start Small Think Big surveyed small business owners and managers in their networks to understand their current business conditions, how they are faring amid rising inflation, and what they need to maintain and grow their businesses over the next six months to a year.
As Congress debates a bipartisan infrastructure plan and a larger $3.5 trillion investment in “human infrastructure,” Small Business Majority surveyed its network to understand their views on key issues being considered such as child care and paid family and medical leave.
Small businesses across the nation have been battered by the COVID-19 crisis, but the smallest businesses that typically have fewer resources than their larger peers have faced even greater setbacks. In order to better understand how the smallest and most vulnerable businesses have been impacted by the pandemic, a recent survey examines how they fared compared to their larger small business peers based on key indicators. The survey reveals that microbusinesses are facing particular financial challenges, and a commercial rent crisis may be on the horizon.
As we approached the one-year mark of the initial public health shutdowns in the U.S. that sent shockwaves through our economy, Small Business Majority reviewed a year’s worth of surveys conducted of our network of 85,000 small businesses, as well as other national polling we commissioned and additional research and qualitative feedback from our network, in order to better understand the state of small businesses.
The COVID-19 pandemic has strained Georgia’s economy and public health system, while small businesses across the state continue to face significant financial setbacks that are hampering their recovery. A new survey sheds light on the state of small business in Georgia, as well as their views on policy solutions that can boost their businesses and provide important support to their employees.
As Congress advances the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion stimulus relief package intended to combat the ongoing COVID-19 public health and economic crisis, Small Business Majority’s new survey reveals the current state of small business and how they’ve been served by previous stimulus programs. Importantly, the survey finds that without additional funding, 3 in 10 small businesses will not survive past the next three months.
