{"id":3306,"date":"2022-06-17T11:34:58","date_gmt":"2022-06-17T11:34:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mysetaside.com\/news-and-events\/?p=3306"},"modified":"2022-06-17T11:34:59","modified_gmt":"2022-06-17T11:34:59","slug":"sba-new-england-region-one-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mysetaside.com\/news-and-events\/sba-new-england-region-one-review\/","title":{"rendered":"SBA New England Region One Review\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\nSBA New England Regional Office<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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\nAround SBA New England in June<\/h1>\n\n\n\n\n
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\nMike Vlacich<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nRegional Administrator<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nNew England Regional Office<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nU.S. Small Business Administration<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\nOn June 1, 2022 SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman visited New England making stops in Connecticut and Massachusetts to highlight benefits of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Covid-Relief funding.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\nAdministrator Guzman, U.S. Representative Joe Courtney, SBA Connecticut District Director Catherine Marx and I had the opportunity to meet with small business contractors working at the Windham Bridge construction site in Willimantic, Connecticut. This project\n was funded by President Biden’s \nInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)<\/a>. All twelve of the subcontractors involved in the project have received SBA assistance.<\/p>\n\"Image

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\nImage at Windham Bridge site<\/p>\n

\nWe also toured two local family-owned businesses. Mackey’s and Design Center East were able to weather the COVID-19 pandemic with help from SBA’s relief programs. <\/p>\n\"images

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\nTop: Image at Mackey’s. Bottom: Design Center East<\/p>\n

\nLater in the day, we were joined by  Rep. Lori Trahan joined and Massachusetts District Director Bob Nelson for a visit to the Lowell Auditorium, to celebrate the resurgence of vital cultural entities kept afloat during the pandemic thanks to the SBA’s Shuttered\n Venue Operators Grant (SVOG), a grant program funded in part by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.<\/p>\n\"group

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\nAt the Lowell Memorial Auditorium<\/p>\n

\nWhile at the auditorium, we held a roundtable highlighting the impact of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. These are highly competitive programs that encourage domestic small businesses to\n engage in federal research and development with the potential for commercialization. Massachusetts is home to small businesses and universities that have made significant technological contributions to our national security, public health, environment, and\n clean energy economy while creating great jobs and economic opportunities through the SBIR and STTR programs. <\/p>\n\"image

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\nSBIR STTR Roundtable at Lowell Memorial Auditorium<\/p>\n

\nLast week, I had the chance to meet with Administrator Guzman again in Houston, Texas with senior leadership from across the country. This was a great opportunity to meet with the other regional administrators and leadership from SBA’s district offices to discuss\n combined efforts to connect businesses with the resources they need to start grow and thrive.  <\/p>\n\"image

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\nAdministrator Guzman with SBA leaders from across the country<\/p>\n

\nLooking Ahead….<\/h1>\n

\nJune continues to be busy across SBA New England.  Next week I will travel with Associate Administrator for SBA’s Office of International Trade, Gabriel Esparza, to Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire to meet with businesses and key stakeholders in\n international trade.  I’m thrilled that we will be joined by Senator Jack Reed and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse for our stops in Rhode Island.  And for Small and Medium Enterprises interested or engaged with U.S.-UK Trade, there is still time to register for\n the 5th United States-United Kingdom Small and Medium Enterprise Dialogue.  You can find details on this session below.  <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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\nOn May 31, 2022, President Biden proclaimed the month of June Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Pride Month. Pride month is a time of celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and their contributions, but it is also a reminder of the\n progress we are still fighting for. All of America\u2019s entrepreneurs deserve a level playing field, regardless of zip code, race, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation. \u202f <\/p>\n

\nAdministrator Guzman and President Biden have made diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility among the highest priorities at the SBA and the Administration, respectively.  In one of his first acts, President Biden signed a proclamation to combat and prevent\n discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation \u2014where he affirmed that \u201cevery person should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear, no matter who they are or whom they love.\u201d  <\/p>\n

\nPersistent inequities and historic barriers to capital, markets and networks \u2013 the flaws and fissures of our economy– have got to go.  <\/p>\n

\nAccording to the most\n recent data<\/a> from the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), the LGBTQ+ business community includes 1.4 million business owners. They also generate more than $1.7 trillion dollars in US economic impact and support tens of thousands of jobs\n \u2013 and that number continues to grow.  <\/p>\n

\nTo drive greater economic empowerment of the LGBTQ+ community, the SBA is working every day with district offices and resource partners to connect  entrepreneurs to the capital and resources they need to start and grow their businesses. <\/p>\n

\nAs a part of these efforts, recently, Administrator Guzman recently joined New
\nEngland Regional Administrator Mike Vlacich and Connecticut District Direct Catherine Marx to kick of Pride Month with Executive Director  John Pica-Sneeden of the Connecticut Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. The group had the opportunity to discuss the\n successes and resilience of LGBTQ business owners and talk about how we can work together  to continue inclusive outreach to all entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n

\nAs America continues its embrace of diversity and inclusion, the SBA stands ready to support LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs this June and beyond.<\/p>\n\"image

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\nImage of meeting with Administrator Guzman and John Pica-Sneeden of the Connecticut Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce<\/p>\n

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\nHurricane Preparedness<\/h1>\n\"Hurricane
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\nWith the start of hurricane season officially upon us, it is more important than ever for residents and small businesses to remember that the best course of action to limit damage from natural disasters is preparing before the disaster hits.<\/p>\n

\nNatural disasters are not just more devastating than in the past; they are also coming faster, more frequently, and are often rapidly changing in their complexity and scope. In 2020, the United States suffered 22 separate billion-dollar disasters \u2014the most\n in our history\u2014 but experts in the space expect that number to continue to climb. Fighting climate change and preparing America to adapt to its impacts has been and will remain a priority for the Biden-Harris Administration – and supporting that readiness\n is a critical component of the SBA\u2019s work under Administrator Guzman.<\/p>\n

\nWhile New England may not be as high-risk for hurricanes as some other areas of the country, it\u2019s also important to prepare as hurricanes in another part of the country can still impact the networks or supply chains of small businesses.<\/p>\n

\nThe SBA is ensuring its products and services are simple and flexible enough to meet small businesses where they are and help them prepare, manage and recover from the growing disaster threats including pandemics, cybersecurity, and increased natural disasters\n due to climate changes.<\/p>\n

\nThe SBA\u2019s disaster loan program is the only federal assistance program that provides private property owners an affordable way to mitigate disaster impacts and protect their homes, families, businesses, employees, and livelihoods against the next disaster.\n Funds received from SBA disaster loans can be used by property owners to build back better, stronger, and more resilient.<\/p>\n

\nHere are a few ways businesses can get ready for this year’s hurricane season:<\/strong><\/p>\n