access to capital

AIB applauds the National Credit Union Administration’s recent overhaul of its member business lending rule, which will make it easier for small businesses to access the credit that they need.

The 9th annual Independent Business Survey finds that public support for independent businesses led to brisk sales and a sharp increase in hiring in 2015, but biased policies and other obstacles are limiting their success.

Driven by concern over the limited availability of credit for independent businesses, AIB has submitted comments largely in support of a proposal to give credit unions more flexibility to meet the needs of small business borrowers. The National Credit Union … Read More

by Stacy Mitchell and Fred Clements This article was first published as an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. Small business looms large in American political rhetoric. From the campaign trail to the floor of the U.S. House and Senate, … Read More

Independent businesses saw strong sales growth in 2014 as more consumers embraced the “buy local” movement and ditched big companies in favor of supporting local retailers and small-scale producers, according to a large national survey released today.

A significant share of locally owned businesses are struggling to secure the financing they need to grow.  Our 2014 Independent Business Survey found that 42 percent of local businesses that needed a loan in the previous two years had been unable to … Read More