Madison’s Small Business Equity and Recovery (SBER) Program Empowers Historically Disadvantaged Business Owners: Highlights from National Small Business Week

During National Small Business Week, the City of Madison’s Economic Development Division is highlighting the resources available to local business owners through the Office of Business Resources. The Office of Business Resources offers a range of programs and services to help small businesses succeed in Madison.

One of the initiatives that was highlighted during this week is the City of Madison’s Small Business Equity and Recovery (SBER) program, which aims to support small, independent businesses owned by historically disadvantaged individuals. In 2020, SBER provided grants of up to $5,000 to businesses that experienced losses of at least $5,000 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the program offered grants of up to $5,000 to cover the cost of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for small business employees.

After funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) came to a close, the City of Madison’s Common Council and mayor approved additional funding for a modified SBER program that includes many of the Office of Business Resources’ small business programs throughout the city. This new version of SBER provides financial assistance and other resources to help small businesses recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic.

Sash-A Restoration, a women-, minority-, and veteran-owned window restoration business located on Atwood Avenue, is one example