The Small Business Saturday Coalition, the national grassroots initiative for Small Business Saturday, announced today that 2016 saw the highest level of engagement since its founding from members of Congress, mayors, federal agencies and business organizations encouraging Americans to shop small the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
“The sheer volume of people who supported small businesses this year is amazing,” said Jane Campbell, president of Women Impacting Public Policy. “Thousands of events were held across the nation, and hundreds of people, agencies and organizations—from the president, his cabinet and members of Congress, to mayors and organizations across the country—came together to promote Small Business Saturday and the hard-working men and women running the businesses that power our economy.”
WIPP, in conjunction with American Express and partners, founded the Small Business Saturday Coalition in 2011. This year marks the seventh Small Business Saturday, coordinated by American Express in partnership with WIPP and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The Coalition helps engage communities across the country for Small Business Saturday. Every year, WIPP works with hundreds of organizations and thousands of small businesses to encourage all Americans to “shop small” at local businesses and “dine small” at local restaurants and bars. “Shopping and dining small on Small Business Saturday and throughout this holiday season supports these men and women who are building and running America’s best small businesses,” added SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet.
This year, 6,700 events and activities celebrating Small Business Saturday were held nationwide.
Since its founding, the Coalition has increased engagement exponentially: organizational engagement has nearly doubled, growing from 249 organizations supporting the initiative in 2011 to 486 this year; engagement of members of Congress has more than tripled, growing from 80 supporting members in the inaugural year to 266 in 2016. Engagement constitutes various ways in which an organization, entity or individual helps to amplify Small Business Saturday.
In 2016 alone, the Coalition secured the following types of engagement from:
- The President and seven cabinet members: media/social media promoting the day
- 14 federal agencies: media/social media promoting the day
- 67 senators: signed the Small Business Saturday Senate Resolution, and/or promoted the day through media/social media
- 199 members of the House of Representatives: signed the House Small Business Saturday Resolution, and/or promoted the day through media/social media
- 651 mayors: issued proclamations
- 486 business and advocacy organizations: supported/amplified Small Business Saturday
“Each year the level of engagement grows and grows. I expect next year to be no different,” Campbell said. “Small businesses are the backbone of our country. Supporting them is not only the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do to ensure a thriving economy.”
Click here for an infographic showing the Coalition’s rise in engagement over the past several years.
###
About WIPP
The Voice for Women in Business in our Nation’s Capital, Women Impacting Public Policy, Inc (WIPP) is a national nonpartisan public policy organization that advocates for and on behalf of women business owners in the legislative processes of our nation, creating economic opportunities and building bridges and alliances to other small business organizations. Through WIPP, our collective voice makes a powerful impact on Capitol Hill and with the Administration. In 2016, WIPP partnered with the National Development Council (NDC) to provide support for WIPP’s coalition activities. In her role as Director of the NDC Washington office, Jane Campbell also serves as President of WIPP.
About Small Business Saturday
Dedicated to supporting local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy, and preserve neighborhoods around the country, Small Business Saturday was created by American Express in 2010 in response to small business owners’ most pressing need: getting more customers. Learn more and follow us on ShopSmall.com, instagram.com/
About the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, the SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam.
Cosponsorship Authorization #16-2050-36. SBA’s participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions products or services of any cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.
