The involvement of small businesses with their communities goes much deeper than just being the economic engine of a city or town, according to new research released this week by the nation’s largest small business association.
“This report might come as a surprise to some, but not for us at NFIB,” said Anthony Smith, Oregon state director for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), whose Research Center produced the report. “It confirms with good data what we already knew about small business owners in our local communities, across the state, and nationwide — they are incredibly generous with their time and resources.
“November 30 is Small Business Saturday — a great day to kick off the 2024 holiday season by showing our appreciation for Oregon’s small businesses. Good sales from now until the end of the year is undoubtedly near the top of most small business owners’ Christmas wish lists. We can all help with that. What you won’t find on that list is higher taxes and burdensome regulations, but we’ll have to leave that to the politicians in Salem and Washington, D.C.”
According to the nationwide survey:
- “About three-quarters (76 percent) of all small business owners reported volunteering their time to work on behalf of civic groups, charities, youth sports programs, schools, religious organizations, or similar activities in the last 12 months.
- “Financial support was the most common method small businesses used to support their communities … Ninety percent of small business owners have financially supported community or civic groups, charities, youth sports programs, schools, religious organization, or similar activities in the last 12 months.
- “Sixty-three percent of small business owners reported providing in-kind contributions … (e.g., providing a meetings space for a local fundraiser, donating excess inventory for a cause, offering auction items to raise money, etc.).”
The report also looked at the groups of activities small businesses are part of. The report is a national snapshot of NFIB-member, small-business owners not broken down by state. The typical NFIB member employs between one and nine people and reports gross sales of about $500,000 a year.
