Navigating Government Statistics of Small Businesses for Pandemic Assistance

This brief examines various sources of government statistics to assist in understanding the scope of small businesses, the legal structure of their operations, and their distribution by industry in the Northeast Ohio (NEO) region. Under the current restrictions for business operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many entrepreneurs and small businesses need assistance to maintain cash flow and to retain both their employees and customers. Governments at all levels have developed business assistance programs to help small businesses; more recently, some of these programs have revised their rules. To illustrate who might be affected by the changing rules, several sources of government statistics can be used to define how many companies operate as a small business in the region. Entrepreneurs and small businesses play a crucial role in the regional economy, and for a successful recovery, it is imperative that small businesses and entrepreneurs stay afloat during this pivotal period.