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SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Small nonfarm businesses in 46 Louisiana parishes and neighboring counties in Mississippi are now eligible to apply for low‑interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, announced Director Jeffrey Lusk of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West. These loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by drought in the following primary parishes thatRead more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Small nonfarm businesses in 19 Louisiana parishes and neighboring counties in Texas are now eligible to apply for low‑interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, announced Director Jeffrey Lusk of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West. These loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by drought in the following primary parishes thatRead more

Louisiana launches five State Small Business Credit Initiative programs, expanding access to equity investment and business loans BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana has officially launched the State Small Business Credit Initiative, making up to $113 million of federal support available to small business owners via private equity funds and financial institutions around the state. LouisianaRead more

BATON ROUGE, La. — The state of Louisiana has launched a new digital platform to connect entrepreneurs and small business owners with resources to help them start and grow their businesses. Louisiana Business Hub (LouisianaBizHub.com) brings order to the often chaotic search for information, networking and resources that are the lifeblood of every small business.Read more

2022-2023 Louisiana Main Street Restoration Grant Louisiana Main Street Restoration Grants provide matching funds to encourage the revitalization of historic downtown commercial properties in designated Louisiana Main Street districts. The Louisiana Main Street Restoration Grants serve as an effort to promote community revitalization and stimulate economic growth and vitality, in addition to enriching cultural tourism.Read more

For those of us living along the Gulf Coast, hurricane season is a yearly issue, with new updates of possible storms and getting ready for the weather. The Weather Channel stated that the 2021 season generated 21 named storms, the third most for any Atlantic hurricane season, behind only 2020’s record 30 storms and 2005’sRead more

Preparations are well underway, and the Acadia Parish Chamber of Commerce is again excited to host the upcoming State of the Parish Address Presented by Cox Communications on Friday, March 25, 2022. It will bring together Acadia Parish Sheriff, K.P. Gibson; Acadia Parish Police Jury President, Chance Henry; and Acadia Parish School Board Superintendent, ScottRead more

University of Louisiana at Lafayette educators and community business l eaders are coordinating the Accelerate Acadia program to help spur entrepreneurial and economic development efforts in Acadia Parish. UL Lafayette’s Louisiana Entrepreneurship and the Acadia Parish Chamber of Commerce will lead the 3-week initiative.  Accelerate Acadia is part of an 18-month initiative that LEED hasRead more

As the new year draws near, small businesses are celebrating with employees and families alike. Holiday preparations go beyond planning parties and gatherings though as the new year lurks just around the corner and brings new opportunities that can be capitalized upon. Working within our community has shown that creating a marketing plan is theRead more

This post is part of a five-part series called Relief to Recovery, an analysis done by Joseph Parilla and Sifan Liu of Brookings Institute.  What to know As the nation recovers from the pandemic, the strategic lens for small business support will shift from averting destruction to making strategic investments in entrepreneurship ecosystems and smallRead more