Blog

The COVID pandemic has exacerbated the economic precarity of rural America. Many rural and small towns were still struggling to recover from the last recession, and are now fighting for economic survival amid this one. As these communities grapple with unprecedented job losses, small business closures, and crumbling infrastructure, their recovery requires coordinated relief firstRead more

With 2020 in the rearview mirror, it’s time to reflect on the events and lessons the year has had for all of us. Of course, it’s likely that you have some desire to forget rather than reflect. Tempting as that may be, the end of 2020 won’t bring the end of COVID or economic instability.Read more

As the nation’s worst COVID-19 outbreaks concentrated in remote rural towns this fall, the geographic isolation once thought to shield them from the pandemic swiftly transitioned into a severe disadvantage. Rural communities and the small businesses and residents within them faced overlapping, systemic challenges entering this crisis. Rural residents—particularly Black, Native American, and Latino orRead more

Shoptimism is a term being used to describe purchases made from home during the pandemic. You are stuck at home and suddenly begin to see every flaw, paint chip and cluttered closet. So, you buy things to fix the situation—or you buy things to make you feel better about it. When consumers buy things theyRead more

There have been two large changes to loans offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). If your business utilized a loan from the SBA, check out these two changes to see if your loan qualifies in the changes: 1)    Paycheck Protection Program loan expense deductions changed by recent Omnibus bill:  A brief from the Congressional Research Service,Read more

If your business has fewer than 500 employees and meets other eligibility requirements from the Small Business Administration (SBA), you may have qualified for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans issued to businesses. Even better, if you received the PPP loans, you may be eligible for the forgiveness application. The SBA has approved a simpleRead more

Months of dispersion throughout the northeast and southern United States has finally seen the COVID outbreak concentrating in rural areas, surging in remote, sparsely populated towns and inflicting a toll on all communities within them. Alongside this rural surge comes doomsday queries: Will rural America be able to survive this storm? Can rural small businesses-theRead more

Everyone is looking to grow in the beginning of the year. Individuals make New Year’s resolutions and try to better themselves in whatever way they choose. Businesses are no different! Many of our local small businesses will be taking stock of what they can do to create growth for the next year. What better placeRead more

The word “rural” has been thrown around the past few years by everyone. As the word is used more and more frequently, misconceptions begin to grow about what it truly means. The current trend of what is used to define rural America is white, dependent on traditional industries, and characterized by stagnation, decline, and despair.Read more

The holiday season is in full gear! Every year we like to remind our members and customers of Acadia Parish to shop local businesses first! Local shopping is critical for continued growth of the community because the success of those local businesses directly affects each citizen. For every $100 that is spent at a localRead more