Report Details Deep Community Involvement of Small Businesses

SALEM, Ore. — The involvement of small businesses like laundromats with their communities goes much deeper than just being the economic engine of a city or town, according to new research released by the nation’s largest small-business association.

“This report might come as a surprise to some, but not for us at NFIB,” says Anthony Smith, Oregon state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, whose Research Center produced the “2024 Small Businesses’ Contribution to the Community” 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.”

“This report offers unique insight into the ways in which small businesses and their employees benefit local communities across the country, beyond operating their business,” says Holly Wade, executive director of the NFIB Research Center. “Despite facing economic challenges, small businesses are working hard to shape and enrich their communities.”

According to the nationwide survey:

About three-quarters (76%) 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 within the last 12 months.
Financial support was the most common method small businesses used to support their communities, with 90% of small-business owners having financially supported community or civic groups, charities, youth sports programs, schools, religious organizations, or similar activities in the last 12 months.
Sixty-three percent of small-business owners reported providing in-kind contributions, such as providing a meetings space, 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.

It is a national snapshot of NFIB-member small-business owners. The typical NFIB member employs between one and nine people, and reports gross sales of about $500,000 a year.

The survey was conducted by email using a random sample of 20,000 NFIB members.