More than two years after the program kicked off, Marketplace checked in with a few PPP recipients to see how business has been going.
“My brain is tired from adapting so much,” says Ashlie Ordonez, owner of The Bare Bar in Denver, Colorado.
So far, more than $27 billion worth of Paycheck Protection Program loans must be paid back.
There’s still a lot of recovery to go, and financial ground to make up – for small businesses, especially, according to new analysis.
The New York Fed said each additional week a service business is closed cuts its chance of reopening by 2 percentage points.
PPP loans have produced great results, says Seattle banker Laurie Stewart. She’s optimistic about demand rising without inflation.
The latest loans have moved more slowly than the previous round, due in part to additional compliance checks to prevent fraud.
Companies with fewer than 20 employees have had an exclusive two-week PPP loan application window.
Smaller businesses owned by women and people of color often lack the banking relationships that larger companies have.
Businesses can only apply for the latest round of loans if their revenue fell 25% or more.
