Support our non-partisan non-profit newsroom 💜 Donate now

The pandemic forced small businesses to evolve. PPP loans helped many of them do it.

Aug 30, 2022
More than two years after the program kicked off, Marketplace checked in with a few PPP recipients to see how business has been going.
Though PPP program helped many small businesses stay afloat and pivot during the pandemic, some business owners are still anxious about the future.
Ivan Martynov/Getty Images

Two years into the pandemic, this microbusiness owner is still on "a roller coaster"

Jan 19, 2022
"My brain is tired from adapting so much," says Ashlie Ordonez, owner of The Bare Bar in Denver, Colorado.

Loan forgiveness not coming easily for some PPP borrowers

Aug 31, 2021
So far, more than $27 billion worth of Paycheck Protection Program loans must be paid back.
President Joe Biden speaks about the American Rescue Plan and the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses in February.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

As PPP funds run dry, small businesses need capital

Jul 29, 2021
There’s still a lot of recovery to go, and financial ground to make up - for small businesses, especially, according to new analysis.
Larger companies initially took advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program, which was intended to offer forgivable loans to smaller businesses.
Kameleon007 via Getty Images

Many small businesses that closed at start of pandemic may never reopen

May 5, 2021
The New York Fed said each additional week a service business is closed cuts its chance of reopening by 2 percentage points.
Some businesses that closed at the beginning of the pandemic have been forgotten by their former customers.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

After a year on the PPP front lines, a community banker is seeing confidence return

Apr 13, 2021
PPP loans have produced great results, says Seattle banker Laurie Stewart. She's optimistic about demand rising without inflation.
The interior of the Woolly Mammoth shoe store in Seattle, where Laurie Stewart's Sound Community Bank is based.
Karen Ducey/Getty Images

PPP loan deadline extension would help banks process more applications

Mar 29, 2021
The latest loans have moved more slowly than the previous round, due in part to additional compliance checks to prevent fraud.
Larger companies initially took advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program, which was intended to offer forgivable loans to smaller businesses.
Kameleon007 via Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

For the smallest businesses, an exclusive chance to line up for PPP loans

Mar 9, 2021
Companies with fewer than 20 employees have had an exclusive two-week PPP loan application window.
The Small Business Association's two-week application window for the smallest small businesses ends tonight.
andresr via Getty Images

New PPP plan aims to level playing field for smallest businesses

Feb 24, 2021
Smaller businesses owned by women and people of color often lack the banking relationships that larger companies have.
President Biden announced changes Monday to the Paycheck Protection Program aimed at helping smaller businesses owned by women and people of color to qualify for federal loans due to the economic impact that has been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Some businesses that could use the help aren't eligible for new PPP loans

Feb 23, 2021
Businesses can only apply for the latest round of loans if their revenue fell 25% or more.
The pandemic has had varying affects on businesses' earnings. Some have seen modest revenue declines but are still in jeopardy.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images