With Small Business Saturday just ahead on November 30, new research released by the nation’s leading small-business association, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), showed just how valuable Nebraska Main Street enterprises are to local communities, as well as to local economies.

“Small businesses invest in making our communities better,” said NFIB Nebraska State Director Ryan McIntosh. “This report shows the positive impact Nebraska’s Main Street has on their neighborhoods and schools.”

According to the 2024 Small Businesses’ Contribution to the Community report:

• “About three-quarters (76 percent) 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 in the last 12 months.
• “Financial support was the most common method small businesses used to support their communities … Ninety percent of small business owners have 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 … (e.g., providing a meetings space for a local fundraiser, donating excess inventory for a cause, offering auction items to raise money, etc.).”

The report looks at NFIB members’ community engagement and provides a national snapshot of small-business involvement in local communities throughout the U.S. The typical NFIB member employs between one and nine people and reports gross sales of about $500,000 a year.

Ryan McIntosh continued, “Our small businesses do so much for our communities. Let’s return the favor by continuing to support these businesses by shopping local on Small Business Saturday and throughout the year.”

Keep up with the latest Nebraska small business news at www.nfib.com/nebraska or by following us on X at @NFIB_NE.