AGP Executive Report

Housing Fraud Fallout: Atlanta Housing Authority senior VP Tracy Jones was sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution after a scheme that included fraudulent Section 8 applications for her own rental property and pandemic relief fraud. Disaster Relief for SMBs: The SBA opened a Business Recovery Center on Saipan for businesses and nonprofits hit by Super Typhoon Sinlaku, with walk-in help starting May 26. Energy Watch: Texas solar is set to beat coal on the ERCOT grid for the first time in 2026—good news for small firms eyeing cleaner, potentially cheaper power. Local Business Spotlight: Kansas City small businesses are cashing in on World Cup demand with themed food and merch. Manufacturing Funding: The SBA announced up to $50M in grants to expand training and technical help for small manufacturers through its Empower to Grow program. Small Business Recognition: VermontBiz and the SBA will honor 2026 Vermont Small Business Persons of the Year in Burlington on June 11.

SBA & Manufacturing Grants: The SBA just opened a new pot of up to $50 million for the Manufacturing in America E2G Grant Initiative, offering $5M awards to up to 10 organizations that will train and support small manufacturers through its Empower to Grow program. Local Business Growth: Maryland’s “Business Boost” microgrants are helping a couple’s tamale stand evolve into La Patrona, a Mexican carry-out restaurant and market—an example of how small funding can unlock expansion. Retirement Savings Push: Philadelphia is moving ahead with PhillySaves, a city-run automatic retirement plan that will require many employers without benefits to enroll workers in an IRA unless they opt out. Policy Pressure on Costs: Detroit’s leaders are again wrestling with high property taxes that threaten affordability and could slow new business growth. World Cup Marketing: Kansas City small shops are gearing up with World Cup flavors and merch to turn visiting fans into local sales.

Disaster Deadlines: The SBA is pushing small businesses and nonprofits to beat June 22–24 deadlines for low-interest disaster loans tied to recent storms and closures, including California’s TCU September Lightning Complex Fire (June 24) and Illinois/Indiana storm damage (June 22), plus a new Saipan Business Recovery Center for Super Typhoon Sinlaku. Local Business Spotlight: VermontBiz and the SBA will honor 2026 Vermont Small Business Persons of the Year on June 11 in Burlington, including Rigorous Technology’s Diane and Colin Riggs. Campaign Meets Small Business: In New York, President Trump kicked off a midterm message with tangents before landing on tax cuts, spotlighting the SALT deduction push with Rep. Mike Lawler. Shipping Fallout: Customers in La Puente, Calif. say packages bound for Mexico went missing after Paqueteria Internacional closed, leaving them unable to get answers. Policy Pressure: A South Carolina lawmaker is calling for a one-year moratorium on new data center construction, arguing energy costs are being shifted onto families and small businesses.

EV Truck Subsidies Debate: California’s $1B EV heavy-truck rebates (from $7,500 to $120,000) are drawing pushback from free-market critics who call it a taxpayer giveaway, while supporters argue it’s the right incentive to cut pollution—funded via low-carbon fuel credit sales. Federal Funding for Tech: The Commerce Department says it’s signing nine CHIPS-and-Science letters of intent totaling about $2.01B for quantum companies, including $1B for IBM and $375M for GlobalFoundries, with the government taking minority stakes. Small-Business Compliance in Flux: The Corporate Transparency Act’s beneficial-ownership reporting remains paused after FinCEN’s interim rule narrowed who must report—leaving businesses waiting on a final rule. Health Care Contract Pressure: Stakeholders are urging Congress to pressure CMS over a remote-item delivery competitive-bidding plan they say could slash small provider participation. Disaster Relief Reminder: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is again pointing affected businesses and nonprofits to still-available SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans after 2025 storms. Local Wins & Events: VermontBiz and the SBA will honor 2026 Vermont award winners June 11 in Burlington, including Rigorous Technology’s Diane and Colin Abruzzini Riggs.

SBA & Small-Business Awards: The U.S. Small Business Administration will honor VermontBiz’s 2026 “Small Business Persons of the Year” on June 11 in Burlington, including Rigorous Technology (industrial robotics), plus veteran-, woman-, and export-business category winners. Cash-Flow Pressure: New Xero data says small businesses are waiting about 28.8 days on invoices, and it’s getting harder to manage cash in 2026—so owners are being urged to tighten payment terms and speed collections. AI for SMBs: Free, nationwide AI training is rolling out, with new tools aimed at helping smaller firms plug AI into everyday work. Fraud Fallout: A Bozeman woman was sentenced to 30 months for COVID relief fraud tied to a fake PPP application. Farm & Tariff Politics: Former Sen. Sherrod Brown is campaigning on higher farm costs, blaming tariffs and Iran-linked pressures. Local Growth & Travel: Buffalo unveiled plans for a new Outer Harbor cruise terminal, while Memorial Day travel is being squeezed by high gas prices.

SBA Disaster Relief Deadline Watch: Wisconsin small businesses and private nonprofits still have time to apply for low-interest SBA disaster loans tied to Aug. 9–12, 2025 storms—applications are due June 11, with Economic Injury Disaster Loans available for working capital losses even without physical damage. Tech & Trade: Two senators unveiled the U.S. Tech PATH Act to help U.S. allies buy trusted American cyber and digital tech, backed by a State Department procurement program and $500M in funding through 2031. Local Business Pressure: Chicago’s Great Central Brewing faces a fresh $4.7M foreclosure filing, reviving worries for family and craft operators already battered by financing stress. Community Grants: Indigenous Eats in Spokane won a $20,000 Amex Shop Small grant to expand Native Trivia Nights and other cultural events. Election Shake-Up: Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales lost key Republican endorsements—Sen. Jim Banks and AG Todd Rokita withdrew support and backed Max Engling. Small Business Growth: BidHound expanded its federal contract discovery platform nationwide across all 50 states and territories.

Policy & Politics: Trump is set to appear in Rockland County Friday, May 22, at Rockland Community College in Suffern, with the White House framing it around affordability and GOP tax-cut wins in a competitive House district. Regulatory Impact: A Boca Raton dry cleaner rebranded to Presstine Dry Cleaners and says it’s already PERC-free as the EPA’s long PERC phaseout keeps pushing small shops to upgrade equipment. Small-Business Growth & Tech: New analysis claims lead-conversion automation is tied to hiring at U.S. home-services firms—automation that turns demand into revenue, then drives expansion. Consumer & Marketing: TikTok says SMBs are seeing sales lift from TikTok Shop discovery, with “small business” searches up sharply in early 2026. Disaster Relief: SBA opened low-interest disaster loans for Virginia drought losses, and FEMA is urging affected residents to apply before a fast-approaching deadline. Workforce & Costs: New Hampshire small businesses still cite hiring trouble and inflation as top pressures, even as optimism edges up. Public Safety: Oregon investigators warn illicit massage businesses are “hiding in plain sight,” often leaving an online trail.

Public Grocery Push: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the city’s first city-owned grocery store, aiming to put one public, nonprofit supermarket in each borough—an attempt to fight rising food prices. Fintech Regulation: Trump issued an executive order telling federal regulators and the Fed to “streamline” fintech rules and review access to Fed master payment accounts for non-bank fintechs within 120 days. AI Money Moves: Intuit plans to cut about 17% of staff (~3,000 jobs) to streamline operations and refocus on AI, while Alkami is hosting a webinar on how banks are moving AI from experiments to execution. Small-Business Relief Deadline: SBA disaster loans for Washington County flooding victims are due June 11. Trade & Growth: Alabama honored six companies for international export wins, highlighting continued global demand for Made-in-Alabama products. Local Business Spotlight: VermontBiz and the SBA will recognize Rigorous Technology and other category winners at a June 11 awards event in Burlington.

PPP crackdown: U.S. officials won a court order to recover nearly $30M in restitution tied to a Paycheck Protection Program fraud scheme, with garnishment efforts aimed at assets moved into family trusts after the convictions. Disaster relief deadlines: The SBA is pushing time limits for low-interest disaster loans—Wisconsin (June 11) for Aug. 2025 storms, Illinois for April 17 severe weather, and Tennessee (June 10) for Jan. winter storms—covering both physical damage loans and EIDL working-capital help. Local small-business pressure: Pacifica, CA is facing a $2.3M structural deficit while local businesses fight back against a “worst city” entrepreneurship ranking. Marketing support: Arkansas State ASBTDC is hosting a free June 9 workshop, “Maximize Your Marketing Strategy,” for entrepreneurs in Paragould. Elections with business stakes: Kentucky’s House District 30 primary flipped as Challenger Mitra Subedi unseated Rep. Daniel Grossberg.

PPP Fraud Sentencing: A Rockford man, Absalom Hall, was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison for taking $85,401 in fake COVID-19 PPP loans and filing false tax returns, with restitution ordered to the IRS. Small-Business Compliance: The AICPA backed a bill that would narrow beneficial ownership reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act, arguing the current approach is costly for small firms. Disaster Relief: SBA disaster loans are now available for tornado and storm victims, with Indiana’s deadline for low-interest disaster loans set for June 8. Local Cost-of-Living Fight: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis renewed his push to overhaul property taxes, warning local budgets could face cuts if relief passes. AI Policy Pressure: Washington entrepreneurs urged Congress to protect AI and digital tools they say are essential for growth. Capital Access: U.S. Bank and WWBIC delivered equity injections to 17 Wisconsin small businesses, including three Madison winners.

Congress Watch: Rep. Tom Kean Jr. remains absent for two months over an undisclosed medical issue, but Democrats are using his “political AWOL” record—like missed town halls and local crisis attention—as a central attack in the NJ-7 primary. Federal Land Policy: The Senate confirmed Steve Pearce as the next BLM director in a party-line vote, putting a former oil-and-gas congressman in charge of 245 million acres and signaling more emphasis on local control. Disaster Relief: The SBA is urging Illinois businesses and private nonprofits to apply by June 1 for low-interest drought disaster loans. Small-Biz Support: Kentucky’s Gov. Beshear created a task force to help small businesses start and grow. Consumer Pressure: Provident Bank’s 2026 survey finds households still squeezed by inflation and high rates, prioritizing necessities and paying down debt faster. Energy & Costs: Vallejo residents are pushing back on California’s gas appliance ban, arguing heat-pump upgrades are too expensive. AI/Tech: A jury rejected Elon Musk’s OpenAI lawsuit, saying he sued too late.

SBA Boost: The SBA just raised the combined 7(a) and 504 loan limit to $10 million (effective July 4), letting eligible borrowers stack more SBA-backed financing for growth and hiring. Disaster Relief: South Dakota drought-hit counties can now apply for SBA low-interest disaster loans, while in Mississippi, FEMA/MEMA/SBA in-person help is winding down in Lafayette County through May 23. Food & Small Business Growth: NEON Collective Kitchens opens to the public with a $22 million, debt-free shared kitchen built to help North Minneapolis food entrepreneurs scale. Consumer Payments: Visa’s “Tap In” campaign ties the World Cup to everyday checkout, signaling a shift toward sponsorship as transaction infrastructure. Local Pain Points: A Florida couple says a bank held up nearly $100K of their flood insurance payout after Hurricane Helene—another reminder that rebuilding cash flow can be the real fight. AI Pressure on Marketing: Google AI Overviews are already cutting clicks, with reports of big drops in organic traffic when summaries appear.

China Tech Spotlight: Lens Technology chair Zhou Qunfei turned heads at Xi Jinping’s state dinner for Donald Trump, seated between Elon Musk and Tim Cook—another reminder that big U.S. tech still leans on Chinese manufacturing even as trade tensions simmer. Local Business & Community: In Asheville, a pardoned Jan. 6 rioter opened a downtown kava bar, but online backlash is already hitting the new owner. Health Insurance Shake-Up: Cigna says it’s exiting the individual Obamacare exchange market, raising questions about what that means for employer-funded options like ICHRAs. Small Business Policy Pressure: A “lawsuit tax” story argues trucking litigation costs are flowing into higher premiums and prices—an issue that can squeeze small operators across the supply chain. Tech Infrastructure Politics: South Point, Ohio passed a six-month moratorium on AI data centers, while Texas approved about $250M for more EV fast chargers. Elections & Costs: Multiple governor primaries and state races are centering affordability, energy prices, and healthcare—where small businesses feel the squeeze first.

Local Business Spotlight: Kansas’ SBA-backed rural win goes to Bright Minds Academy in Hays, honored during National Small Business Week after growing into a multi-center child care operation with about 100 staff. Community Backlash: In Asheville, a Jan. 6 Capitol rioter who was later pardoned has opened Moon & Root Apothecary—and says online harassment has followed the grand opening. Health Care Partnerships: Health First and Parrish Healthcare formalized a stroke network to coordinate and standardize care across Brevard County hospitals. Election & Cost Pressure: Georgia’s insurance commissioner race is heating up, with candidates arguing over who can best stop insurers from overcharging on the ACA exchange. Policy Watch: South Point, Ohio passed a six-month moratorium on AI data centers, while Texas approved another $250M for fast EV charging. Business Costs: A “lawsuit tax” claim is gaining attention as trucking litigation and insurance costs are blamed for higher prices that hit small businesses too.

Community Nonprofit Push: Comma Community Journalism Lab hit its fundraising goal to turn The Spokesman-Review into a community-owned nonprofit, unlocking a 90-day transformation period and a $2 million Cowles family match. Local Business Spotlight: Kansas’ Bright Minds Academy in Hays won an SBA National Small Business Week award, highlighting how rural child care operators can scale with SBA support. Data Center Pressure Builds: South Point, Ohio passed a six-month moratorium on AI data centers, while broader reporting keeps zeroing in on electricity costs and who pays when demand spikes. Workforce & Health Partnerships: Health First and Parrish Healthcare signed an agreement to coordinate stroke care across Brevard County hospitals. Disaster Relief Deadline: Kentucky small businesses and nonprofits still have until June 1 to apply for SBA low-interest drought disaster loans. Policy Watch: The EEOC is seeking to end employer requirements to report annual workforce racial and sex data—an issue that could ripple into how companies track compliance.

Disaster Relief Push: The SBA is still taking applications for low-interest disaster loans tied to drought and storms, including a June 1 deadline for Kentucky drought losses and reminders that help remains available in places like Texas and Indiana after tornado damage. Data Center Backlash: Texas counties are moving to slow AI data center growth—Hill County approved a one-year rural moratorium—while watchdogs warn electricity costs are spiking fast in PJM, with Monitoring Analytics saying data center demand is driving major, “not reversible” price impacts. Stablecoin Pressure on Banks: Kansas bankers are sounding the alarm over a GENIUS Act loophole that could let stablecoin firms offer deposit-like “rewards,” potentially pulling funds away from community lending. Small Business Reality Check: A new survey finds 3 in 4 owners say business ownership met or beat expectations, but many report cash-flow stress, burnout, and extra time spent on finances. Local Wins & Growth: SBA-backed recognition continues, including a Kansas rural child care business earning a National Small Business Week award.