On Small Business Week, Here’s What YCDC is Doing to Support Local Businesses

YCDC’s mission is “To promote and encourage quality economic growth in York County, Nebraska.” As an economic development organization we recognize that “promoting and encouraging quality economic growth” requires a multi-pronged approach where supporting the existing small business community is a critical component. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our community. They create important jobs and contribute to our quality of life. From manufacturing companies to downtown cafes, local contractors, CPAs and healthcare providers - each of our small businesses play a large role in life in York County. Supporting them is critical to growing our economy and to ensuring that York County remains an incredible place to live. 

Small Business Week May 2nd - 8th 

YCDC has made supporting local businesses a priority. Still, the first week of May is an excellent time to create awareness for the outsized contribution they make to York County. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has historically held its National Small Business Week in the first week of May each year, creating opportunities for national awareness and for promoting small businesses at the local level.

Why are small businesses so important to our economy?

In its 2019 Small Business Profile, the SBA Office of Advocacy indicated 59.9 million employees, or 43.7% of the entire U.S. employee workforce, worked for small businesses. And the Bureau of Labor Statistics Business Employment Dynamics indicates that from 2000 to 2018, small businesses created 9.6 million net new jobs, accounting for nearly 65% of all net new jobs in the U.S. 

A 2018 report from American Express stated an average two-thirds of every dollar spent at small businesses in the U.S. stays in the local community and every dollar spent there creates an additional 50 cents in local business activity. 

As an added incentive, every ten jobs created at a local business support an additional seven jobs within the community. This is because locally-owned businesses will typically buy from other locally-owned businesses - creating jobs in the process. We encourage York County residents to consider this when making purchasing decisions. Where you spend your dollars really can make a big impact in our local economy. 

What YCDC is doing to support small businesses

The YCDC 2021 - 2026 Strategic Plan lists several goals for how YCDC can support business in our community. Below are our goals, five year aspirations and the steps we are taking to achieve them.

Goal Statements

• Ensure that there is always controlled industrial land for expansion and recruitment possibilities
• Market available sites and building
• Continue providing technical assistance to York County entrepreneurs, start-ups, expanding and transitioning businesses

Five Year Aspirations

• LB840/Local Option municipal Economic Development Act is a tool that can be used to support business activity in York County. Advocate for!
• York County is home to a microbrew that becomes a gathering place for young professionals and community gathering.
• Target companies that require an associate’s degree or master’s degree, focused in the following areas:
  • Advanced manufacturing, logistics, ag-tech/hemp/GPS, metal fabrication o Tech companies that want a rural environment
  • Large logistics facilities
  • Bio/R&D in the ag sector
• Businesses and eating establishments have filled the pads in the space in front of the convention center.
• York County has seen investment in opportunity zone areas
• York County has a commercial kitchen, incubator/co-working space for small businesses and entrepreneurs to utilize

Steps: On-going Timeline

• Continue to coordinate with talent committee, regional manufacturing collaboration, and educational institutions to help meet the current and future business talent needs in York County
• Meet regularly with department heads/officials/city/county/village clerks and administrators to continuously improve upon York County’s pro-business environment
• Work with community leaders on the benefit of local incentives in York County
• Continue to offer business education opportunities
• Respond to RFIs as appropriate
• Continuously improve and expand upon BR&E program (visits, coffee, surveys, technology/connections, and corporate visits)
• Consider technology opportunities that would support the York County business community
• Continue to expand and make new connections and relationships with existing businesses, prospective businesses, and site selectors
• Continuously improve upon and market site and building inventory
• Market available technical service to members
• Continue to work with manufacturers on proto-type grants

Click here to view our 2021-2026 strategic plan.

Join YCDC in Celebrating Small Business Week

There are several ways that you can help to celebrate Small Business Week, including:

• Visit your favorite small businesses and let them know how much you enjoy having them in the community. Small business owners work hard, sometimes without much time off, so a word of encouragement is always welcome!
• Go out to eat one extra time, buy something special from a friend or for the house, or choose to purchase a product or service from someone locally instead of online.
• Write reviews on Facebook, Google or Yelp for each of the small businesses who have provided you with excellent customer service. People read testimonials when making purchasing decisions or even when deciding where to grab lunch. Your positive review could help them to earn more business and it doesn’t cost you anything!

Thank you to all of York County’s small businesses. We appreciate you, are glad that you’ve made York County home, and are here to help if you need us.