During Small Business Week, Governor Stein Visits Marshall, Calls for More Western NC Small Business Support

Yesterday, during Small Business Week, Governor Stein and North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Lee Lilley visited downtown Marshall to highlight the importance of supporting small businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene. Governor Stein has proclaimed May 4 – May 10, 2025 as Small Business Week to celebrate the impact of entrepreneurs and small businesses on North Carolina’s economy. 

“Small businesses are the beating heart of our economy, and I am proud to recognize them this week. In particular, western North Carolina is open for business, and it is more crucial than ever to support its economic recovery,” said Governor Josh Stein. “With the help of private partners, $55 million is now on the way to more than 2,100 small businesses. Unfortunately, it’s not nearly enough. I am calling on the General Assembly to dedicate more funding to support small businesses so they can keep providing jobs and bolstering local economies.”

“Small businesses are foundational in our communities, employing nearly 45 percent of the private-sector workforce across the state,” said Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “As we continue our recovery from devastating storms and federal impacts, our focus remains on creating an environment where entrepreneurs can thrive.”

Governor Stein remains committed to ensuring that businesses in western North Carolina have the resources and infrastructure they need to rebuild. Last week, Governor Stein announced that the Dogwood Health Trust, the Duke Endowment, and the State of North Carolina have distributed $55 million to more than 2,100 businesses in western North Carolina. In his second Helene budget request, Governor Stein will call on the General Assembly to invest more in small business grants so that western North Carolina businesses can keep their doors open to serve their communities.

Governor Stein and the North Carolina Department of Commerce also launched an additional $55 million state infrastructure program, which allows local governments to apply for up to $1 million to rebuild public infrastructure. Small businesses rely on this infrastructure, such as sidewalks and sewers, to do business. The Department of Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions has also made the $500,000 “Hurricane Helene Business Edge Fund” available to local workforce boards serving the counties that were most impacted by the storm, with a particular focus on minimizing layoffs from small businesses.

North Carolina’s small businesses account for more than 99 percent of the state’s businesses, employing 1.7 million people statewide. More than 9,600 North Carolina small firms exported merchandise, generating $8.2 billion of the state’s exports as of the latest report from 2022. North Carolina is proud to support small businesses through services such as NCWorks, community college small business centers, the N.C. Small Business and Technology Development Center, SCORE, the Veterans Business Outreach Center, the Rural Center, and a toll-free information and referral service known as the Small Business Advisors hotline. 

Click here to read Governor Stein’s full proclamation.