Governor Josh Stein has proclaimed May 3-9, 2026, to be Small Business Week to celebrate the impact of entrepreneurs and small businesses on North Carolina’s economy.
“North Carolina communities are energized by the one million small businesses that innovate, create jobs, and spur growth,” said Governor Josh Stein. “As we celebrate Small Business Week, we recognize the immense contributions of entrepreneurs statewide and reaffirm our commitment to supporting their success and resiliency by fostering opportunity in every corner of the state.”
“Small businesses employ nearly half of all private sector jobs while driving local economies,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Even as we face shifting economic conditions, our commitment is clear: We must continue creating the conditions that allow these entrepreneurs to grow, adapt, and lead.”
Small Business Week was established by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as a nationwide celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit of small businesses. The SBA defines small businesses as companies with fewer than 500 employees. In 2025, North Carolina’s small businesses accounted for more than 99 percent of the state’s businesses while employing 1.8 million people statewide.
More than 9,500 small businesses exported merchandise from North Carolina, generating $8.8 billion of the state’s exports in the latest report from 2023.
North Carolina’s economic achievement as the 2025 Top State for Business is supported by a strong business climate that prepares our workforce and employers for success.
In recent years, NCWorks Small Business Work-Based Learning grants, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, were awarded to 11 local workforce development boards. These grants have supported 480 small businesses with training for over 1,210 individuals to date.
The Commerce department’s One North Carolina Small Business Program awards nondilutive grants to innovative, tech-based small businesses that are applying for and/or have previously won federal research and technology awards. For 20 years, the program has helped more than 520 companies create and maintain more than 2,000 high-paying jobs in 41 North Carolina counties, as well as leverage an additional $10 billion in follow-on investment. Applications for the Program are currently being accepted through June 30.
Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division leads economic development initiatives and programs to support small business development through the Rural Building Reuse Program, Appalachian Regional Commission, Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, and Main Street and Rural Planning Center. In 2025, this program supported the creation or improvement of 2,077 businesses throughout rural North Carolina.
The Creating Outdoor Recreation Economies (CORE) program helps rural communities develop and implement asset-based economic strategies to increase tourism and encourage small business development, among other goals. CORE strategic plans have been adopted by 26 communities, and one community has a plan in progress.
In response to the impact of Hurricane Helene, the Commerce department has prioritized supporting small businesses in western North Carolina. The Commercial District Revitalization (CDR) Program recently launched to grant funding to local governments and nonprofits that will help reinvigorate the commercial districts where small businesses operate through grant awards. The CDR program is now accepting applications until August 4. The Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program has awarded nearly $30 million to support recovery efforts of small business districts in the region. The WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund, backed by a $3.5 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), provides rapid, flexible loans up to $100,000.
In 2025, Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions provided a $500,000 “Hurricane Helene Business Edge Fund” that offered small businesses services designed to minimize layoffs. These efforts, led locally by workforce development boards, are essential helping small businesses recover, retain jobs, rebuild and stabilize the local economy in the aftermath of the storm.
Collaboratively, public agencies, education institutions, and private-sector organizations assist small businesses with growth strategies and job creation by providing workforce training, business mentoring, financial assistance, research, technical assistance, and export services.
North Carolina provides many services to small businesses through 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.
For more information about Small Business Week, including a copy of Governor Stein’s proclamation, click here.