Small Business

The Small Business Committee provides a forum for small business owners, advocates, and community members to discuss the issues and challenges facing small businesses in Community District 8.

Small Business Committee Members:
Bill Angelos and Alida Camp,  Co-Chairs
P. Gayle Baron
Michele Birnbaum
Jack Sasson

Small Business Committee Public Members:
Bruce Blau
Franco Denari

Staff Liaison:
Jon Kraus

Current Agenda

Archived Agendas, Minutes and Resolutions

Community Resources

  • Cornell Law School’s Entrepreneurship Law Clinic, which provides pro bono transactional law services to small businesses and startups in Ithaca, is expanding to New York City and Cornell Tech. Based at the Blassberg-Rice Center for Entrepreneurship Law at Cornell Tech, postgraduate students will offer free legal services to entrepreneurs who are building the foundations of their businesses. Learn more at the links.
  • Whether you’re a new business signing a lease on your first space, or you’re working on a lease renewal, the Commercial Lease Assistance Program from NYC Small Business Services, is able to help with free legal assistance. Visit the link or call 888-SBS-4NYC.
  • Link.nyc is offering these upcoming promotions in their LinkLocal program: In August, for National Black Small Business Month, black-owned small businesses can advertise free on four nearby kiosks.  In October, women-owned small businesses will be able to advertise their business on four neighborhood kiosks. Apply to participate using this LinkNYC form.
  • The NYC Small Business Resource Network (SBRN) will extend its programming through 2023. SBRN is a public-private partnership which provides free, one-on-one support, for small businesses recovering from the pandemic—assisting with grant and loan applications, digital tools, accounting and legal services, marketing assistance, and business strategy. August 26, 2022
  • NYC Business Quick Start: An interagency effort to make it easier for small businesses to start, operate and grow.
  • Commercial Lease Assistance Program:  Free legal services to help businesses with commercial lease issues.
  • NYC Means Business: Training Your Employees SBS also offers small business owners and employees free training on technology tools and COVID-19 safety through “NYC Means Business: Training Your Employees” to help bridge the digital divide. Zoom and Google Workspace trainings are also available in Spanish and Mandarin.