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Become a Partner


What is an SBCS partner?

To conduct the Small Business Credit Survey (SBCS)—which delivers timely information on small business conditions to policymakers, service providers, and lenders—the Federal Reserve Banks collaborate with a network of organizations (“partners”) that have strong relationships with small business owners. These partners play a key role in the SBCS by encouraging their networks of small business contacts to respond to the survey.

Benefits of becoming a partner

  • Receive a partner report if your organization recruits at least 50 small businesses to complete the survey. Partner reports (sample) detail the current state of small businesses in your network.
  • Ensure the perspectives of the small businesses in your network are included in advocacy and policy discussions.
  • Gain trusted data and insights to inform and customize client programming.
  • Be recognized on FedSmallBusiness.org.
  • The only cost for participation is your time to encourage small businesses to take the survey.

Qualifications

Eligible partners include 501(c) organizations; state, local, or tribal government agencies; and nonbank CDFIs.

Noneligible parties include lending entities and organizations that are currently regulated by the Federal Reserve, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, or Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or may be regulated by federal regulatory agencies in the future; partisan public officeholders; and for-profit businesses.

How to become a partner

1. Application

After reviewing our Partner Policy for roles and responsibilities, complete the brief partner application through the linked form below. We will contact you and confirm your organization’s eligibility.

2. Participation

Prior to the launch of the SBCS, we will send a partner agreement for digital signature. Once signed, we will send marketing materials, along with a unique survey link to collect responses from your network.

3. Results

In the months after the survey closes, we process the responses and conduct quality checks to prepare the data for use in public and partner reports. We will stay in touch as reports and data become available the following spring.

Apply to be a partner