← SMALL BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP COUNCIL

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by SMALL BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP COUNCIL.

Totals

Total revenue: $1,379,944
Total expenses: $1,113,775
Contributions and grants received: $1,379,944
Grants paid: $0
Program service revenue: $0
Investment income: $0
Other revenue: $0
Total assets, end of year: $931,899
Total liabilities, end of year: $0
Net assets or fund balances, end of year: $931,899
Program services expenses (Part IX): $909,353
Management and general expenses: $131,040
Fundraising expenses: $73,382
Program service expenses (Part III): $909,353

Program services were 81.6% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

1a · Federated campaigns

$0
1b · Membership dues

$0
1c · Fundraising events

$0
1d · Related organizations

$0
1e · Government grants (contributions)

$0
1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

$1,379,944
1g · Noncash contributions included above

$0
6c · Rental income or loss

real property $0 · personal property $0
7c · Gain or loss

securities $0 · other assets $0
8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

$0
11e · Other revenue, total

$0

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

total $0 · program services $0
2 · Grants to domestic individuals

total $0 · program services $0
3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals

total $0 · program services $0
4 · Benefits paid to or for members

total $0 · program services $0
5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

total $286,205 · program services $191,759 · management and general $51,516 · fundraising $42,930
6 · Compensation of disqualified persons

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
7 · Other salaries and wages

total $132,706 · program services $110,147 · management and general $15,924 · fundraising $6,635
8 · Pension plan contributions

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
9 · Other employee benefits

total $50,321 · program services $38,748 · management and general $7,548 · fundraising $4,025
10 · Payroll taxes

total $208,887 · program services $173,377 · management and general $25,066 · fundraising $10,444
11a · Fees: management

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
11b · Fees: legal

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
11c · Fees: accounting

total $17,862 · program services $0 · management and general $17,862 · fundraising $0
11d · Fees: lobbying

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
11f · Fees: investment management

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
11g · Fees: other

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
12 · Advertising and promotion

total $17,448 · program services $16,227 · management and general $0 · fundraising $1,221
13 · Office expenses

total $16,482 · program services $11,209 · management and general $4,120 · fundraising $1,153
14 · Information technology

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
15 · Royalties

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
16 · Occupancy

total $32,517 · program services $26,015 · management and general $4,877 · fundraising $1,625
17 · Travel

total $13,360 · program services $10,021 · management and general $1,736 · fundraising $1,603
18 · Travel or entertainment for public officials

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

total $24,976 · program services $19,982 · management and general $1,248 · fundraising $3,746
20 · Interest

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
21 · Payments to affiliates

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
23 · Insurance

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
24a · Other expenses: SMB Surveys and Research

total $286,868 · program services $286,868 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
24b · Other expenses: Bank Fees

total $1,143 · program services $0 · management and general $1,143 · fundraising $0
24c · Other expenses: Coalitions

total $25,000 · program services $25,000 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
24e · All other expenses

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

beginning of year $665,730 · end of year $931,899
2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
3 · Pledges and grants receivable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
4 · Accounts receivable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
5 · Loans and receivables from officers and key people

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
6 · Loans and receivables from disqualified persons

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
7 · Other notes and loans receivable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
8 · Inventories for sale or use

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
12 · Investments: other securities

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
13 · Investments: program-related

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
14 · Intangible assets

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
15 · Other assets

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
18 · Grants payable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
19 · Deferred revenue

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
20 · Tax-exempt bond liabilities

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
21 · Escrow or custodial account liability

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
22 · Loans and payables to officers and key people

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
24 · Unsecured notes and loans payable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
29 · Capital stock, trust principal or current funds

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
30 · Paid-in or capital surplus, or land, building or equipment fund

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
31 · Retained earnings, endowment or other funds

beginning of year $665,730 · end of year $931,899

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

SBE Council works to promote entrepreneurship and protect small business. SBE Council advocates for entrepreneurs and stronger entrepreneurship by encouraging policies, legislative solutions and private-sector initiatives that improve the ecosystem and climate for business startup and growth. SBE Council conducts research and educational campaigns and engages directly with elected and government officials, small business owners and business leaders, educators, the media, and the policy community to achieve these goals. We create and distribute educational content for entrepreneurs and those individuals who want to start businesses to help them succeed in the marketplace, and to become effective advocates for their businesses.

Activities or mission (Part I)

SBE Council's mission is to promote entrepreneurship and protect small businesses. Through advocacy, education, and research SBE Council works to strengthen the ecosystem for startups and small business growth. SBE Council integrates advocacy, research, education and training to achieve these goals.

Advocacy and Outreach: SBE Council's advocacy work focused on advancing policy solutions that addressed the top pain points of small business owners such as inflation, tax complexity and uncertainty, higher borrowing costs and tighter capital access, labor market shortages, growing health care costs, tariff uncertainty, intellectual property (IP) concerns, and regulatory burdens. We continued advocacy efforts and outreach on the benefits of digital tools and artificial intelligence (AI) and the policies that would help small businesses and startups adopt and retain access to free and low-cost tools. SBE Council monitored and commented on 9 significant regulatory initiatives within the federal agencies including proposals at the Department of Labor (DOL) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC), for example - to ensure the regulatory process was being properly followed by federal agencies and small business impacts were properly considered. SBE Council distributed 59 letters to Congress, which addressed legislative solutions in the areas of rightsizing federal rules and compliance, access to capital, affordable choices in health coverage, and taxes and tax certainty. On tax policy, SBE Council played a key role in voicing the benefits of making permanent key tax provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that were set to expire - such as the 20% small business deduction (Section 199), lower personal income tax rates, Section 179 expensing, increased exemption on estate taxes - and restoring immediate expensing for research and development and bonus depreciation, among other provisions. These permanent provisions were included in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, signed into law, which also included SBE Council supported measures related to strengthening health insurance choices, health care access, workforce-related issues and promoting U.S. competitiveness and innovation in a wide range of areas and across diverse industries. Our team communicated regularly with leaders and advisors in the new Administrations team and provided testimony and feedback before Congress on policy reform ideas and solutions to strengthen America's startup ecosystem and workforce. SBE Council engaged small business owners by publishing and distributing 87 policy briefs on the aforementioned issues - which were also distributed to Congress and key audiences in federal agencies and the White House - and kept our list of over 245,000 entrepreneurs and partners informed via our Small Business Insider e-news (52 published and distributed). SBE Council conducted 57 in-person briefings and roundtables on Capitol Hill and with the Administration.

Expenses $409,208
Research & Analysis: SBE Council produced research reports, small business surveys, issue briefs and analysis on issues that helped to keep elected officials, policy leaders in government, entrepreneurs, the media and general public better informed on the importance of entrepreneurship and small businesses to the U.S. economy and how small firms and business creation are impacted by specific policies that are being proposed or advanced. In addition to the regular daily content authored by SBE Council's economic team (147 briefs were produced for the year), various special reports and research included our "Small Business Check Up Survey" (produced quarterly) to better help government officials understand how small businesses were navigating key issues and market events such as inflation, artificial intelligence (AI), workforce shortages, tariffs, uncertainty with regard to expiring tax credits and measures, capital access challenges, and rapid digitization. The "Checkup Survey" produced important and timely data, which played a role in helping lawmakers, policy leaders and the media better understand small business priorities, how they were responding to challenges and current economic and market conditions, their outlook on their own financial performance, emerging tech and digital tools they were using and the measurable benefits, and where they stand on key issues. SBE Council also produced regular updates and analysis on the historic growth in new business applications and small business tech adoption. Our "Small Business Technology Use Survey 2025" reported on their broad use of artificial intelligence (AI) and how that impacted their workforce and competitiveness, and other digital tools and social media platforms demonstrating their embrace of omni-channel strategies and AI to compete with larger players, operate more efficiently, reach more consumers and drive sales, and to innovate. The Technology Use survey helped policymakers better understand the benefits of the technology and served to check the "doom and gloom" outcomes that some were predicting. SBE Council's daily and weekly economic briefs and blog posts helped both small business owners and members of Congress better understand the data and trends produced in regular government economic reports - such as the monthly jobs report, new business applications data, and monthly reports on trade, manufacturing, consumer credit, productivity, consumer confidence, the Federal Reserve Beige Book and durable goods reports. Members of Congress and their staffs, experts within the Administration, federal regulatory agencies and the media regularly sought and utilized our data, reports and analysis for their own reporting or policymaking purposes.

Expenses $272,806
Education: SBE Council published and distributed educational and "how to" content and hosted events to provide startups and small business owners with updates on tools, trends and forces to help them more successfully launch and grow their businesses. SBE Council's "Business Intelligence" tips and trends for entrepreneurs was produced 27 times, along with 57 Small Business Insider blog posts featuring "how to" information, advice and guidance for business owners on topics ranging from market trends, emerging digital tools and social media developments, new tax provisions and changes within the Working Families Tax Cuts, regulatory developments/changes and compliance responsibilities, protecting intellectual property, how small businesses are adopting AI to address various challenges, workforce trends, access to capital developments and changes to various Small Business Administration loan programs, dealing with tariff uncertainty, among other issues. SBE Council's president participated in 27 online webinars and in-person forums on various topics and issues including digital tools, where the economy was headed, the agenda of the new Administration and Congress and the small business impact, intellectual property developments, small business favorable tax provisions included in the Working Families Tax Cuts, and more. SBE Council joined forces with small business allies in a second-annual global entrepreneurship exchange where our president spoke on topics such as the outlook for our global trading system and specifically the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, and the adoption of digital tools and what that meant for the future of entrepreneurship. SBE Council continued its strong promotional support of important campaigns such as Small Business Saturday (we are a founding member), the spearheading of World IP Day, National Small Business Week, and Global Entrepreneurship Week. SBE Council social media platforms remained an important vehicle for sharing the range of educational content noted above, which reaches a significant audience. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are used extensively in sharing content and for engaging with business owners and the public. SBE Council's various reports and surveys - for example, our quarterly Small Business Check Up Survey and issue specific surveys such as the Small Business Technology Use Survey 2025 -contain important information that helps the small business community better understand how entrepreneurs and startups are responding to market and policy changes.

Expenses $181,870
Other - Media and Communications: Media and earned media remained an important channel for SBE Council to educate on key issues facing entrepreneurs, the policies and resources that entrepreneurs and small businesses need to compete and succeed, and how small businesses were faring given various uncertainties, new political leadership in Washington, D.C. and market developments. SBE Council utilized a range of media channels and tools to help educate entrepreneurs and the public about the issues and challenges facing small businesses, which helped to build awareness and support for the policies and resources that small businesses need. The media and media platforms remained an invaluable platform for sharing how-to and business intelligence information and SBE Council remained a key resource for the media in providing information and content for their stories and specials. SBE Council communicated with and through the media in a variety of ways - via interviews, radio and television appearances, and through in-person and online events. Our team published 13 Op-Eds, released 44 press releases or statements, participated in 14 podcasts, distributed 52 Small Business Insider e-news reports (which are distributed to the media) and avidly used social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) to communicate the results of research, or in support of advocacy efforts.

Expenses $45,469

As filed on the 2024 return.

Listed in Part VII

Karen Kerrigan

President/Secretary

Total calculated

$286,206

From this org

$286,206

From related orgs

$0

Other

$0

Hours/week

50

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$286,205

Bonus

$0

Other

$0

Deferred

$0

Nontaxable benefits

$16,008

Filer's total

$302,213
Grover Norquist

Treasurer

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

0.25
Richard Rahn

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

0.25

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

1a · Health or social club dues or initiation fees
1b · Written policy on the line-1a expenses
2 · Substantiation required before reimbursing expenses
3 · Compensation committee
3 · Compensation survey or study
3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
7 · Other non-fixed payments
8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

Schedule J, Part I, Line 1a: Social Club dues is for the use of SBE Council activities, meetings and conference events at the University Club in DC, which is also used for overnight accommodations for SBE Council small business members and advocates - the costs are significantly lower than hotels in the DC area and in other major metropolitan areas throughout the country (NYC, for example) where reciprocal clubs are also tapped into for this purpose.
Schedule J, Part I, Line 3: Compensation and salaries are determined through review of various pieces information, including market comparisons, performance and cost of living considerations.

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type: form_990
Tax year: 2024
Filed: 2 August 2026
IRS schema version: 2024v5.0
Source object: 202632179349301323

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