2017 Small Business Credit Survey

2017 Small Business Credit Survey

12.12.18

2017

The Small Business Credit Survey (SBCS) is a national collaboration of the 12 Reserve Banks of the Federal Reserve System. The survey gathers perspectives on small business conditions, and financing needs, decisions, and outcomes, and provides valuable insight to policymakers, researchers, and service providers. The 2017 SBCS, conducted between September and December of 2017, collected responses from 14,465 firms in all 50 states. For more information and background on the SBCS, click here.

Results from the 2017 SBCS are available on fedsmallbusiness.org. Featured reports include the following:

2018 Small Business Credit Survey Report on Nonemployer Firms The 2017 SBCS provides insights on business conditions and access to financing for nonemployer firms—those with no employees other than the owner(s). Findings show these firms often rely on their owners' personal finances to secure credit, address financial challenges, and fund their business operations.
2017 Small Business Credit Survey: Report on Employer Firms Findings from the 2017 SBCS indicate improved optimism and greater success obtaining financing among employer firms relative to 2016. Financial challenges are common, particularly among micro firms (≤$100K in annual revenues) and startups (0–5 years).
2017 Small Business Credit Survey: Report on Disaster-Affected Firms Forty percent of firms in FEMA-designated disaster areas reported losses from recent storms. This report examines which firms were hit hardest and how heavily they depend on aid and credit to get back in business.
How Do Firms Respond to Hiring Difficulties? Evidence from the Federal Reserve Banks’ Small Business Credit Survey Two-thirds of small businesses report hiring challenges. This report looks at the different difficulties they face and how they solve for them.

For any questions about the Small Business Credit Survey, please contact Ann Marie Wiersch at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland at 216.579.2423 or annmarie.wiersch@clev.frb.org.