Office of Small Business Assistance Releases 2023 Annual Report and Reaches 10-Year Milestone

Date: February 22, 2024
Contact: Laura Kerns | [email protected]

Salem, OR — Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade released the 2023 Annual Report from the Office of Small Business Assistance (OSBA) today. As the number and complexity of regulations and requirements grow, the OSBA continues to serve as a valuable resource for Oregon’s small businesses.

“Oregon aims to be a small business-friendly state, but there’s more we can be doing to help these businesses operate,” said Trevor Leahy, the Small Business Ombudsman. “The 2023 legislative session saw 60 new bills affecting small business passed into law. Part of what we do is communicate with small businesses on their terms to help them stay in compliance with these evolving rules and regulations.”

The OSBA is a resource for businesses and nonprofits in the state of Oregon with 100 or fewer employees. Businesses may contact the office if they feel they have been treated unfairly by, or have unresolved questions of, state agencies, boards, commissions and councils, or any unit of local government.

This year marks 10 years for the OSBA, having opened to the public in January 2014. Since then, the office has grown from one staff member to a team of five, has been to every county in Oregon, attended hundreds of public events, and helped over 14,000 small business customers.

“It’s such a privilege to be able to look back on ten years and see all the hard work the OSBA has done and the many ways it’s paid off,” said Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade. “Small businesses are an invaluable part of our local communities. I know the team looks forward to another 10 years of serving as the voice of small business in Oregon government.”

In 2023, OSBA helped a total of 2,624 customers connect with 96 units of government, including cities, counties, and state and federal agencies. Of all OSBA cases, 61% involved customers seeking information, with 1,239 inquiries about business registrations and the Secretary of State Corporation Division.

Representatives from the OSBA participated in 105 outreach events and visited 25 Oregon counties, accomplishing its goal to enhance and increase its visits across Oregon. The office participated in a major collaborative effort with the Oregon Employment Department and the Eastern Oregon Workforce Board to engage businesses in Eastern Oregon. Seven state agencies participated, covering nine communities and reaching nearly 300 employers in Eastern Oregon.

To read the Annual Report, visit the Office of Small Business Assistance website. Print copies are available upon request by emailing [email protected] or calling 844-469-5512.