Today begins a 14-day “exclusivity period,” where only businesses and non-profits with fewer than 20 employees can apply for the Payroll Protection Program. This change in the program is aimed at helping the smallest employers get their applications prioritized by lenders. According to a 2019 U.S. Small Business Administration report from the Office of Advocacy, small businesses accounted for 44% of the nation’s economic activity. Since the pandemic began, an estimated 400,000 independently owned businesses have shuttered. Learn more about the program on the SBA’s website.