A grassroots effort to help promote small businesses in New Jersey has caught the eye of state leaders.

The movement, known as NJSmall, encourages larger corporations to work with smaller, in-state businesses.

“Before the pandemic, the 860,000-plus small businesses in New Jersey employed 1.8 million people,” says S3 Agency owner and NJSmall founder Denise Blasevick. “That’s about half our private work force.”

Blasevick says that NJSmall encourages larger companies to hire small businesses instead of going out of state for goods and services.

“It would be an enormous consequence of positive nature that would happen here. More small businesses would be able to stay in business. They’d be able to employ people,” she says.

An online petition at the NJSmall website asks Gov. Phil Murphy to create financial incentives for bigger companies to stay in-state for their small business needs. A bill recently introduced in the state Assembly does just that.

“The bill Assemblyman [Gary] Schaer put forth asks for a 1% corporate business tax credit for companies in New Jersey when they contact small businesses in New Jersey. Small businesses are defined in the bill as under 50 employees,” Blasevick says.

Supporters of the idea say that it wouldn’t just hep small businesses stay afloat, but would also help large businesses and all New Jerseyans because it would help the state’s overall economy recovery faster.

“The big impact is that it’s actually sustainable. It doesn’t cost anyone money. In fact, it brings money in our state,” Blasevick says. “It keeps businesses here and keeps people employed here.”

More information about the program can be found on the NJSmall website.