Sept. 11, 2020—A new report has found that male business owners on average have received more Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding than female business owners.
US Insurance Agents, an online platform for comparing insurance rates, recently released findings on how PPP loan funds have been distributed among men and women business owners.
The report found that male business owners received PPP funds on an average of $6,655 more per PPP loan than female business owners did, and around 3.4 male-owned businesses received a PPP loan for every one female-owned business. For one of the worst-ranked states, Arizona, the average loan amount difference between male and female business owners was $10.373.25, around $3,700 higher than the average for all states.
In the report, US Insurance Agents spoke with an expert, Jessica Prater, who specializes in HR and talent development, to determine why women are seeing less funds than men. She says that it may have been due to a higher prevalence of women-owned businesses that were forced to close during the pandemic.
"Many of the types of businesses across America—personal care, mental health, professional development, personal improvement coaching—were all deemed non-essential during COVID-19 restrictions," Prater says. "Hair salons, nail salons, mom and pop restaurants, body waxing centers, handmade crafts, jewelry, art galleries, and museums, are all businesses that employ and/or are owned by women and which were disproportionately mandated to be closed for weeks upon weeks upon weeks."
She goes on to say that businesses that are predominantly male-dominated for employees and owners, such as auto body, auto repair, liquor stores, franchised or chain restaurants, pharmacies, medical practices, dental practices, etc., were all permitted to remain open for business, despite COVID-19 happening.
Among this information, the study found the best and worst states for female business owners to get PPP Assistance.
Best
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Minnesota
- Iowa
- Vermont
- Wisconsin
- North Dakota
- Alaska
- Washington
- Florida
Worst
- New Hampshire
- Arizona
- Tennessee
- Alabama
- Oregon
- Utah
- South Carolina
- Nevada
- Georgia
- New York
According to the NOLN COVID-19 Business Impact Survey, about 78 percent of respondents said that they did in fact receive outside financial assistance, mostly in the form of the PPP. However, all of the survey respondents were men. And while women only account for 9.6 percent of the automotive repair and maintenance workforce, according to Catalyst, the quick lube sector only takes up a slim fraction of that.
