The pandemic wreaked havoc on firms across the US, and the smaller businesses that actually comprise the majority of economic enterprises were hit hardest. There are 31.7 million small businesses around the country, comprising 99.9 percent of all companies and employing over half of the American workforce. And the challenges they have faced from the pandemic and its ongoing economic reverberations should put us all on notice: A full recovery will hinge on the success of these entities. What can financial institutions and policy makers do in this critical period to better support the backbone of America’s economy?