Social Advocacy Organizations

Businesses and organizations in the Social Advocacy Organizations industry (NAICS code 8133, part of the Other Services (except Public Administration) sector) received 14,893 PPP loans totaling $2.14B during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The average loan for this industry was $143,493 — above the national PPP average of approximately $67,000. This reflects the small business character of most participants in this industry, typically sole proprietors and micro-businesses with modest payroll obligations.

97.2% of loans in this industry were forgiven — totaling $2.09B. To qualify for forgiveness, borrowers had to demonstrate that they maintained headcount and compensation levels and used at least 60% of loan proceeds for payroll expenses.

Notable recipients in this industry include YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSN OF GREATER BOSTON INC. of BOSTON, MA ($8,765,400); PROJECT RENEWAL INC. of NEW YORK, NY ($8,263,870); and KQED INC of SAN FRANCISCO, CA ($8,116,900).

The loan amount distribution for this industry shows a more even spread across loan sizes, suggesting a mix of small and mid-sized businesses. Because borrower names are withheld for loans under $150,000, a substantial portion of recipients in this industry may not appear by name in this dataset.

As part of the broader Other Services (except Public Administration) sector — repair and maintenance, personal, religious, grantmaking, civic, and similar organizations. — businesses in NAICS 8133 were particularly reliant on PPP assistance to bridge the gap between declining revenues and fixed overhead obligations during the shutdown period.