CARSON CITY, Nev. — Today the Interim Finance Committee approved funding for the Office of Small Business Advocacy in the Lieutenant Governor’s office.

The approval came as part of a wide range of work programs set forth by Governor Steve Sisolak and state agencies. It authorized $284,218 to support the Office of Small Business Advocacy, which will go toward retaining and hiring qualified professionals, outreach for the office and associated costs with helping Nevada’s small businesses.

“This office is a direct, tangible way we can help Nevada’s businesses and economy right now, and I want to thank the members of the Interim Finance Committee for approving funding for such a valuable resource in state government,” Lieutenant Governor Lisa Cano Burkhead said. “I get regular reports on the work of the Office of Small Businesses Advocacy, and now with a full year ahead and staff in place, I’m excited to show the state that we are here to help.”

The Office of Small Business Advocacy was created by Assembly Bill 184 and signed into law by Governor Steve Sisolak on May 31, 2021. The office is designed as a one-stop shop for small businesses to take advantage of resources available in state government and reports to the Lieutenant Governor.

Lieutenant Governor Lisa Cano Burkhead hired a Director, Sonny Vinuya, earlier this year, and is in the final stages of hiring a Program Director, to better serve the needs of the state.

“It’s wonderful to see funding continue for this office, and I’m grateful to the members of the Interim Finance Committee for making that happen,” Director Vinuya said. “We’ve only just started helping Nevada’s entrepreneurs, and once a Program Director is on board we will be able to hit the ground running and do everything in our power to aid every single small business owner who comes to our office for help.”

Since launching the web page last month, the Office of Small Business Advocacy has already navigated numerous businesses to the proper resources in Nevada, including the Mortgage Bank of California, which a wrote a letter of thanks to Director Vinuya.

“On behalf of Mortgage Bank of California, I would like to say thank you all for assisting in expediting our approval in the State of Nevada. This previously had been a very arduous process; however, your escalation of this matter was resolved in a relatively short period of time. We are forever grateful.”

For more information about the office, see Lieutenant Governor Cano Burkhead’s vision for Nevada’s businesses, which included the Office of Small Business Advocacy in a guest column with the Las Vegas Sun and Vegas Inc. She and Vinuya also discussed the office with the Las Vegas Review-Journal.