By: Alyssa Wilson

New initiatives made by the Biden administration to expand relief loans to small businesses in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) are meant to help, but a decision made by the U.S. Small Business Administration is impacting the way some businesses get loans. 

Last month, President Biden made changes to the program to help sole proprietors, independent contractors, businesses with a small number of employees and the self-employed. 

According to his Administration, the share of funding going to small businesses with fewer than 10 employees is up by nearly 60 percent since this time last year. 

Biden’s team also instituted a 14-day-period specifically for businesses with less than 20 employees to apply for relief through the Paycheck Protection Program. 

Of the eligible businesses, 70 percent are owned by women and people of color. 

PPP data released in December revealed that many minority business owners didn’t receive a relief loan until the program’s last few weeks while many more white business owners were able to get loans earlier under the Trump administration. 

While Biden’s changes are positive news for many, some of the benefits instituted won’t be available to those who already received aid from the program, due to a decision made by the Small Business Administration. 

The 14-day-period for sole proprietors, independent contractors, small businesses and the self-employed to apply ends on March 10.