Aaron Ford Pledges to Revive Nevada Small-Business Loan Program

Nevada Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Aaron Ford is pledging to revive and expand a dormant small-business loan program initially established under Senate Bill 126 in 2017, contrasting his approach with the record of current Governor Joe Lombardo as small businesses face mounting economic pressures.

Small Businesses Receive Relief Through State Loan Program

John Pinnington, owner of AA Printing Service located in the southeast Las Vegas Valley near UNLV, recalls struggling to cover supplies and payroll before securing relief through the state loan program. The 2017 legislation appropriated $1 million for low-interest loans targeted at certified small businesses, including minority-owned, women-owned, and other disadvantaged enterprises. AA Printing Service received a $50,000 loan during the initiative’s first year.

Ford, who sponsored the original bill as state Senate Majority Leader, stated that if elected governor he will invest in growing and spreading awareness of the fund—now known as the Nevada Opportunity Fund—which has shrunk since its creation and lacks state promotion. Pinnington noted that commercial bank loan rates remain too high and strain operators who require cash flow to maintain operations. The initial fund distributed more than $600,000 across 16 small businesses before becoming dormant in 2023, according to data from the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development.

Contrasting Records on Small-Business Administration and Lending Volume

Administration of the program shifted in 2025 under Gov. Joe Lombardo, whose office placed the initiative under the Rural Nevada Development Corp., a nonprofit offering home repair and small-business lending services. Corporation officials confirmed that the organization has facilitated loans to only two businesses through the program since taking over management in 2025, leaving the fund with a balance just under $250,000.

Under Joe Lombardo’s administration, the program has stagnated, only giving out two loans in his entire tenure as governor, Ford said, calling the lending volume unacceptable. Ford argued that because the Rural Nevada Development Corp. facilitates the initiative, urban business owners outside rural regions may not realize they qualify, noting that the corporation’s website fails to clearly specify eligible entities. During a recent visit to Bloomers Florist in central Las Vegas, owner Valeria Varela told Ford she uses her personal vehicle for deliveries when order volumes spike, prompting Ford to suggest utilizing the loan program to finance a second van.

Carli Smith, director of communications for the governor’s office, defended the current administration’s stewardship in an email. The goal has always been to maximize the impact of the available resources and ensure they continue supporting Nevada entrepreneurs and small businesses, Smith wrote, pointing to roughly 20,000 women-owned businesses outside Clark and Washoe counties, per 2022 Census Bureau data, as evidence that the Rural Nevada Development Corp. still fulfills the program’s mandate.

Broader Economic Pressures Facing Nevada Enterprises

Macroeconomic headwinds compound local operational challenges. A March report from the progressive think tank Center for American Progress estimated that the nation’s roughly 236,000 small-business importers paid an average of $306,000 more in tariffs from March 2025 through February 2026 compared to the prior 12-month period. Financial distress is reflected in federal filings: Subchapter V bankruptcy petitions, which provide a streamlined reorganization process for small businesses, rose 67% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier, according to bankruptcy data provider Epiq AACER.

Lombardo’s campaign highlights broader employment figures rather than specialized loan programs. Bureau of Labor Statistics data reported by CNBC showed Nevada’s nonfarm employment rising 1.9% in the 12 months ending in April, marking the largest gain of any state. Lombardo also secured an endorsement on September 15 from the political action committee of the National Federation of Independent Business. There has been no stronger advocate for Nevada’s small businesses than Gov. Lombardo, his campaign stated, citing 100,000 new jobs added, more than $6 billion in generated private investment, 900 cut regulations, a 15% reduction in the modified business tax rate, and vetoed tax increases under his leadership. Meanwhile, political alignments have shifted as the Retail Association of Nevada, which backed Lombardo in 2022, instead endorsed him in this race.