IFA KICKS OFF VIRTUAL ADVOCACY MEETING, RELEASES CORONAVIRUS RECOVERY POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
The International Franchise Association (IFA) today launches its first-ever virtual Franchise Action Network (FAN) Annual Meeting.
Franchise business leaders from across the country will meet with their elected representatives virtually for the first time ever during FAN’s 2020 Virtual Advocacy Day, set for July 22.
In addition, IFA sent to Congress its full list of policy recommendations to help franchise businesses. The recommendations, which focus on federal policies to improve business liquidity, ensure liability protections, increase hiring and retention, and implement safe business operations are detailed here.
“Although we cannot welcome all of our advocates to Washington for this year’s FAN Annual Meeting, we have put together a full day of at-home advocacy efforts for our franchise business owners to make their voices heard,” said IFA President and CEO Robert Cresanti. “With ongoing COVID-19 relief discussions on Capitol Hill, and in this unprecedented climate, this year’s meeting is incredibly important for franchise business owners to let Congress know what they need to stay afloat and retain employees.”
This year, IFA encouraged its advocates to inform their elected representatives of two crucial policy issues facing franchise businesses: the need for additional liquidity and liability protections. Without additional liquidity, many businesses may be overwhelmed by debt in the long term, and without liability protections, businesses face an increased vulnerability to COVID-19 related lawsuits.
IFA’s Franchise Action Network, or FAN, is the association’s industry-leading grassroots network of advocates across the country that serve as the voice of America’s 733,000 franchise businesses in Washington and state capitals across the country.
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Celebrating 60 years of excellence, education, and advocacy, the International Franchise Association is the world's oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the more than 733,000 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.4 million direct jobs, $787.5 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy and 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees, and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology, and business development.