Going Big: 2025 was the year franchising went on offense

When 2025 began, the International Franchise Association (IFA) decided the time was right to “go big,” go on offense, and make it the year of franchising. From start to finish, it truly was a banner year protecting, enhancing, and promoting the franchise model and the approximately 850,000 franchise establishments and nearly nine million jobs it supports. 

Now, with a new year upon us, it’s worth looking back on how far we’ve come. It’s also a time to look forward to 2026, see what results are within reach, and decide how the franchise community can help achieve them. 

There was no bigger moment than the September introduction of the landmark American Franchise Act (AFA) in the U.S. House of Representatives and, three months later, in the U.S. Senate. The AFA has been one of the most significant, proactive measures to protect the business model in IFA history, but there was no shortage of other tangible accomplishments during the previous 12 months that led to this historic position. 

Throughout the spring, IFA led the charge, urging the extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), emphasizing the importance of making the Section 199A deduction for qualified business income permanent. With four IFA members testifying before Congress on the importance of permanent tax relief for small businesses and nine franchise owners joining President Donald Trump at a White House event urging Congress to extend the TCJA via the One, Big, Beautiful Bill, franchising has had a seat at the table. The bill ultimately became law with all provisions critical to franchise businesses included. 

With a number of wins on the regulatory front and state level, it is also important to know that a bipartisan and bicameral group of lawmakers introduced a historic congressional resolution recognizing June 11 as the first-ever World Franchise Day, honoring the franchise business model’s impact on job creation, entrepreneurship, and economic development.  

Throughout it all, IFA has been relentless in our advocacy for policy objectives to support our members, which culminated in September and the introduction of the AFA, a narrow, standalone piece of legislation that provides long-term certainty after a decade of joint-employer whiplash and ensures franchise owners can continue operating independently. 

The AFA was introduced with an equal seven Republicans and seven Democrats. IFA immediately launched a full-scale national and regional advocacy push for the legislation. We brought more than 400 franchise leaders, owners, and advocates to Washington, D.C., for the annual Advocacy Summit. They urged lawmakers to move the AFA forward. By year’s end, the House bill was up to 66 cosponsors. 

Two months later, after the longest federal government shutdown in history, President Trump became the first president in recent political history to say the words “joint employer” during a speech in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, IFA mobilized a powerful coalition of more than 100 business, advocacy, and diversity organizations across 50 states, urging Congress to move on the AFA. 

Just before Congress recessed for the year, the U.S. Senate introduced bipartisan companion legislation to the AFA. It was another watershed moment and spoke to the widespread and growing bipartisan support of local businesses. And it set up the momentum for 2026. 

Outside of each of these advocacy efforts, IFA has been working to tell the story of local franchise owners through the “Franchise Means Local” campaign, putting human faces behind the brand names and working to reinforce the narrative that franchising is small business. 

Even with all this incredible progress, we need your help to educate Congress about the value of franchising and ensure that it remains a strong, viable business model for years to come. Your voice will be essential to getting the AFA passed and signed into law. Tell lawmakers that franchising is a cornerstone of America’s economy, thriving due to the unique partnership between franchisors and franchisees.  

To keep the American dream local, the AFA must become law. 

Whether you’re a franchisee, franchisor, or supplier, reach out to your members of Congress to tell your story and share the positive impact that AFA’s permanent joint-employer standard would bring to every corner of this country. 

We’re so close to providing certainty for franchisors and franchisees for the long term. With your help, we will get it done.

Matt Haller is president and CEO of the International Franchise Association.