Resources

Grants and Scholarships

Business Grants, Funding & Scholarships

The State of Michigan has allocated $55 million to implement the Michigan Small Business Survival Grant Program to support the needs of Michigan businesses that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 virus and the Gatherings and Mask Order. The application window to apply is now closed. Funding will be dispersed January 29th – February 28, 2021.

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The Shuttered Venue Operators (SVO) Grant program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, signed into law on December 27, 2020. The program includes $15 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by the SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance.

Eligible applicants may qualify for SVO Grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees.

The SBA is in the process of setting up the grant program and is not yet accepting applications.

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In response to the economic impact of COVID-19, the State of Michigan has allocated $100 million of CARES Act funding to implement the Michigan Small Business Restart Program to support the needs of Michigan Businesses directly impacted by COVID-19.

Apply Now

In response to the economic impact of the COVID-19, the State of Michigan has allocated $15 million of CARES Act funding to implement the Michigan Agricultural Safety Grant Program to support the needs of Michigan’s agricultural processors and farms.

Apply Now

State & Federal Government Support

We want to make you aware of the newly launched “Detroit Means Business” Program https://detroitmeansbusiness.org/.

This incredible program is being offered to small businesses like yours that are preparing to reopen under Phase 4 of the Governor’s Michigan Safe Start Plan.

Many of the program offerings are specifically for businesses under 50 employees in the city of Detroit who are often disconnected to traditional resources. This program offers a number of services and resources so small businesses can:

  • Safely open and operate with proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
    Ensure employees and customers are safe with vetted health, safety, and reopening guidelines
  • Have easy access to individuals ready to assist with reopening questions
    Be aware of financial and technical assistance available to support capital and operational needs
  • We will prioritize free PPE distribution to small businesses with 2 to 50 employees. If you are in this category, you will be able to access a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Starter Kit which includes: 100 masks as well as 200 gloves and a gallon of hand sanitizer. The PPE Starter Kits are being generously donated by the DTE Energy Foundation.

In order to access your PPE Kit, you will need to go to https://detroitmeansbusiness.org and fill out the help form to request the Kit and schedule a pickup time at the designated Detroit location.

Detroit Means Business will also offer expert webinars for small business owners. Please visit https://detroitmeansbusiness.org/technical-assistance-webinars/ to register for the two webinars listed below, and continue to check back for more.

Application Process Now Live For Michigan Small Business Relief Program Funding

  • Up to $20 million in grants and loans now available to Michigan’s small businesses impacted by COVID-19 outbreak
  • Grants and loans to support businesses facing drastic reductions in cash flow
  • Program now accepting applications, with key information available at michiganbusiness.org/covid19

Michigan’s small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 virus can now apply for grants and loans through the Michigan Small Business Relief Program. The program will provide up to $20 million in grants and loans to provide economic assistance to Michigan’s small businesses that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 virus, and in turn help support workers and their families facing economic uncertainty during the outbreak. Information on how to apply, as well as eligibility criteria, is available at www.michiganbusiness.org/covid19.

Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program allows small businesses who currently have a business relationship with an SBA Express Lender to access up to $25,000 with less paperwork. These loans can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing and can be a term loans or used to bridge the gap while applying for a direct SBA Economic Injury Disaster loan. If a small business has an urgent need for cash while waiting for decision and disbursement on Economic Injury Disaster Loan, they may qualify for an SBA Express Disaster Bridge Loan.

Terms

  • Up to $25,000
  • Fast turnaround
  • Will be repaid in full or in part by proceeds from the EIDL loan

Find an Express Bridge Loan Lender via SBA’s Lender Match Tool or by connecting with your local SBA District Office.

Read more

Resources & Articles

With the impact COVID-19 is having on our communities, it is important to stay informed about what resources are available for small businesses. Below we’ve compiled tools, loans and relief services available.

Click here for more information

Partnering with the Grand Rapids Chamber to deliver financial support to small businesses in Kent County

Kent County is launching the Kent County Small Business Recovery Program to deliver short-term, financial support to small businesses in Kent County with the purpose of supporting and cultivating a strong economic recovery. The Grand Rapids Chamber, in partnership with Kent County, will be managing the program. As part of this initiative, the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is proud to engage as a supporting partner.

The program will help businesses that have not been able to access, or have been declined local, state, or federal relief funds, gain access to additional support to weather the COVID-19 crisis. The program will focus on businesses that may be dealing with additional barriers including but not limited to language, general business knowledge, and those from underserved communities. Consistent with the limitations of the CARES Act, these businesses also must have been directly impacted and experienced a loss of income due to COVID-19.

We are thrilled to partner on this crucial work. The need for this additional funding is vast, and we are committed to supporting business in their time of need.

The first round of applications will open next Monday, June 22 to those that have not previously received COVID-19 related aid.

Additionally, the program eligibility requires applicants to be a private, for-profit business located and registered in Kent County with 0-25 full-time equivalent employees, to have been directly impacted and experienced a loss of income due to COVID-19, and have a business start date prior to February 15, 2020.

Learn more

With the global spread of COVID-19, organizations worldwide are addressing the changes required to ensure employee, customer, and visitor safety. As communities lift shelter-in-place restrictions, organizations re-open, and workflows resume it will be critical to prepare your environment to keep your team and community safe and healthy.

MacArthur’s Safe@Work™ series supports compliance to health authority guidance for workplace screening, cleaning, social distancing, and protective supplies to help prevent the spread of disease. Our products are designed for and tested in laboratory, manufacturing, warehousing and office environments. All products offer OSHA compliance and ANSI Z535.1 color standards for safety.

SafeStartKit – Industrial
SafeStartKit – Small Business
SafeStartKit – Boutique

V2Soft CompanyTRAK Mobile App
Contact Tracing and Social Distancing, the tools to get your employees back to work in a safe environment.

Solutions:

Contact Tracing
Social Distancing
Daily Health Check on Mobile App
Admin Portal for HR Admins of the company
View Brochure

Radiant offers automated social distancing and contact tracing solutions to help companies transition their employees back to work, safely, in the wake of COVID-19. We use modern IoT technologies to provide businesses with accountability solutions and insights into interaction history. Furthermore – and arguably even more important – Radiant’s solution helps companies make interaction data actionable. Built upon the Virtual Asset Tracker framework that Radiant currently offers for daily asset tracking, the solution for social distancing management and contact tracing integrates a wearable device to accomplish three things:

  • Automated social distancing alerts (individual) and reporting (enterprise)
  • Alerts detecting employee clustering
  • Automated, anonymous contact tracing, allowing employers to see an interaction history between wearable devices

Read Article on Radiant RFID

COVID-19 has upended traditional business models, requiring lean personnel teams and efficient remote working conditions to navigate this crisis. Stress levels remain high as businesses begin navigating the complexities of a “new normal”

“Detroit Means Business” Program
We want to make you aware of the newly launched “Detroit Means Business” Program https://detroitmeansbusiness.org/.

This incredible program is being offered to small businesses like yours that are preparing to reopen under Phase 4 of the Governor’s Michigan Safe Start Plan.

Many of the program offerings are specifically for businesses under 50 employees in the city of Detroit who are often disconnected to traditional resources. This program offers a number of services and resources so small businesses can:

Safely open and operate with proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Ensure employees and customers are safe with vetted health, safety, and reopening guidelines
Have easy access to individuals ready to assist with reopening questions
Be aware of financial and technical assistance available to support capital and operational needs
We will prioritize free PPE distribution to small businesses with 2 to 50 employees. If you are in this category, you will be able to access a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Starter Kit which includes: 100 masks as well as 200 gloves and a gallon of hand sanitizer. The PPE Starter Kits are being generously donated by the DTE Energy Foundation.

In order to access your PPE Kit, you will need to go to https://detroitmeansbusiness.org and fill out the help form to request the Kit and schedule a pickup time at the designated Detroit location.

Detroit Means Business will also offer expert webinars for small business owners. Please visit https://detroitmeansbusiness.org/technical-assistance-webinars/ to register for the two webinars listed below, and continue to check back for more.