Governor Gretchen Whitmer Announces Nearly 6,000 Small Businesses Across Michigan Awarded $52.5 Million Through Michigan Small Business Survival Grant Program

• Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) grant program supports small businesses impacted by COVID-19 pandemic
• Over 52,500 jobs retained for Michigan workers as a result of the program
• Grants were chosen and administered by 15 economic development organizations

Critical relief totaling approximately $52.5 million for nearly 6,000 small businesses across the state has been awarded to date through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Michigan Small Business Survival Grant program, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced today.

“The Michigan Small Business Survival Grant Program provides crucial support to Michigan’s small businesses hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “These grants, combined with additional business relief efforts offered by the MEDC, will create a strong foundation for Michigan’s long-term economic recovery. As we distribute the safe and effective vaccine and work to end the pandemic once and for all, I will continue partnering with leaders across the state and urging passage of the MI COVID Recovery plan to provide relief for our small businesses, protect public health and jumpstart our economy.”

Approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund on January 14, the Michigan Small Business Survival Grant Program allocated $55 million to provide support to Michigan small businesses to meet the urgent need of businesses that experienced a significant financial hardship due to COVID-19 emergency “gatherings and face mask orders.” The program allowed for grants of up to $20,000 to be awarded to businesses that are fully closed, with grants of up to $15,000 awarded to businesses that have been partially closed, or otherwise are open and can demonstrate an impact. A total of five percent of overall funding for the program was able to go toward administrative costs of the economic development organizations administering the grants.

The State of Michigan appropriated the funds through SB 748, signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, to support Michigan’s small businesses that have been especially impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Michigan Small Business Survival Grants program was administered by 15 local or nonprofit economic development organizations (EDOs) covering all 83 counties across the state. The full list of EDOs administering the grants, the counties they served, and the number of businesses supported is below.

Summary of grants allocated by local economic development organizations:

*NOTE: EDOs were not required to have jobs retained numbers included in the initial report

To see the full list of businesses that received Survival grants, visit https://www.michiganbusiness.org/survival/.

To be eligible for grants under the program, businesses were required to meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Had one (1) to 100 employees (including full-time, part-time and owner/employees) on a world-wide basis on November 17, 2020.
• In an industry that demonstrated it was affected by the DHHS epidemic orders.
• Needed working capital to support payroll expenses, rent, mortgage payments, utility expenses, or other similar expenses.
• Demonstrated an income loss as a result of the Order as determined by the EDO in which an eligible business is located.
• Was not a live music and entertainment venue eligible for the Michigan Stage Survival grant program. Grant awards for the program to be announced in the coming weeks.

“The Michigan Small Business Survival Program is providing significant support to small businesses helping to get them through this critical time and on the path to economic recovery,” said MEDC CEO Mark A. Burton. “We are thankful for the efforts of our economic development partners, who worked swiftly and diligently to deliver these vital financial resources within their regions and create a path toward economic recovery for small businesses throughout Michigan.”

In total, the MEDC has now launched 23 COVID-19 relief and recovery programs that have supported 24,460 businesses in the state and helped to retain nearly 200,000 jobs across all 83 counties. To learn more about MEDC’s COVID-19 response programs and the impact they are having on economic recovery efforts, visit michiganbusiness.org/covid19response. Other resources for economic reopening efforts as well as businesses across Michigan struggling with economic losses as a result of the COVID-19 virus can be found online at michiganbusiness.org/covid19.

About the Michigan Economic Development Corporation
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org . Join the conversation on: Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn , and Twitter.