Pure Michigan Small Business Relief Initiative Grant Opportunity; Opens Dec. 15

by | Dec 12, 2020 | Breaking News

UPDATE:
Application for businesses to apply will open on Dec. 15, 2020 at 9:00 A.M.

Grants are targeted to specific businesses (read eligibility requirements) and may only be used for the following eligible expenses: payroll expenses, rent/ mortgage payments, and utility expenses. Grant funds may be used by the business for eligible expenses expended between November 18, 2020 and April 30, 2021. 
The program goes live at 9am on the 15th and is ‘first-in”. 
Carefully read the information on the link below. Read the eligibility requirements. Review and answer the Application Questions so you are ready to fill them in on the application when it goes live:
 
Get your information together and be ready when the application window opens. These grants go fast!
This link goes live at 9am on December 15: https://www.michiganbusiness.org/about-medc/covid19/relief/ 

November 30, 2020
The Michigan Strategic Fund today approved a $10 million grant program to help meet the urgent needs of small businesses disproportionately impacted the COVID-19 virus. The Pure Michigan Small Business Relief Initiative will utilize federal CARES Act funding to provide $10 million in grants to meet the urgent need of Michigan small businesses disproportionately impacted the COVID-19 virus. Applications for businesses to apply will open on December 15, 2020.

The grant application for small businesses to apply will open on December 15, 2020. Grants will be awarded in the amount up to $15,000 per eligible business on a “first-in” bases. Grant funds will assist eligible small businesses directly impacted by COVID-19 meet urgent working capital needs including payroll expenses, rent or mortgage payments and utility expenses in the following industries:

  • Restaurants, bars and other food and beverage service providers
  • Travel and tourism destinations including lodging providers
  • Live event venues and movie theaters
  • Conference and meeting facilities
  • Ice skating rinks, indoor water parks and bowling centers
  • Gyms and fitness centers

These federal CARES Act dollars were distributed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to the Michigan Community Development Block Grant program. To qualify for grant support, businesses must meet eligibility criteria including but not limited to:

  • Being a business in one of the targeted industries listed above
  • Must be in compliance with all State and local orders related to COVID-19, including, but not limited, to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
  • Be a for-profit entity (i.e., a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or LLC)
  • Have a physical establishment in the Michigan County of Application and is NOT a home-based business
  • Provide goods or services to multiple clients or customers
  • Be current, or in a payment plan, on all local, state, and federal taxes due through 1/1/2020
  • Have an active and valid state license(s)/registration(s), if applicable
  • Is not an adverse party to litigation involving the State or municipality
  • Business or Business owner has not filed for bankruptcy in the last 10 years
  • Can identify a need for payroll, rent or mortgage payments, and/or utility expenses necessary to continue/restart business operations relative to the total grant amount
  • Had annual gross revenues in 2019 greater than $25,000
  • Has at least two employees, including the owner(s)
  • Has fewer than 50 employees (including full-time, part-time, and owner(s) on a world-wide basis)

More Information

For the full list of requirements and for more information, please review the following documents: