Deadline for Small Businesses to Apply for up to $15,000 in Grant Funding is This Month

Local entrepreneurs interested in growing their businesses still have time the rest of October to apply for up to $15,000 in grant funding through the Flint & Genesee Small Business Support Hub Grant Program. The program has three tiers of grant amounts available:

• $5,000 (for startup businesses that have been in business for less than three years, but more than one);
• $10,000 (for micro businesses that have been in business for three or more years, with fewer than 10 full-time employees);
• $15,000 (for small businesses that have been in business for three or more years, with more than 10 full-time employees).

Applications go through a two-part process, with applicants first answering Letter of Intent (LOI) questions that determine eligibility and then, once that is approved, complete a second part of the application process. The LOI must be completed by October 30 and the full application deadline is October 31. Applicants will receive an email to proceed with the second part of the application once their LOI is approved.

The application is available online, and all applicants must have residential and business addresses within Genesee County. They must also submit a business plan with the grant application that will show how funds will be used, and businesses cannot be franchises or nonprofit organizations. 

Successful applicants will also receive valuable support from the Flint & Genesee Group. Last year, in the program’s first year, 20 businesses received grants, including several city of Flint businesses.

“Through the program, we work closely with grantees through in-person and virtual trainings to ensure that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to use these grant dollars effectively,” said Karena Hamlet, program director of business services for the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance and administrator of the Flint & Genesee Small Business Support Hub in a news release. “We just finished up with an amazing cohort from last year’s grant who have all come a long way to get their businesses to new heights.” 

The Flint & Genesee Small Business Support hub was established in 2024 through Michigan’s Small Business Support Hub program. The hub works with each client to create customized support that includes data-informed counseling, capital access coaching, personal finance mentorship, and connections to help grow their business. More information is available online.