COVID-19 Recovery Resources for Michigan Businesses

Back to Work: Employer Resources

The State of Michigan offers programs and services aimed at helping employers fill job openings, provide safe, healthy work environments for workers and address other business-related needs.

State of Michigan Small Business Resources

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is committed to ensuring small business not only succeed, but thrive in Michigan.

Detroit Development Fund

Detroit Development Fund is accepting applications from businesses in Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck who have been impacted by the COVID-19 virus. Businesses interested in applying for a loan should contact DDF at (313) 784-9623, or by email at [email protected].

Metro Community Development

Micro and small business loans ranging from $5,000 to $250,000 are available to Michigan small businesses in 13 counties, with an emphasis on businesses located in economically disadvantaged areas. For more information, contact [email protected].

Northern Initiatives Program

The program provides up to $2 million in loan funds to Northern Initiatives through MEDC’s Capital Access program to assist businesses impacted by the COVID-19 virus.

MI State Trade Expansion Program (MI-STEP)

In response to COVID-19, the MI-STEP program has increased the cap amount for certain activities to help support companies going global with their business, making it more favorable to participate in export activities.

MSF Awardee Relief Initiative

Authorizes emergency relief to businesses and community projects that have previously received grants, loans, or other forms of economic assistance from the Michigan Strategic Fund.

Capital Access Program

MEDC's Capital Access program uses public resources to generate private lender financing, providing small businesses in Michigan access to capital that might not otherwise be available.

Community Capital Resources

Small businesses are the cornerstone of what makes Michigan’s downtowns unique and authentic. Investment-based crowdfunding provides an innovative financial tool to support the creation, retention, and growth of businesses on main street.

Reopen Main Street

MEDC has partnered with Reopen Main Street to compile a variety of recovery resources into one, easy-to-use website. The new website includes reopening strategies, ideas, hints and tips for businesses, business districts and organizations.

Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) Program

This program will provide grants to eligible applicants working to rehabilitate vacant, underutilized, blighted and historic structures and develop permanent place-based infrastructure associated with traditional downtowns, social-zones, outdoor dining and placed-based public spaces.

Michigan Stages Survival Grant Program

The Michigan Stages Survival grant program will provide grants to eligible live music and entertainment venues that have realized a significant financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 emergency. The application window is now closed.

Michigan Small Business Survival Grant Program

The State of Michigan has allocated $55 million to implement the Michigan Small Business Survival Grant Program to support the needs of eligible Michigan businesses that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 virus and the Gatherings and Mask Order.

Pure Michigan Small Business Relief Initiative

This program provide $10 million in CARES Act CDBG funding in support of small businesses that continue to disproportionally affected by the negative impacts of the pandemic. Applications closed on December 15, 2020.

Michigan Entrepreneur Resilience Fund

MEDC partnered with Michigan Women Forward to create a $1.5 million fund to help entrepreneurs and small businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19 recover from the outbreak, as well as assist them in meeting increased demands in support of COVID-19 response efforts.

Michigan Agricultural Safety Grants

The State of Michigan allocated $15 million of CARES Act funding to implement the Michigan Agricultural Safety Grant to support COVID-19 monitoring and mitigation strategies for Michigan’s agricultural processors and farms of 10 employees or more.

MEDC Small Farm Safety Grant Program

To complement the Agricultural Safety Grant, MEDC launched the MEDC Small Farm Safety Grant Program open to Michigan farms with less than 10 employees. In total, $1.25 million in grants were available to fund COVID-19 mitigation costs at Michigan farms.

Michigan Small Business Restart Program

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.

Michigan Small Business Relief Program

Michigan Small Businesses Relief Grants will be administered by 15 local and nonprofit economic development organizations (EDOs) around Michigan. Applications are now closed.

MEDC's Regional Business Development Managers

Contact your MEDC Business Development Manager for personalized support and to get connected to additional resources.

Contact your Community Assistance Team Member

Use the Community Assistance Team member map to find your local contact. CAT team members can offer personalized support.

Economic Development Partners

MEDC works with more than 100 economic development partners across the state. Use this list to find additional local support in your area.