State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Technical Assistance Grant Program

Program Overview

Through an open and competitive application process, the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) selected qualified technical assistance (TA) providers to deliver one-on-one assistance to eligible Michigan entrepreneurs and small businesses who are applying for, preparing to apply for or have applied for capital funding from an SSBCI-supported program or other eligible federal program.

The SSBCI TA Grant Program prioritizes services from technical assistance providers that will meet program goals and serve businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (SEDI) and very small businesses (VSB), including services that can:

  • Increase awareness and readiness for entrepreneurs and small businesses applying for capital
  • Result in the successful acquisition of capital, and/or support throughout the length of their loan
  • Increase financial and business management skills
  • Support overall geographic coverage of businesses across the state

In October 2023 Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II announced the nine grant winners for the SSBCI TA Grant Program. Read the full announcement here.

SSBCI TA Providers

Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services

ACCESS will focus on building the capacity of new and emerging entrepreneurs and small business owners in southeastern Michigan's Arab American communities.

Great Lakes Women's Business Council

GLWBC will focus on loan readiness and post loan support for start-ups, early-stage and existing businesses through credit education and credit repair, lease contracts, business formation and organization issues.

Metro Community Development, Inc

Metro will provide technical assistance as well as access to capital with a focus on serving persons of color-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses in Genesee, Shiawassee, Lapeer, Oakland, Saginaw, Livingston, and Tuscola counties.

Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance

Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance will provide direct support to Black entrepreneurs in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties through one-on-one business coaching directly with business owners.

Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council

MMSDC is dedicated to fostering economic growth within minority communities and will expand their services to additional SEDI-owned and very small businesses.

Michigan Women Forward

Michigan Women Forward will provide technical assistance to support individualized gaps that entrepreneurs face both pre and post loan to increase the likelihood of business success.

Northern Initiatives

Northern Initiatives will provide pre and post technical assistance to small businesses owners and entrepreneurs who are SEDI-owned and/or very small businesses across all Michigan counties outside of the Detroit region.

People First Economy

People First Economy, in conjunction with the Center for Community-Based Enterprise, the Michigan Employee Ownership Collaborative, and the Detroit Community Wealth Fund, will provide one-on-one high touch financial and legal technical assistance to prepare business owners and their existing employees for worker ownership.

Prosperus Detroit Micro Lending

Prosperus will support SEDI-owned and very small businesses by increasing awareness and readiness skills to apply for capital through radically supportive and culturally competent entrepreneurship training, financial coaching, technical assistance, and microlending.

Program Documents for Download

SSBCI TA Program Guidelines

SSBCI TA Application Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

US Treasury SSBCI Guidelines

SSBCI TA Application Budget Summary

More Information

The MSF will implement the SSBCI Technical Assistance Program through contracted service providers to create a coordinated, networked infrastructure of quality TA providers that deliver pre-loan and post-loan close assistance in all areas of the state.

When determining which eligible TA providers will receive funding, proposed programs and services that directly support entrepreneurs in accessing capital through Michigan’s SSBCI 2.0 capital programs and other non-COVID-related federal and state-backed loan and grant products will be prioritized.

The program aims to address barriers at the start and throughout the length of the loan – such as capital readiness, obtaining proper financial documentation, and building business acumen. Through this program, SEDI-owned businesses and VSB will have an increased likelihood of success in obtaining capital through participating lenders. Participating lenders are anticipated to include traditional financial institutions, CDFIs and minority deposit institutions (MDI).

TA providers applying for funding through Michigan’s SSBCI TA program are building a pipeline of eligible businesses for Michigan’s SSBCI capital programs – specifically the Loan Guarantee program, which will be deployed through CDFI and MDIs and primarily focused on first-time borrowers and microlending programs.

Contact Us

Need additional assistance? Please direct any questions to [email protected].