The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) recently announced that 23 Michigan organizations will receive grant funding from the Trusted Connector Grant program, including the Detroit Regional Chamber.
The $250,000 grant will be used to build on the success of the Chamber’s NeighborHUB program and continue the Chamber’s mission to support small business owners in underinvested communities.
Learn more in the news release below.
May 21, 2025
MEDC Announces $8.8 Million in Grants for Organizations Supporting Under-Represented Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs
Today, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced the 23 Michigan organizations that will receive grant funding from the Trusted Connector Grant program, which provide grants to organizations such as chambers of commerce and other member-based organizations that engage with under-represented small businesses and/or tech-based entrepreneurs across the state. Additionally, a Detroit-based company will receive grant funding from the Entrepreneur Support Grant program.
In total, the $6.8 million in Trusted Connector Grants and a $2 million Entrepreneur Support Grant will allow the selected organizations to continue providing technical assistance programming, networking events, mentorship, and outreach to small businesses throughout Michigan.
Trusted Connector Grant
The Trusted Connector grants total $6.8 million in funding to support small business development initiatives across the state. This funding opportunity provides grants to organizations such as chambers of commerce and other member-based organizations that regularly convene and engage under-represented small businesses and/or tech-based entrepreneurs through technical assistance programming, networking events, mentorship, and outreach.
While most grantees have multi-county service areas, several grantees will serve entrepreneurs statewide. The funding opportunity was highly competitive, with 44 eligible applications demonstrating $15 million in need across the state to increase awareness of resources available to entrepreneurs and to provide expert, culturally competent technical assistance.
The 23 grantees are established organizations skilled in meeting critical competitiveness and growth needs of Michigan small businesses in the areas of capital access preparedness; increasing digital acumen; promoting awareness of, and connection to, technology and innovation resources; facilitating expert-led mentorship and networking opportunities; providing and/or facilitating one-on-one coaching; providing and/or facilitating workshops and seminars with industry leaders; and providing appropriate referrals to Michigan entrepreneurial ecosystem partners to meet specific needs of the entrepreneur, according to industry or growth acceleration.