LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) support for 31 small businesses across Michigan through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s (MEDC) Match on Main program. The $748,018.82 in grants awarded to small local businesses will create resiliency and strengthen downtowns in communities throughout the state.

“Michigan’s small businesses are the beating hearts of our main streets and downtowns,” said Governor Whitmer. “Today’s Match on Main grants will create 76 good-paying jobs and provide 31 small businesses across Michigan with the support they need to grow and thrive. Together, we are growing our economy and making communities across Michigan more attractive to live, work, and invest. Let’s keep working together to ensure anyone can ‘make it in Michigan.”

The grants are expected to create 76 full-time jobs and activate 8,835 square feet of vacant and underutilized space, with the projects expected to generate a total private investment of more than $2.7 million. Of the 31 awardees, 22 businesses are located within Geographically Disadvantaged Areas.

The Match on Main program serves as a tool to support new or expanding place-based businesses as they seek to launch and grow in core downtown areas and commercial districts by providing up to $25,000 in funding to support an eligible small business through a competitive application process. The FY24 Match on Main application window yielded a total of 113 applicants from 80 communities – the highest participation to date.

In February 2024, the MSF board approved $750,000 in funding  to further strengthen Match on Main’s role as a foundational MEDC program, ensuring that Michigan’s small businesses will continue to succeed in the state.

“Match on Main is an important tool for place-based small businesses and communities across Michigan and serves as a catalyst in driving small business investment and growth opportunities,” said Amy Rencher, Senior Vice President of Small Business Services at MEDC. “Through the Match on Main Program, we’re not just investing in small businesses; we’re revitalizing communities and fostering economic growth one entrepreneur at a time.”

FY24 Match on Main Recipients

Of the FY24 Match on Main grantees awarded, eight are new businesses and 23 are existing businesses, including 15 restaurants, nine retail establishments, five service businesses and two other businesses that demonstrate a commitment to revitalizing community infrastructure and boosting local employment.

In Alpena, the city awarded a $25,000 grant to Mangos Express for the creation of a walk-up counter and bar off the back of the building that faces an alleyway. The alleyway is being transformed into a pedestrian-only public gathering space in collaboration with the DDA, City of Alpena, and surrounding businesses.

“Our business will forever be positively impacted by being selected for this grant,” said Hugo Mendez, owner of Mangos Express. “We will be using this award to continue with the re-opening of Mangos Express, which will also provide our community with more job opportunities. Our number one goal is to always give back to our amazing community that has given so much to us.”

In the village of Stevensville, a $22,157.36 grant was awarded to Watermark Brewing Company to support the expansion of its beer garden. The development will transform a pre-existing blight property, enhancing the local downtown corridor and boosting the area’s appeal for residents and visitors alike.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support provided by the Match on Main grant,” said Chris Mason, co-founder of Watermark Brewing Company. “This expansion allows us to retain and potentially increase our workforce, ensuring that we continue to play a vital role in Stevensville’s thriving business community. Moreover, it positions Stevensville as a key destination for beer enthusiasts and tourists, further boosting the local economy.”

July 2024 Match on Main grantees

July 3, 2024

Contact: [email protected]

Gov. Whitmer, Legislature to Put Money Back in Teachers’ Pockets in Budget

Recently passed FY 2025 budget supports educators with increase in pay for veteran teachers, continued student loan repayment, future educator fellowship, and stipends for student teachers

LANSING, Mich. – Governor Whitmer highlighted investments in the recently passed state budget to support educators—past, present, and future.

“This year’s budget will build on our historic efforts to invest in educators and ensure they have the resources they need to succeed,” said Governor Whitmer. “By raising pay, reducing debt, and supporting future teachers we are setting up Michigan schools for decades of success. Together, we will train, attract, and retain more skilled, talented educators to our schools, building on the historic investments we have made since I took office. I will always have our educators’ backs, and I look forward to continuing this work with my partners in the legislature and across Michigan.”

“Supporting our educators is one of the most important things we can do to ensure a brighter future for Michigan,” said Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “As a dad of three school-aged kids, I want them all to go to a classroom where they are taught by a skilled, qualified educator. This budget not only recognizes the hard work of our current teachers but also paves the way for the next generation of educators by making it more affordable to enter the profession. We are committed to creating an environment where educators can thrive and where every student has the opportunity to succeed.”

“We applaud Gov. Whitmer and Legislature’s fiscal responsibility in aggressively pre-funding the school employee retiree health system,” said Michigan Education Association President and CEO Chandra Madafferi, a teacher from Oakland County. “Now that the system is fully funded, educators from across Michigan — who have sacrificed 3% of their salaries for over a decade to shore up the retirement system — will receive much-needed financial relief, and local schools will receive a boost in per-pupil funding to help our students learn.”

A Better, More Affordable Education

Governor Whitmer remains a steadfast ally for students and teachers in Michigan’s school system. This budget marks the largest investment in education in our state’s history for the sixth year in a row. These investments include:

• $181 million to recognize the crucial role high-quality, veteran teachers play to help their students succeed.
• Continued support for the MI Future Educator Fellowship, a scholarship that lowers the cost of higher education for future teachers.
• Continued payments for student teachers so they stay on the path to the classroom.
• Continued student loan repayment for educators.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

July 3, 2024

Contact: [email protected]

Governor Whitmer Highlights Record Investment in Michigan State Parks 

Powered by federal funding, Michigan parks thrive and outdoor recreation booms

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer highlighted that since she took office, Michigan has invested more than $780 million in parks and outdoor recreation facilities, supporting projects at 636 locations across the state. This record investment includes the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan, which was the largest one-time investment in state and local parks in Michigan history made possible by the Biden-Harris administration’s American Rescue Plan.

“Since I took office, we have invested a record-breaking $780 million in our state parks, trails, and outdoor facilities,” said Governor Whitmer. “This funding supported upgrades at 636 sites across Michigan. The projects we funded increased accessibility, improved infrastructure, and supported local recreation businesses. We all love our state parks because they are the best, most beautiful parts of Michigan and integral to our economy. As we kick off another busy summer, I am excited to see how our investments improve the park experience for Michiganders and visitors. I hope everyone has a chance to get outside this summer, enjoy a state park, and explore Pure Michigan.”

Record Parks Investment

• A big chunk of the $780 million investment in state parks was in the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan signed into law by Governor Whitmer in 2022. The plan was funded directly by the Biden-Harris administration’s American Rescue Plan and helped strengthen our economy, increase tourism, and support thousands of small, outdoor recreation businesses.

• Projects funded by this investment include allocations for a new state park in Flint, construction of wheelchair accessible infrastructure at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula, and improvements to recreation facilities including trails, boat launches, and harbors across the state.

• The balanced, bipartisan 2024 state budget established the Nature Awaits program, which provides every Michigan fourth grader a free field trip to a state park.

The Outdoor Economy

• Michigan’s state parks are critical to the state’s economy, as the $12.36 billion outdoor recreation industry supports nearly 119,000 jobs.
• The outdoor recreation economy saw double digit growth in 2022 (the most recent year we have data) for the second year in a row.
• Outdoor recreation also benefits local retailers, driving $4.1 billion of value and supporting more than 46,000 jobs.
• In 2019, Governor Whitmer created the Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry within the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to support and grow the outdoor recreation economy.