CDFI leaders testify in Lansing
Elissa Sangalli and Jennifer Hayes testified before the Michigan State Senate March 6. They talked to the LEO/MEDC Appropriations Subcommittee about the importance of CDFIs and the impact they have…
Northern Initiatives in the News
Olvera Enterprises, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Olvera Enterprises to expand
Crain's Grand Rapids Business has a nice article on the expansion of Supermercado Mexico. With the new CEO in place, co-owner Javier Olvera hopes to position Supermercado Mexico to add…
(From left) Ron Grzywinski, Maria Barksdale, and Mary Houghton accept the 2023 Ned Gramlich Award for responsible finance.
Northern Initiatives Board Members Receive Industry’s Highest Award
Founders of Shorebank Corp. Inspired a National CDFI Movement WASHINGTON, D.C. – Northern Initiatives board members Mary Houghton and Ron Gryzwinski received the CDFI industry’s highest honor at this year’s…
Northern Initiatives Awarded Grant to Get Entrepreneurs Capital-Ready
Michigan’s largest CDFI will connect small business owners with resources throughout the state MARQUETTE, MICH., Oct. 10, 2023 – Northern Initiatives, a nonprofit lender working throughout Michigan, has been awarded…
Community foundations, nonprofit lenders blending strengths
Through our partnership with Issue Media, this story is in several publications around the state. Community foundations have found a satisfying way to invest in their communities. They’re investing in…
Patricia Bejarano Bredehoft, and her sons who own Cafe Rica, Jackson, left, and Tristan
BC’s Café Rica and GR’s Natural Maya inspired by native culture, supported by Northern Initiatives
This story is part of a series in Second Wave SW Michigan that uplifts equitable small businesses and its ecosystem in Kalamazoo, Battle Creek and Grand Rapids. On an afternoon in…
Northern Initiatives, Start Garden awarded $3 million
Grant will help underserved entrepreneurs throughout Michigan Northern Initiatives, a nonprofit lender, and Start Garden, a business incubator, have been awarded $3 million from the U.S. Minority Business Development Agency…
Kalamazoo’s RJ’s Printing legacy grows with new chapter and new owner
Imagine being perfectly suited to take over a well-established, highly respected small business but you must first get over two big hurdles: arrange financing worth roughly a half-million dollars and…
State budget includes $19M for CDFIs
Mark Sanchez of Crain's Grand Rapids Business covered the state budget allocation for Michigan CDFIs in this story. Lawmakers allocated the funding in a budget for the state’s 2024 fiscal…
Northern Initiatives Jumpstarts Businesses
As part of a new partnership with Issue Media, we're getting the word out about our work to a statewide audience. This article, in SW Michigan Second Wave and Rapid…
