Business Equity Initiative Fund Grantees Announced
11 Small Business Owners will Share $50,000 Muskegon, MI – The Business Equity Initiative Fund, at the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, has awarded $50,000 in grants to women business…
Northern Initiatives awarded Platinum Seal
Northern Initiatives recently earned a Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency! Check out our nonprofit profile to keep up to date with our impact: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/47-3130767 We work hard to be transparent…
Siblings Without Rivalry
Try and keep a dry eye while reading this wonderful Second Wave story about Rebecca Macleery, our customer and owner of Kalamazoo Dry Goods, and her sister, Jennifer Faketty, owner…
Myconaut awarded NSF grant
Myconaut, providers of affordable, nutritious mushrooms for Northern Michigan University and local businesses, is also a biotech startup that Northern Initiatives is thrilled to support. Founders Ryan Iacovacci, left, and…
Northern Initiatives President Elissa Sangalli, shown here with CEDAM board member Charlotte Smith, was named Leader of the Year by CEDAM Michigan at its annual meeting.
Elissa Sangalli named Leader of the Year
Annually, the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) recognizes a Leader of the Year. They look for a member who has engaged in creative programming, been involved in an exciting…
Federal aid for low-snow winter
As Michigan continues to face record high winter temperatures, Governor Gretchen Whitmer urged Michigan small businesses impacted by lack of snow to apply for federal funding from the Small Business…
Happy Leap Day Birthday, Cafe Rica
Our favorite Battle Creek coffee (and so much more) shop opened on Feb. 29, 2020, so they celebrated their First Birthday this year, with some really fun things. Festivities will…
Where Banks Fear to Tread: CDFIs rush in to finance startups and small businesses
Rick Haglund writes in the Traverse City Business News (subscription): Most Michigan CDFIs, which must be certified by the Treasury Department, are located in the southern half of the state. Just…
How some Southwest Michigan entrepreneurs stack the odds in their favor
Wonderful story about our Entrepreneur Education programs in Battle Creek: In the Battle Creek area, there’s an education program for would-be entrepreneurs to help them deal with all the unknowns.…
Industry Founders Challenge CDFIs to Embrace a More Expansive Vision
Nonprofit Quarterly writer Steve Dubb covered the OFN Conference, including the Gramlich Award given to two of our board members, Mary Houghton and Ron Gryzwinski. The Gramlich Award is offered…
