Creating prosperous communities and thriving businesses

When a devastating ice storm hit northern Lower Michigan at the end of March, people said the falling trees sounded like gunshots. Entire forests were…

Benny Young grew up cooking. He cooked at the church where his dad was the pastor and he cooked at home for his family of…

The search for a new home for Everbloom Montessori included important criteria: In the City of Grand Rapids In a child care desert On a…

Jerry Edmonds loves the freedom and the rush of trucking. “It’s hurry-up, but organized and structured,” he said. His family – parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles…

Natasha Partridge is ready to move. Her café’s original location, with a furnace installed the same year she was born, is draining her. “Everything I…

Jessica Tyson is involved. She’s involved in her community, her partnerships, her church, her family, and – at the center - her business. The Candied…

Paul Smith really likes to fish and is more than ready to make a living at it. But sometimes, the winds of fortune blow strangely.…

A loan to Millie’s Farms, a woman-owned family farm in Big Prairie Township near Newaygo, put Northern Initiatives over the $100 million mark in loans…

The 217 residents of Port Hope are grateful. “Thank you for investing in our town.” “You’ve changed my business by opening yours.” “You put Port…