(FLINT, Mich. – April 7, 2016) The Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce is holding a second group of orientations next week for Flint small businesses interested in applying for a Moving Flint Forward Fund grant.
The grant program was established to help small businesses affected financially by the Flint water crisis. Grants up to $10,000 are available to businesses that meet the criteria.
Orientations will be held April 11-12, from 10 a.m. to noon, at New Jerusalem Full Gospel Baptist Church, 1015 Carpenter Rd. Participants will learn more about the grant program and receive an application packet to complete.
Attendance at one of the orientations is mandatory to be considered for a grant.
Please RSVP with Tracy Joseph at to reserve a spot. Those who RSVP will have priority seating over those who register at the event.
Grants may be used for:
- Expansion
- Repairs
- Inventory
- Leasehold improvements
- Working capital
- Water filtration and reimbursements
- Vendor payments & debt service*
- Marketing & advertising
*Debt acquired during the water crisis
To be considered, prospective applicants must own and operate a business within the city of Flint, and be able to prove financial hardship as a result of the current economy and water crisis. Special consideration will be given to minority-owned businesses but franchise operations are not eligible for this program. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The first meetings, held April 4-6, attracted more than 150 participants over the three days.
“This is an important step toward healing and re-growing our business community in Flint,” said George Wilkinson, Group Vice President for the Flint & Genesee Chamber. “No doubt, the water crisis has been catastrophic but we will continue to work diligently with community stakeholders to turn this setback into an opportunity for economic revitalization.”
The funds are part of the economic development program established by the FlintNOW Foundation, created by Platinum Equity founder and Detroit Pistons Owner Tom Gores, and Huntington Bank to support homeowners, businesses, entrepreneurs and residents of Flint and Genesee County. That program donated $1 million to the Genesee Chamber Foundation’s Moving Flint Forward Fund, which will award the grants.