LANSING—The Ingham County Sunrise Small Business Grant Program, created by Ingham County in April 2021 using $11 million from the county’s first American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds, will provide working capital grants to eligible Ingham County small businesses and nonprofits.
The Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) was selected to administer the program on behalf of Ingham County.
To apply for grants, visit LEAP’s website at www.purelansing.com/sunrise. Also on the website is additional information to help eligible businesses and nonprofits craft competitive applications and apply.
Applications will be open until 11:59 p.m. Friday, July 30, 2021.
“There is no question; small businesses are the backbone of our communities and economy in Ingham County,” said Bryan Crenshaw, chair of the Ingham County Board of Commissioners. “As we are emerging from more than a year of crisis, this support is critical to the recovery and sustainability of our businesses and the communities they support.”
Eligible small businesses and nonprofits include those with 100 or fewer total employees and workers at a physical location in Ingham County and fewer than 250 employees worldwide, with at least 50% of the workforce located in Michigan, and which continue to experience financial hardship as a result of COVID-19. Complete eligibility requirements are available at purelansing.com/sunrise/eligibility.
The application process has been designed to address inequities in the economic impact of COVID-19 and subsequent lack of access to initial relief efforts for underrepresented communities, including Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), women, veterans, people with disabilities and people who are LGBTQ+. To ensure these efforts are effective, LEAP has contracted with a large group of local diversity, equity and inclusion partners to assist in designing the applications and review process.
“The Ingham County Sunrise Small Business Grants will be a great boost to small businesses and nonprofits that are just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Bob Trezise, president and CEO of LEAP. “This is once again an enormous organizational task, one that LEAP is proud to execute on behalf of Ingham County, but it can only be accomplished with the crucial partnership of county leaders and the many local economic development and diversity, equity and inclusion partners and organizations involved.”
The Ingham County Sunrise Grant Program will provide grants to small businesses and nonprofits within Ingham County in the following business categories:
- Food and Beverage Service Establishments (restaurants and bars, food trucks, eateries, coffee shops, bakeries, catering, breweries, distilleries, wineries, tea shops, banquet facilities and other food and beverage service providers)
- Tourism and Hospitality Service Providers (events, entertainment, lodging and transportation providers and venues.
- Retail, Goods and Services (shops, boutiques, bookstores, hardware, health and personal care services, exercise facilities, professional services and other goods and services providers outside of prepared food or drink providers that fall into Food and Beverage Service Establishments)
- Child Care, Early Childhood Education and Activity Providers
- Nonprofits (such as libraries, museums, churches, religious centers, philanthropic, social service and advocacy organizations)
- Business Incubators and Entrepreneur Support Organizations (facilities and programs that provide private and/or shared working spaces, resources and a network to help business startups and small businesses find success and grow)