Lakeshore Advantage

The Michigan Strategic Fund, through the federal CARES Act and Michigan Economic Development Corporation, is making available $100 million in grant funds to eligible small businesses and nonprofits in Michigan. Lakeshore Advantage is administering $3.5 million of that funding for businesses and nonprofits in Allegan and Ottawa counties.

Thirty percent of the Restart Grant awards will go to minority, women and veteran-owned businesses.

Application is now closed

Review Process Timeline

Notification to Awardees //  August 25, 2020 to September 30, 2020
Disbursement of Awards // September 1, 2020 to December 30, 2020
Announcement of Awardees by MEDC and Lakeshore Advantage // September 20, 2020

Questions? Please email info@lakeshoreadvantage.com.
 

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Application Review Criteria

The following factors will be considered during the application review process for small businesses and nonprofits in Allegan and Ottawa Counties:

• Number of employees that will be hired as a result of Restart Grant
• Revenue lost due to COVID-19 emergency
• Business ownership (Ex: Is it a franchise? Locally owned? Women, minority or veteran owned?)
• Organization’s commitment to servicing, employing and/or supporting vulnerable populations and/or small businesses
• Current operating capacity
• Organization’s attempts to introduce new products or services and/or adapt existing products or services in order to maintain revenue during COVID-19 emergency
• Industry
• Number of years in business
• Amount of grant funding requested
• Number of employees
• Stage of business (Ex: Startup)
• Average hourly wage of employees
• For-profit/Non-profit status

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Allegan and Ottawa County Application Review Committee

 

	Mike Ramirez (Chair), Orka Automation
	Holly Johnson (Vice Chair), Frey Foundation
	Mandi Brower, Quality Car Wash
	Esperanza Degnan, Mercantile Bank of Michigan
	Ada Delgado, Macatawa Bank
	Boyd Feltman, Peachwave
	Nick Genova, Haworth
	Robert Heath Sr., Legacy Leadership
	Phil Koning, West Michigan Community Bank
	Kavy Lenon, Herman Miller
	Kris Lewis, Allegan Credit Union
	Scott Lubbers, 5/3 Bank
	Joe Matthews, Gentex
	Jennifer Owens, Lakeshore Advantage
	Chih-Hsuan (Sandy) Pierce, Padnos
	Jennifer Remondino, Warner Norcross + Judd
	Amy Sparks, Nuvar Manufacturing
	Chris Streng, Great Lakes Financial Insurance Agency
	Jenny White, Velo City Cycles

The Lakeshore Advantage team and their strategic partners are deeply committed to maintaining an equitable and unbiased grant review and selection process. The official members of the Lakeshore Advantage Restart Grant Review Board are encouraged to share general information within their communities about the grant opportunity. However, board members are not allowed to discuss or comment on individual applications. Instead, all inquiries relating to specific applications should be directed to info@lakeshoreadvantage.com.