Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance awards grants to 25 local small businesses

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The Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance has awarded grant funding to 25 small businesses across Genesee County through its Small Business Support Hub, continuing efforts to strengthen the county’s local economy by supporting entrepreneurs at every stage of growth.

The grants, announced in mid-December, are part of the Economic Alliance’s broader small business development strategy under the Flint & Genesee Group. In addition to direct funding, the Small Business Support Hub provides no-cost technical assistance, personalized coaching, and connections to local resources designed to help businesses grow and remain competitive.

According to Karena Hamlet, Director of Business Services for the Economic Alliance, this year’s cohort reflects the diversity and resilience of Genesee County’s small business community.

“The small businesses receiving these grants are diverse in industry, showing that we have a wide range of businesses that are looking to grow and thrive in Genesee County,” Hamlet said. “From restaurants to retail to business-to-business services, our grantees serve the community in a variety of ways, and we’re happy to support them.”

This second round of funding was intentionally structured to reach businesses beyond the startup phase, while still remaining accessible to early-stage entrepreneurs. Hamlet noted that supporting businesses at different stages of development was a central goal of the selection process.

“Our intention was to ensure that we were not only helping businesses in the startup stage, but also those mid-sized small businesses that have been established for a while and could use help taking it to the next level,” she said. “In Genesee County, 99% of businesses are considered small. We want to ensure we’re supporting as many as we can.”

While grant funding can provide an immediate boost, Hamlet emphasized that the Hub’s broader set of services is often just as impactful. The program takes a flexible, individualized approach to working with business owners, recognizing that challenges and needs vary widely.

“Our services are holistic; there is no one-size-fits-all for small businesses,” she said. “We ensure that we are helping our clients with what they need, meeting each business where they are. We also have a large network of providers and local resources we can refer clients to for services.”

The Small Business Support Hub also works to address long-standing barriers that have made it difficult for many entrepreneurs—particularly women and business owners of color—to access capital and business support. Hamlet said accessibility and relationship-building are core to the program’s approach.

“Overall, our team works to make our services accessible to all people by providing accommodations as needed,” she said. “We have office hours at Beston Field House and the Fenton & Linden Chamber of Commerce, doing our best to make our services available in familiar places.”

In addition, the Economic Alliance launched the Flint & Genesee Business Bridge to promote local businesses and encourage business-to-business connections. Through partnerships with financial institutions and community organizations, the Hub helps entrepreneurs learn about opportunities they may not have known existed.

Looking ahead, Hamlet said the Economic Alliance hopes to see both immediate and long-term impacts from this round of funding, ranging from increased business capacity to broader economic growth across the county.

“We always hope to see individual growth for the businesses in our cohort,” she said. “It is amazing to see a business get tools to help drive up the business they can do, or pay for certifications that they need to get to the next level. It gives them confidence in their ability to run their business, and that’s an amazing thing to see.”

She added that small business success has ripple effects beyond individual owners. “For our community, any time a small business succeeds, our economy grows. Small businesses are the backbone of a local economy, so their success is everyone’s success.”

The grant program is one part of the Economic Alliance’s long-term strategy to build a strong, connected small-business ecosystem in Genesee County. In the coming year, the Small Business Support Hub plans to continue one-on-one support for entrepreneurs, host growth-focused workshops, and collaborate with the Genesee Entrepreneurial Network to provide ongoing resources and monthly public office hours.

“Our team will continue to work collectively to support the small business community,” Hamlet said. “Whether someone is just getting started or ready to grow, we want them to know support is available.”

The businesses awarded were: