General Motors and Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance today announced that 15 small businesses in Flint were awarded a total of $150,000 from the Moving Flint Forward Small Business Grant Program. It is the third round of grants from the GM-funded initiative, which supports revitalization efforts across the city’s neighborhoods by strengthening local businesses.

The grantees comprise a range of businesses, including lawn care and landscaping, restaurants, photography and dance studios, eyewear manufacturer, carpet cleaning, moving and hauling, food truck, and personal and professional services. To help address racial disparities in the community, 13 of the 15 grants have been awarded to diverse-owned small businesses.

“General Motors is thrilled to support local businesses in Flint through the Moving Flint Forward Small Business Grant Program,” said Terry Rhadigan, vice president of corporate giving at GM. “The 15 businesses that have received a grant have a tremendous impact on the community, and GM is excited to play a role in Flint’s continued revitalization.”

“We know from our research that improving access to capital or providing direct financial support is the best way to help locally owned and operated small businesses succeed,” said Tyler Rossmaessler, executive director of the Economic Alliance, a division of Flint & Genesee Group. “Toward that end, GM, through both its capital investments in its automotive operations here and corporate philanthropy, continues to be a key partner in our efforts to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial support system.”

The Moving Flint Forward grants must be used to advance the businesses’ operations, such as expansion projects, making repairs or leasehold improvements, purchasing inventory and equipment, or façade improvements.

The grantees are:

• Mr. Prince Gourmet, food truck
• New Beginnings Accounting and Financial, financial services
• Ella Jae Essentials, skincare boutique
• Mr. Be Great Services, lawn care
• Smoke Rattle and Roll, restaurant
• Hoffman’s Deco Deli, restaurant
• Jessica Hatter Photography, photography
• Tees Plentiful Salads, restaurant
• Junk Pirates, trash removal/moving and hauling
• The Best of the Best Carpet Clean, carpet cleaning
• Lewis Landscaping, lawn care/landscaping
• Heart of Worship Dance Studio, performing arts/dance studio
• Genusee, Inc., eyewear manufacturer
• Stemletics, LLC, STEAM education vendor/provider
• Wayne the Barber, barber/community mentorship

Technical assistance will be provided to assist with the application process, implementation and tracking of grant activities to ensure requirements are met and businesses are using funds appropriately. Grantees will also be connected to resources that will help bolster the capacity of their businesses beyond the grant period. Grantees will have access to networking opportunities and workshops on various topics, such as online digitization of services/goods, leadership styles, navigating access to capital, workers’ compensation and labor laws.

A total of 95 businesses applied for this latest round, which was announced in February 2022. Twenty-one applications were ruled ineligible for various reasons, such as not being located in Flint or for lack of a business license. The remaining 74 applications were evaluated by a review panel comprised of representatives from GM, Economic Alliance, City of Flint, local grant-making organizations and community members.

The program was open to anyone who owns and operates a small business within the city of Flint. The business could have up to 20 employees and could not be a franchise operation.

More information about the Moving Flint Forward Small Business Grant Program is available at developflintandgenesee.org/moving-flint-forward/.

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About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which will power everything from mass-market to high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at https://www.gm.com.

About the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance

The Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance, a division of the Flint & Genesee Group, is the lead economic development organization for Genesee County, and dedicated to building a more vibrant local economy. The Economic Alliance provides tools, resources and guidance to local companies of all sizes and stages to support their growth. It also promotes available sites, workforce and unique assets to growth-oriented businesses outside of county for opportunities to expand their operations in Genesee County. For more information, visit developflintandgenesee.org. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.