Resources
Browse our business resource library below for support with small businesses, exporting assistance, manufacturing, talent solutions and more! Can't find what you're looking for? Reach out to our expert staff for support.
Allendale Township Downtown Development Authority
Downtown Development Authority Enhancement Grant
Allendale Charter Township and its Downtown Development Authority (DOA) have determined that a portion of the tax revenues collected by the ODA should be utilized for the enhancement of the business community in the business district through the use of a Building Enhancement Grant Program. The purpose of this program is to encourage the physical improvements to the exteriors of existing retail properties, primarily for rehabilitation, within the Allendale DOA business district.Â
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Support
ACREÂ - Ag Tech Helping farmers, entrepreneurs, and existing businesses commercialize, license, or sell their ag-technology ideas and inventions.
Business Acceleration Fund - Fund available through the Holland SmartZone
Economic Development Foundation - Help originate, close, and service SBA 504 Loans and also package 7(a) Loans for lending partners.
GROWÂ - An organization focused on helping entrepreneurs at various stages of business ownership. Services include business counseling, entrepreneurial training, networking, and financial resources.
PTAC - Provides a range of services and resources to help businesses win and successfully complete government contracts.
MSU Product Center - Helps entrepreneurs, as well as established companies, develop and commercialize high-value, consumer responsive products in the Michigan agriculture, food, and natural resource sector.
Opportunity Resource Fund - Provides loans to Michigan-based businesses when they have been unable to secure financing from traditional lenders (banks/credit unions). Covering start-ups, existing and expanding businesses, and non-profits.
Small Business Association of Michigan - Helping Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power, and engaging in political advocacy.
Small Business Development Center (SBDC)Â - Provides counseling, training, and research to assist small businesses to launch, grow, transition, and innovate.
Start Garden - A resource for startups that are fundraising, or will be in the future, to introduce them to a broad spectrum of investors and seasoned entrepreneurs from outside our walls. Within our walls, there is an exchange of knowledge and relationships among startups.
Export Assistance
EXIM Bank - Official export credit agency of the US, providing tools to increase business export sales through mitigation of risk of nonpayment by foreign buyers, access to vital working capital, and providing financing for foreign buyers.
Van Andel Global Trade Center - Assisting small, medium, and large companies when they are thinking about entering a new international market, figuring out customs compliance, international regulations, or looking for overseas suppliers to complement their global supply chain.
U.S. Commercial Service - Grand Rapids Provides international market intelligence, business matchmaking, trade education, and trade counseling.
Manufacturing Support
Discover Manufacturing - A collaborative of manufacturers, educators, workforce development, and economic development organizations working together to meet West Michigan's manufacturing needs. They offer manufacturers opportunities to solve their manufacturing talent needs.
Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC) - Offers small to medium-sized manufacturers benchmarking, consulting, and training services in areas such as growth, continuous improvement/lean, quality and environmental systems, sustainability, and safety to help Michigan companies compete and grow.
New Business Development
Muskegon Area First Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)Â - Delivers assistance to all types of established businesses in a 13-county region, preparing them to increase their sales in government markets.
Pure Michigan Business Connect - MEDC Michigan Economic Development Corporation-sponsored programming and events that help connect businesses with procurement and industry growth opportunities.
Michigan SBDC - Accelerate your business’s success through personalized, one-on-one business consulting. We’ll help you with planning and growth strategies to meet your goals.
Grand Rapids SCORE- one-on-one mentoring and can help you solve your most challenging business issues … all at no cost.
Talent Solutions
Community Action House - EPIC Empowerment Program Helping companies seeking innovative ways to inspire staff effectiveness, building a culture of mutual accountability and responsibility, equipping staff to own their work, experience, culture, and success, and craving a solution that increases awareness and gives practical tools to manage and change behavior.
Employer Resource Network - A private-public consortia whose purpose is to improve workforce retention through employee support and training.
Grand Rapids Community College Workforce Training & M-TECÂ -Â Offers customized training, continuing education/professional development, job training programs, the Michigan Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing Grant (MCAM), and the Michigan New Jobs Training program.
Grand Valley State University Career Center - Provides employers with comprehensive recruitment services including job postings, employer events, and career fairs, internship and co-op development and training, building a campus employment brand, and on-campus interviews.
Hello West Michigan - A platform of resources assisting companies in their talent attraction efforts to enhance what they are already doing. Creates awareness about the 13 county region through informational resources on our website, attracts the interested through outbound marketing, and connects candidates to companies and the community through a weekly resume pack.
MichiganSmartCoast - Businesses and communities are encouraged to adopt this brand to help tell the story of lifestyle and career opportunities along the Lakeshore. In addition, engineering, plant manager, and intern events are held under the Michigan Smart Coast umbrella.
Muskegon Community College Lakeshore Business and Industrial Service Center - The Lakeshore Business and Industrial Services Center can partner with your company through a variety of services including customized non-credit training and workforce development, credit courses, job postings and recruitment of talent, company sponsorships, internships, apprenticeships, and other services.
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District - Working with companies to develop meaningful connections with local K-12 systems, educators, and students.
Thompson M-TEC℠ - Career and Corporate Training Helping bridge the skill gap by providing customizable and flexible business training, certification testing, and assessments to meet the needs of adult students and the business community.
West Michigan Works! - Providing businesses talent and training solutions through industry cluster development, human resource services, employer seminar series, grant opportunities for developing a stronger workforce, and job fairs/hiring events.
Intern Connect - Help your interns make the most of their summer and make yourself visible to interns by a variety of sponsorships.
Ongoing Training and Life-Long Learning
Employers Association of West Michigan - To provide key employer services and information in support of talent and workforce development.
Our Vision: To be the leading employer's resource in West Michigan.
Our Vision: To be the leading employer's resource in West Michigan.
GVSU Center for Adult and Continuing Studies - The Center for Adult and Continuing Studies develops and supports programs and services that link the needs of lifelong learners with the resources of the university.
Data Resources
Bureau of Labor Statistics  www.bls.gov
Federal Statistics  www.fedstats.gov
Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget  www.michigan.gov/dtmb
State of Michigan  www.michigan.gov
U.S. Census Bureau  www.census.gov
U.S. Small Business Administration www.sba.gov
Information Resources
Better Business Bureau https://www.bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-serving-western-michigan
Dorothy Johnson Center for Philanthropy  www.gvsu.edu/jcp
Home & Building Association of Greater Grand Rapids www.hbaggr.com
Lakeshore Advantage www.lakeshoreadvantage.com
Social Security Resource Center  https://socialsecurityofficenear.me/in/city/allendale-mi/
Not Sure Where to Start?
Reach out to our expert staff at the contact form below, or give us a call at 616.892.2632