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Michigan Women Forward, in partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), New Economy Initiative (NEI), Michigan-based foundations, corporate partners, individual donors, and in collaboration with the SBA, has secured funding to provide recovery grants and loans to diverse entrepreneurs and small businesses from underrepresented groups in Michigan.

As efforts begin to re-engage Michigan’s economy under Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s MI Safe Start Plan, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced several new initiatives designed to help support the COVID-19 economic recovery efforts of small businesses and traditional downtowns throughout the state.

The Right Place, Inc. has developed and launched the West Michigan PPE Supplier Directory. This directory features West Michigan manufacturers who are producing high-demand PPE supplies, along with contact information to procure the supplies.

Every year, Site Selection Magazine publishes a ranking of all 50 states across America based on a 10-point index of competitiveness criteria. The ranking, known as the Prosperity Cup, recognizes successful business recruitment and retention economic development efforts at a statewide level.

On May 7, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-77 to extend Michigan’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order to May 28. The governor’s order will allow manufacturing workers, including those at Michigan’s Big 3 auto companies, to resume work on Monday, May 11 as part of her MI Safe Start Plan.

It’s hard to disagree that the business world has changed drastically and will likely never look the same again. Even after lock-downs and social distancing are over, it will be extremely difficult to just turn our computers and businesses back on and return to where we were before the pandemic occurred.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-70 as part of her MI Safe Start plan. The executive order will allow the May 7 resumption of some types of work that present a very low risk of infection, including construction, real-estate activities, and work that is traditionally and primarily performed outdoors.

195 small businesses in West Michigan negatively impacted by Executive Orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be receiving grant support from the Michigan Small Business Relief Program.

On April 29, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a $130 million investment to make child care more affordable and accessible for Michigan families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 29, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a series of initiatives to help Michigan workers and their families during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including the "Futures for Frontliners” program to provide a tuition-free pathway to college or a technical certificate to essential workers who don’t have a college degree.