Make Connections
Find local business owners and resources that will help you advance your business.
Get your products discovered by Meijer
February 8, 2021
Meijer will host its first virtual Localization Summit, giving local businesses across the retailer’s six-state footprint the opportunity to showcase their offerings to Meijer merchants.The April 1 virtual event will focus on the following categories:• Grocery, including fresh, deli and bakery• Baby• Beauty and personal care• Over-the-counter and wellnessBusinesses that manufacture or grow retail-ready products in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan or Wisconsin may apply by Friday, Feb. 19 for consideration.
Apply by Friday, Feb. 19 for considerationIndoor Dining Resumes Feb. 1 with Limitations
The order will allow for indoor dining at restaurants with certain requirements; concessions at casinos, movie theaters and stadiums; personal services requiring mask removal; and non-residential gatherings of up to 10 people from two households. The new order will last three weeks, until Sunday, Feb. 21
Learn morePPP Round Two and What it Means for You
Congress recently passed an end-of-year relief package that included a new and improved round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. If you are curious about what has been changed from the first round, and how those changes affect you, here’s a brief summary of what you need to know.
Read the summaryLISC Rural Relief Small Business Grants
Only small businesses located in rural communities are eligible at this time. Rural communities are defined as having a population of 50,000 or less. The next grant application period opens on Jan. 26, 2021 and runs through Feb. 19, 2021.
Find out if you’re eligibleMWF’s WomanUp & Pitch
Michigan Women Forward’s WomanUp & Pitch brings together 30 women entrepreneurs from across the state to pitch their business ideas and win cash prizes. Watch as each of 30 competition finalists pitches her business idea to a team of judges, and vote for your favorite! Mark these dates on your calendar so you don’t miss it:
- Detroit Pitch Competition: February 16
All pitch competitions will be virtual and free and will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Register for the eventSouthwest Michigan PTAC 2021 Class Schedule
The Southwest Michigan PTAC team is ready to assist you with your government contracting needs. During our temporary office closure please contact our team using the information below:
Check out our 2021 Class ListingPMBC Access and Certification Grant
The PMBC Access and Certification Grant is designed to break down barriers preventing Michigan businesses from winning purchase orders.
The program has three objectives:
- Increase supplier access to local and global procurement opportunities
- Improve competitiveness in advanced manufacturing for Michigan small businesses
- Enhance supplier capabilities and open doors to new industry verticals
Kalamazoo Small Business Health Protection Grants Available
With federal funding made available through the City of Kalamazoo, United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region is partnering to provide immediate grant support to businesses hardest hit by COVID-19 for costs related to health and human safety.
Beginning Dec. 7, 2020, eligible businesses may apply for a Kalamazoo Small Business Health Protection Grant, a reimbursement of up to $2,500 for expenses including PPE (personal protective equipment) or other costs incurred in pursuit of the general preservation of health and human safety.
Expenses must be dated from April 1, 2020 until present. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information contact: smallbusiness@uwbckr.org.
Learn more
Research
Sources for primary and secondary research about your business market. Find sources.
Fund
Learn about ways to find capital resources for new, growing, or troubled businesses. Explore opportunities for funding.
Mentoring
Free advice for business owners. Find mentoring
Start
Get solid advice for launching a new business or idea. Find Start Resources.
Plan
Resources to help you develop a business and marketing plan. Get help with your plan.
Grow
How to take your business to the next level. Learn how to grow your business.Success Stories
Global Clinical Connections
Headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Global Clinical Connections is an international provider of clinical supply chain management services for compan
Mamaleelu Cold Brew
Maliesha's passion and mission for Mamaleelu Cold Brew’s future is to highlight her brand as a black-woman-owned food brand in a highly competitive...
Colors and Cocktails
When you consider all that Lauren Parker Lasater has done in the last 10 or so years, you would think she would be exhausted and just looking for ...
AureoGen Biosciences
A license agreement with Merck & Co gave exclusive rights to use the chemistry and derivatives of an antifungal compound to produce a compound…
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People are talking about our partners.
The WMed Innovation Center is a perfect environment for innovation to grow and become a successful commercial enterprise.
Whether you are seeking a research partner or want to enlist the help of student groups in developing business plans, or just looking for ways to engage with WMU, the Business Connection office can find the resource to help move your business forward.
A loan (from Local Initiatives Support Corporation) helped expand our cafe to triple our seating, add a kids space, increase much needed staff work areas, and make other improvements to the space.
The Michigan eLibrary (MeL) is the State of Michigan's digital library. It has excellent resources available to Michigan residents at no cost.
Western Michigan University's Starting Gate helped me take an idea and transform it into a much more attainable reality. Whether providing talks with investors and business owners or accountability, the ultimate goal is helping your business succeed.
The [Kalamazoo] Land Bank did robust community engagement around the vision and gave us something to work with that was solidly desired by people in the neighborhood. Having a vision meant we had to protect it. That’s something I thank the Land Bank for. It was difficult. It didn’t make anything faster or easier, but we got a better project in the end as a result of it.
Buy Local Greater Kalamazoo is a hard working grassroots group focused on the greater Kalamazoo community and its small businesses. Their events and networking opportunities are the best!
Michigan SBDC is a great company providing top notch service to local businesses all over Michigan. The consultants are professional and the student workers contribute with excellent work!
If you have any questions about starting, growing, or anything business related SCORE Kalamazoo/SW Michigan is a great resource.
The Fetzer Center has anything you could ever want for any occasion. The facilities are beautiful, the food is great and the staff is excellent! I have hosted an event and been to an event at the Fetzer and both experiences have been excellent. Mary does a marvelous job!
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