Restart Flint & Genesee is a special recovery program by the Flint & Genesee Chamber designed to help small business in Genesee County that has suffered distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially established with a $200,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation, the program was recently bolstered by an additional $262,500 grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to support African American businesses in Flint. The program will award grants of up to $5000 to cover expenses associated with reopening to qualified businesses under guidelines and requirements for social distancing and safety.
To qualify, businesses must be owned and operated in Genesee County and may have up to 50 employees. The business must be impacted significantly by the recent “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order.
Eligible industry sectors include: barbershops/hair salons, tattoo parlors, bars/restaurants, retail, construction/landscaping, daycare, senior living/care facilities and non-critical manufacturing. Business may not be a franchise.
To qualify for the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation grant support, the business must: be operating before the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order, be majority owned by one or more African Americans, be locally owned (no franchises or chains), be an LLC or S-Corp located within the City of Flint, have no more than 50 employees, and be significantly impacted by COVID-19.
Business owners can apply and get more information at flintandgenesee.org/restart.
An informational webinar is scheduled for Friday, May 15 at 10 a.m. and will cover program details, application criteria and how the funds may be used.
