Small Business

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is making $30 million available to farmers, ranchers and food entrepreneurs to develop new product lines. Funding will be made available through USDA’s Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. “Farmers and ranchers are creative people who, with a little help, can put that creativity to work and improve the bottom line for their operations,” Vilsack said. “Value-Added Producer Grants enable them to develop new product lines to grow their businesses and expand their contributions to our nation’s economy. This support is especially important for beginning farmers, military veterans engaging in farming and smaller… Read More »

Eric Becks from the SSMart Zone and Joshua Billington from the SBDC will be starting the SproutLab’s Co.Starters entrepreneurial class April 15. This will be a 9 week class that will meet every Wednesday night from 6-9pm at the SSMart Zone building, and helps aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs examine assumptions and turn business ideas into action.  More than a course, CO.STARTERS is the starting point for building a vibrant startup community. More information is available here.

Only a few short years ago, Michigan leaders talked excitedly about diversifying the state’s economy beyond the auto industry, envisioning a Silicon Valley-style workforce that would be less dependent on manufacturing and more invested in technology and green energy. It’s the same dream shared by virtually every other governor whose state once relied on factory jobs. But it has collided with a stark reality: Car production is booming, Michigan’s skilled tradesmen are getting older and there aren’t enough qualified people to replace them in a labor pool that has started to shift away from industrial jobs. A report from the… Read More »