Michigan State University Libraries - Directory of Organizations Providing Assistance to Small Businesses and People Interested in Starting Small Businesses in the Lansing, Michigan Metropolitan Area

Directory of Organizations Providing Assistance to Small Businesses and People Interested in Starting Small Businesses in the Lansing, Michigan Metropolitan Area

For additional ideas, see Funding for Business and Economic Development.

The City of Lansing's Economic Development Corporation, a quasi-governmental agency, provides counseling, helps draft business and financial plans, assists with site locations, makes referrals for employment and training services, and can serve as a business advocate with other city agencies.

Operates a small business loan program that can loan up to $50,000 for businesses located on Washington Square, between the 100 N. block & the 500 S. block. Also, operates a façade improvement grant program for the same area, with grants up to $5,000. For manufacturers and non-profits with a financing need of $750,000 or more, the Lansing EDC can offer tax-exempt financing options as well.

For more information, contact the Lansing Economic Development Corporation, 401 S. Washington Square, Suite 100, Lansing, Michigan 48933; Telephone: 517/483-4140; E-mail : edc.cityoflansingmi.com URL : http://edc.cityoflansingmi.com/
(Last checked 04/28/08)

The Enterprise Group of Jackson offers assistance to small business owners in areas of government procurement and export help. It is one of 12 nonprofit Michigan Technical Assistance Centers in the state and does not charge for consultations. Provides specialized help for becoming a vendor with the state and federal governments.

For more information, contact The Enterprise Group of Jackson, One Jackson Square, Suite 1100, P.O. Box 80, Jackson, MI 49204-0080; Telephone: 517-788-4455
URL address: http://www.enterprisegroup.org/
(Last checked 04/28/08)

Ingham County Economic Development Corporation helps businesses find sites and buildings and helps finance business expansions. It maintains a data base of non-retail businesses in the county. Staffers from the Ingham County Department of Development also help coordinate public assistance for construction and expansion.

Additional services: referrals for employment and training; help for new and expanding companies finding workers; data on local communities; census information and aerial photos of th county; and referrals to other economic development organizations.

Contact: MSUE Economic Development Agent Susan M. C. Pigg, 121 E. Maple, P. O. Box 319, Mason, MI 48854; Telephone: (517) 676-7285; E-mail : spigg@ingham.org.
URL address: http://www.ingham.org/DV/developm.htm
(Last checked 04/28/08)

The Lansing Community Microenterprise Fund helps people start or expand small businesses in distressed communities by providing business training, small loans, networking opportunities and one-on-one mentoring.

For more information, contact Lansing Community Microenterprise Fund, 316 N. Capitol Ave., Lansing, MI 48933; Telephone : (517) 483-4051
URL address : http://www.lansingmicrofund.org/
(Last checked 04/28/08)

The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce in the past provided a Small Business Owner's Research Guide which is still available on this web page. Could not locate it on the recently redesigned Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce web page.
(Last checked 04/28/08)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation

URL address: http://medc.michigan.org/.
Check out information listed under Starting A Small Business, Expanding Your Business, Targeted Initiatives.
(Last checked 04/28/08)

Minority Tri-County Business Association, 115 W. Allegan, serves as a clearinghouse for services available for minority business owners. It arranges mentoring, referrals and training sessions in conjunction with other area agencies.

For more information, contact Deborah Robertson at 367-2269.
Or send an e-mail to gpofmichigan@aol.com.

Old Town Commercial Association helps coordinate a community downtown preservation project and operates a loan pool, which funds certain improvements in Old Town.

For more information, contact the Old Town Commercial Association, 1232 Turner Street, Lansing, MI 48906; Telephone : (517) 485-4283; E-mail oldtown@oldtownmainstreet.org.

URL address : http://www.oldtownmainstreet.org/
(Last checked 04/28/08)

SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives, links veteran business people with startup business owners seeking free advice. A joint service of the Small Business Administration and the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, it is located in the chamber office. Counseling sessions are free, and can take place at the chamber offices or at one's business.

For more information, contact the Lansing Chamber of Commerce at (517) 487-6340.

Small Business Association of Michigan, 222 N. Washington Square, Suite 100, Lansing, MI 48933. (Mailing address : P.O. Box 16158, Lansing, MI 48901-6158); Telephone : (800) 362-5461; E-mail : sbam@sbam.org Provides advocacy for small business operators in the state and national capitals. For its members, the group offers health and life insurance, discounts on courier services and a merchant credit card program, among other services.

Questions about starting and maintaining a small business can be made directly to the 'Answer Man,' a weekly telephone call-in program operated by the association. Dee Smith, director of the regional Small Business Development Center at LCC, operates phone lines on Wednesdays between 8:30a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Contact: 482-8788, or 1-800-362-5461.

He can also be reached at the SBAM Home Page : http://www.sbam.org. TheAnswer Man Online will respond to individual questions and post answers to those of general interest. Anyone who submits a question will enter a weekly drawing to win a free copy of The Start Up Guide-A One-Year Plan for Entrepreneurs by David H. Bangs, Jr.

The association also sponsors a continuing, three-part series of classes on starting one's own business at Lansing Community College. Classes are held mornings on alternate weeks. There is a minimal charge. For details and times, contact SBAM marketing director Doug Carr at 1-800-362-5461 or 517-482-8788.
Last checked 04/28/08)

The Tri-County Regional Planning Commission provides business and market planning assistance to start-up businesses. Makes available demographic information, such as radius studies, maps, aerial photos, environmental information, traffic counts, wage information, population projections and industrial site information.

The commission also publishes a directory each October called The Region on the Move. It lists regional agencies and departments that provide expertise in training financing and government assistance.

For more information, visit the commission's web site at http://www.tri-co.org or call the Director, Jon W. Coleman, at (517) 393-0342.
(Last checked 04/28/08)

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce publishes The Small Business Resource Catalog, a collection of published reports and business and employee development programs. The catalog is free and available by calling (888) 872-2724.

The U.S. Small Business Administration offers a variety of loan guarantee programs for collateral-shy small businesses. The programs include SBA 504 Program with long-term, fixed-rate financing for public-private partnerships; a 7(a) Guaranty Program made by private lenders guaranteed up to 80 percent by the SBA; a Micro Loan Program for short-term loans of up to $25,000 for new purchases; and the Low Documentation Loan program designed to speed loan approvals on requests under $100,000.

For more information, call the SBA offices in Detroit at (313) 226-6075.

The U.S. Small Business Administration also offers a Minority Pre-Qualification Loan Program for minority-owned businesses traditionally hard-pressed to secure credit. The program uses selected nonprofit organizations to screen and counsel applicants and present streamlined credit applications for loans up to $250,000.

For more information, contact The Michigan Minority Business Development Council at (313) 873-3200.

Similar information appears from time to time in the Lansing State Journal, Business Monday Extra supplement.

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