From the Economic Development Desk of the
January 20, 2021
You are receiving this email because your organization is at one of the economic development tiers with the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce. As always, we encourage your comments and questions.
Welcome 2021! This month’s update will center around a new grant program to help small businesses. The MEDC Survival Grant Program was announced about two weeks ago and is being funded by the Michigan Strategic Fund. This program will provide $55.0 million statewide for small business support. Target will once again oversee the process and take control of the funding for our part of the state. This program was put into place to directly support those small businesses most impacted by the mask order that took effect in November 2020 and that continues today. Among the highlights of this program:

  • The Survival Grant Program is designed to support any small business (100 employees or less) impacted by the mask order that began on November 18, 2020.
  • There is $1.9 million to cover the following counties: Alpena, Alcona, Iosco, Presque Isle and Cheboygan. 
  • The max grant request is $20,000 if the business is closed due to the order and $15,000 if partially or fully open.
  • Nonprofits are eligible to apply.
  • There will be a four-day application window that started on January 19 and will close at noon on Friday, January 22.
  • Applications will be done online through the MEDC website at www.michiganbusiness.org/survival. There is also a link to it on the chamber’s website.
  • Grantees will be notified next week Tuesday, January 26 and Wednesday, January 27. We will email notification of grant approval along with a W-9 and Grantee Sub Agreement/Certification that we will need signed and returned by January 28. Those that are not awarded grants will also be notified in the same timeframe. 
  • Businesses are eligible to apply even if they received funding in the first two rounds or received a PPP, EIDL or MEDC loan or a Match on Main Grant can still apply. 

As was the case in the two previous grant programs, Target will not be involved in the decision making on grants or amounts. A committee from all five counties will do the grading/scoring of the requests and make the recommendation on the level of support. Target will only coordinate the activity and disburse funds once grants are approved by the committee. Grants will be scored on the following:

  • Is business in a named industry impacted by the mask mandate?
  • Can the business demonstrate they were impacted by mask mandate (measured by sales decline, month over month and/or year over year)?
  • Status of business: fully open, partially open or closed?
  • Physical storefront vs. home based?
  • Funding needed reopen or remain open?
  • Number of years in business?
  • Revenue decline percentage?

In terms of development, the wheels of progress are turning albeit slow. I am aware of projects and plans that are being pursued on several different fronts which is encouraging to see. My hope is soon we can get to a point of making public announcements about some of these projects. These are encouraging signs!     

In the meantime, be well!     
Mike
We here at the chamber and economic development are still focused on our missions and continue to work for you.
Chairman Level ($3,201+)
Alpena Agency, Inc.
Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union
Alpena Community College
Alpena County
Alpena Power Company
Bannan Funeral Home
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Charter Township of Alpena
City of Alpena
Edward Jones – Andrew Kowalski
Edward Jones – Bryan Strong
Edward Jones – Charles R. Ingle
Edward Jones – Eric M. Ferguson
Edward Jones – Marc K. Ferguson
Edward Jones – Pamela Kirchoff
H.P.C. Credit Union
Huntington Bank
Lafarge
Lappan Agency
mBank
MidMichigan Health
Presque Isle County
Presque Isle Electric and Gas Co-Op
Wolverine State Credit Union

Partner Level ($1,500) 
Alpena Community Credit Union
Alpena Public Schools
Bedrock Contracting and Excavating
Besser Company
Builders First Source
Clearview Car Wash
Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan
Downtown Development Authority
Decorative Panels International (DPI)
DTE Energy
Employment Services Inc. (ESI)
ITC Holdings, Corp.
Keystone Rental Equipment
LeFave Pharmacy and Compounding
MI Stop Citgo/MI Stop Deli
Northland Area Federal Credit Union
Pennzoil Ten Minute Oil Change Center of Alpena
PNC Bank
Propane Plus Inc.
Star Staffing Alpena
State Street Auto Wash
TCF Bank
Tier4 Technical Support
Timm Construction Company, LLC
Walmart
  
Sponsor Level ($475)
Aflac
Alcona Health Center 
Alpena Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Alpena Beverage Company
Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library
Alpena Events Complex
Alpena Glass Company, Inc.
Alpena News Publishing Company
Alpena Supply Company
Austin Brothers' Beer Company
Ball Tire
Banner Realty
Besser Foundation
Boldrey, Senchuk, Rouleau & Williams, CPA's, PC
Bolenz Jewelry
Building Express Inc.
Capital One Spark Business
Century 21 Crow Realty
Clark Construction Company
Cliff Anschuetz Chevrolet Inc.
Cocoa Capital Corp
Compassus Hospice
Consumers Energy
Control Solutions Inc
Cutting Edge Construction
Dean Arbour Ford Lincoln
Devere Industrial, LLC
Downtown Union 76 LLC
Everett Goodrich, Inc.
Fiber Char
H&R Block
Holiday Inn Express & Suites
Huron Engineering & Surveying
Industrial Image, Inc.
KFC/WMCR
Lewis & Lewis Professional Surveying, Inc.
McDonald's Restaurant
Meridian Contracting Services, LLC
Michigan Works Center
Midwest Diesel Service
NEMCSA, Inc.
NEMROC, Inc.
Northern Abstract & Title Agency
Northern Eye
Omega Electric & Sign Company Inc.
Ossineke Industries
Plowman's Collision Service
Pompeyos Mexican Grill
Presque Isle Township
R.A. Townsend Company
R.S. Scott Associates, Inc.
Ramada Alpena
RE/MAX New Horizons
Real Estate One of Alpena
ServiceMaster Home & Office
Sherwin Williams
Sixty Minutes to Freedom
Skiba Insurance Service
SkyWest Airlines
Specification Stone Products
Straley Lamp & Kraenzlein P.C.
Stratford Group Ltd.
Suez
Sunrise Behavioral Health Clinic
Switzer Veterinary Clinic
Tarkington Family Dentistry
Team Elmer's
The Drug Store/Northern Exposure Framing & Matting
The Home Depot
Thunder Bay Accounting
Thunder Bay Electric, Inc.
Thunder Bay Eye Care
Thunder Bay Family Dentistry
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Thunder Bay Therapy & Sports Medicine
Thunder Bay Tree Services, LLC
True North Radio Network
W.G. Benjey Inc./S&A Company
WATZ
Weinkauf Plumbing & Heating, Inc.
Werth Development, LLC
West Design Center
White, Wojda and Curtis
Whitecaps
Wolf Family Dentistry
Wolgast Corporation
Young Appliance, Electronics, Furniture & Mattresses
Zen 24 Hour Fitness Center