Displaying items by tag: Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce

The Whitmer administration is expected to announce in the coming days whether to extend, alter or allow state-imposed restrictions on business activity to expire.

Two hundred and forty six days passed between Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s first stay-at-home order to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and new state restrictions scaling back and closing some businesses.  

When the coronavirus pandemic hit eight months ago, many Latinx and Black business owners missed out on federal loans and other relief because they didn’t have relationships with local bankers or didn’t have financial statements in order.

GRAND RAPIDS — Kent County municipal officials and business advocacy groups have released an area “welcome plan” meant to address concerns among the immigrant community, including restoring trust with law enforcement agencies and promoting equity in education and business opportunities.

Employers could buy pandemic-related personal protection equipment without having to pay state sales or use taxes under proposed statewide legislation.

Here is the MiBiz growth report for August 31, 2020.

The Grand Rapids Chamber is thrilled to announce the return of the West Michigan CEO Summit on October 6, as a virtual, live-broadcast experience. 

Four business groups are urging Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to consider allowing more facilities including gyms, fitness centers, movie theaters and bowling alleys to reopen.

Sam Gregoire went from college student to small business owner within a few months, driven by the reality that many K-12 schools wouldn’t be returning to in-person instruction this fall.

The COVID-19 pandemic created what Kelly Hirko calls a “massive shift” in health care.

If an employer follows the rules and complies with requirements to maintain a safe workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic, business advocates argue the company should not have to face liability claims if someone there contracts the coronavirus.

GRAND RAPIDS — The city of Grand Rapids needs to add nearly 9,000 housing units over the next five years to satisfy high market demand, according to a housing needs assessment prepared for city officials. 

GRAND RAPIDS — Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. is reallocating $50,000 it initially budgeted for ArtPrize 2020 toward a new event tentatively planned for September. 

GRAND RAPIDS — The Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce expects to receive up to 1,000 applications by the end of the week from across Kent County from small businesses seeking assistance from a $25 million grant fund set up to ease the economic crush of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Kent County small business relief program opened its second round of funding today, making grants available to companies that have already received COVID-19 assistance.

Kent County’s top official says it is “critically important” that a $25 million business relief program launched this week is accessible to minority-owned businesses, following recent criticism that the program isn’t properly compensating minority business and social equity groups for their assistance.

GRAND RAPIDS — Two organizations representing minority-owned businesses issued a public statement Wednesday condemning a Kent County program that’s distributing $25 million in federal CARES Act funding for small business relief.

After canceling this year’s ArtPrize because of concerns over COVID-19, organizers of Grand Rapids’ flagship arts event and the largest art competition in the world have avoided questions about whether it will return.

A landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling on June 15 bars workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and also highlights additional work that needs to be done in Michigan. 

Two Michigan congressmen behind legislation that would create a $50.5 billion relief fund for small businesses nationwide hope to get it included in the next federal aid package that may come before Congress this summer.

Forming a relief fund to aid small businesses hurting from the COVID-19 pandemic was an early idea Kent County commissioners pursued when they began considering two months ago what to do with $114.6 million in federal aid funding. 

  GRAND RAPIDS — In partnering on a $25 million small business relief fund, Kent County and the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce want to tap a number of community and entrepreneurial support organizations to get the word out to companies and provide volunteers to vet grant applicants. 

GRAND RAPIDS — Kent County and the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce partnered to form a $25 million relief fund for small businesses.

GRAND RAPIDS — The May 30 violence following protests against police brutality not only damaged dozens of downtown businesses on the verge of reopening, but also has caused local leaders to revisit efforts to mend the city’s historically strained police-community relations.

State lawmakers will consider a bill this week that waives penalties for property owners who defer payments on their summer property tax bills because of hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic never shut down D&M Metal Products Co. in Comstock Park, but it did change the way employees arrive at work.

Despite advanced degrees, ambition and experience, women of color in West Michigan continue to face unique challenges when it comes to getting hired and promoted, particularly for executive leadership roles, according to a new study.

The world around us — as we knew it in Michigan before March 10 — is going to look much different for the next 12 to 18 months.

MiBiz growth report for April 26, 2020.

The foundation for the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce wants to raise another $2 million for an emergency relief fund for small businesses affected by closures from the COVID-19 pandemic.