Back to Work: Employer Resources

The State of Michigan offers programs and services aimed at helping employers fill job openings, provide safe, healthy work environments for workers and address other business-related needs.

Michigan SBDC Come Back Kit

The Comeback Kit is designed for Michigan small business owners who are working to come back from the impacts and effects of the pandemic. This learning module will help small businesses to evaluate their financials, understand where they are today, and recognize what they need to do to get healthier tomorrow.

Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC)

The Internal Revenue Service urges employers to take advantage of the newly-extended employee retention credit, designed to make it easier for businesses that, despite challenges posed by COVID-19, choose to keep their employees on the payroll.

MI Symptoms

MI Symptoms is a free tool which helps employers, schools, and other organizations across Michigan easily comply with symptom screening requirements while keeping their organizations safe. Employees, students, and members take daily online surveys on what symptoms they’re experiencing, and administrators can instantly check if any individuals are at-risk for COVID-19 as well as download organization symptom survey result reports.

COVID-19 Workplace Safety Guidance

Find employee workplace safety resources including posters, videos, fact sheets and industry specific requirements, as well as rules and information from MIOSHA.

MI Safe Start

Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s MI Safe Start Plan outlines how Michigan will begin to re-engage while continuing to keep our communities safe. Re-engagement will happen in phases and those businesses that are necessary to protect and sustain life are already open.

PMBC COVID-19 Procurement Platform

Support neighbors in need while helping generate new business within Michigan. This program can help source PPE materials for businesses re-opening following COVID-19.

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans

The U.S. Small Business Administration announced that the deadline to apply for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program for the COVID-19 Pandemic disaster declaration is extended to Dec. 31, 2021. Every eligible small business and nonprofit are encouraged to apply to get the resources they need.

Detroit Development Fund

Detroit Development Fund is accepting applications from businesses in Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck who have been impacted by the COVID-19 virus. Businesses interested in applying for a loan should contact DDF at (313) 784-9623, or by email at vholsey@detroitdevelopmentfund.com.

Metro Community Development

Micro and small business loans ranging from $5,000 to $250,000 are available to Michigan small businesses in 13 counties, with an emphasis on businesses located in economically disadvantaged areas. For more information, contact mrankins@metroflint.org.

Northern Initiatives Program

The program provides up to $2 million in loan funds to Northern Initiatives through MEDC’s Capital Access program to assist businesses impacted by the COVID-19 virus.

MI State Trade Expansion Program (MI-STEP)

In response to COVID-19, the MI-STEP program has increased the cap amount for certain activities to help support companies going global with their business, making it more favorable to participate in export activities.

MSF Awardee Relief Initiative

Authorizes emergency relief to businesses and community projects that have previously received grants, loans, or other forms of economic assistance from the Michigan Strategic Fund.

Capital Access Program

MEDC's Capital Access program uses public resources to generate private lender financing, providing small businesses in Michigan access to capital that might not otherwise be available.

Community Capital Resources

Small businesses are the cornerstone of what makes Michigan’s downtowns unique and authentic. Investment-based crowdfunding provides an innovative financial tool to support the creation, retention, and growth of businesses on main street.

Initiate Business Retention Training Series

MEDC’s Community Development and Capital Access teams have partnered with Northern Initiatives to offer an online learning portal that gives small businesses access to valuable resources to help them grow and thrive in today’s economy.

Reopen Main Street

MEDC has partnered with Reopen Main Street to compile a variety of recovery resources into one, easy-to-use website. The new website includes reopening strategies, ideas, hints and tips for businesses, business districts and organizations.

FAQs for Businesses and Communities

Review this list of frequently asked questions and answers for businesses and communities during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Michigan Stages Survival Grant Program

The Michigan Stages Survival grant program will provide grants to eligible live music and entertainment venues that have realized a significant financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 emergency. The application window is now closed.

Michigan Small Business Survival Grant Program

The State of Michigan has allocated $55 million to implement the Michigan Small Business Survival Grant Program to support the needs of eligible Michigan businesses that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 virus and the Gatherings and Mask Order.

Pure Michigan Small Business Relief Initiative

This program provide $10 million in CARES Act CDBG funding in support of small businesses that continue to disproportionally affected by the negative impacts of the pandemic. Applications closed on December 15, 2020.

Michigan Entrepreneur Resilience Fund

MEDC partnered with Michigan Women Forward to create a $1.5 million fund to help entrepreneurs and small businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19 recover from the outbreak, as well as assist them in meeting increased demands in support of COVID-19 response efforts.

Michigan Agricultural Safety Grants

The State of Michigan allocated $15 million of CARES Act funding to implement the Michigan Agricultural Safety Grant to support COVID-19 monitoring and mitigation strategies for Michigan’s agricultural processors and farms of 10 employees or more.

MEDC Small Farm Safety Grant Program

To complement the Agricultural Safety Grant, MEDC launched the MEDC Small Farm Safety Grant Program open to Michigan farms with less than 10 employees. In total, $1.25 million in grants were available to fund COVID-19 mitigation costs at Michigan farms.

Michigan Small Business Restart Program

In response to the economic impact of COVID-19, the State of Michigan has allocated $100 million of CARES Act funding to implement the Michigan Small Business Restart Program to support the needs of Michigan Businesses directly impacted by COVID-19.

Michigan Small Business Relief Program

Michigan Small Businesses Relief Grants will be administered by 15 local and nonprofit economic development organizations (EDOs) around Michigan. Applications are now closed.

MEDC's Regional Business Development Managers

Contact your MEDC Business Development Manager for personalized support and to get connected to additional resources.

Contact your Community Assistance Team Member

Use the Community Assistance Team member map to find your local contact. CAT team members can offer personalized support.

Economic Development Partners

MEDC works with more than 100 economic development partners across the state. Use this list to find additional local support in your area.