Business Resources — Leelanau Peninsula Economic Foundation

The League of Women Voters promotes informed and active participation in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy at the local, state and national levels. The League is nonpartisan and never supports or opposes political parties or candidates, although they do take positions on issues.

The purpose of the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (BRA) is to assist development projects that face economic challenges due to environmental constraints. Brownfields are abandoned, idle, or under-used industrial and commercial properties, often in urban areas, where expansion or redevelopment is hindered or complicated by real or perceived environmental conditions.

A land bank is a public authority created to efficiently acquire, hold manage and develop tax-foreclosed property, as well as other vacant, blighted, obsolete and abandoned properties. It eliminates the loss of local control common to property sales at tax auctions, minimizes contagious blight, eliminates low-end speculation, increases land sale proceeds resulting from higher property value. The Leelanau County Land Bank Fast Track Authority (LC-LBA) was established in 2008 with an intergovernmental agreement with the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority.

MDARD is comprised of six divisions that use a customer-driven, solution-oriented approach to cultivate and expand new economic opportunities for the food and agricultural sector. Services for food, dairy-related and agriculture businesses include information on topics such as food laws and licensing requirements. Grants and funding opportunities may be available for qualifying business activities.

MEDC markets Michigan and provides tools and an environment to drive job creation and investment. They focus on growing and attracting business, keeping talented residents in Michigan, and revitalizing urban centers.

The Northwest Region SBDC is one of 12 offices statewide and is administered by Networks Northwest. They provide services and support to the small business community in the areas of counsel, training and research.

The WDA supports a demand driven workforce system, assists the structurally unemployed with financial independence, advocates for the integration of workforce development into the K-12 school system, and supports the alignment of workforce development with economic development efforts.

Networks Northwest delivers programs and services for the 10 counties of Northwest Michigan including Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, and Wexford. They provide the following services to businesses in the region: workforce development through MIWORKS!; government contracting and procurement opportunities through the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC); business counseling through SBDC; and market research and data through the planning department.

Northern Initiatives is a community development financial institution lender which provides loans to small business owners and entrepreneurs in Northern Michigan that might not qualify for loans from traditional banks for a variety of reasons. Each loan comes with access to business services which include a suite of practical trainings, tools, and resources on topics that matter to every business owner: Money, Marketing, and Management.

SCORE in Northwest Michigan is comprised of more than thirty local volunteer business men and women, both employed and retired, who give their time and energy in support of the emerging entrepreneurs and the growing businesses of our communities. There’s a volunteer Certified SCORE Mentor to fit every business and every question. And it’s all free!

The only statewide association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. They promote entrepreneurship, leverage buying power and engage in political advocacy.

USDA Business Programs provide loans, loan guarantees, and grants to individuals, businesses, cooperatives, and non-profit corporations to stimulate business creation and growth. These programs help to provide capital, equipment, space, job training, and entrepreneurial skills that can help to start and/or grow a business.

Venture North supports the economic growth and community development efforts for the ten counties of Northwest Michigan including Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, and Wexford by providing unique loan opportunities for start-ups through second stage businesses that lack a strong financial history.