Small Business Support

This newsletter goes out every month and provides resources, opportunities, and highlights of what is happening in the capital region. Updates include everything from main street businesses and local entrepreneurs to high-tech startup news. Sign up here to receive updates!

LEAP can help you with finding your next location in the Lansing region. LEAP will cast a confidential real estate site search on behalf of your business and work with you to find a space that best fits your needs. (Please note this isn’t the same as brokering a specific deal.) To get started, fill out the site search request information summary or view LEAP’s public site database to explore available properties.

If appropriate, LEAP can also assist business owners in locating financing supports—check out LEAP’s list of capital-region business incentives for new, expanding, and relocating companies.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (USBA) is a federal agency that contributes provides services related to business counseling, capital development, and contracting. USBA helps small businesses from inception to implementation—they provide resources to help plan, launch, manage, and grow a business.

Michigan boasts several Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) across the state, including the Capital Region SBDC based out of Lansing Community College. The Capital Region SBDC provides no-cost resources like growth consulting services, market research tools, cybersecurity supports, export services, and support for advanced technology businesses. The SBDC is also a key partner in the LEAP TREK Small Business Support Hub. LEAP developed an action guide with step-by-step instructions for launching a new business in 2024.

Pure Michigan Business Connect

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) partners with over 100 economic development organizations to boost Michigan’s businesses through helpful resources for entrepreneurs at every growth stage. MEDC launched Pure Michigan Business Connect (PMBC), which offers a suite of services to help diversify and strengthen Michigan businesses’ supply chains. PMBC can link your business with local, national, and international buyers through tailored procurement searches, joint venture matchmaking, summits, and buyer tours. Current and prospective business owners can create a profile to further explore which resources best suit their needs.

Capital Access Programs

Through its Capital Access Programs, MEDC partners with lenders to provide traditional financing directly to small businesses to help them grow and succeed. MEDC has channeled more than $180 million over the last ten years to Michigan lending institutions who have supported over 250 small businesses. MEDC encourages small business owners to explore their many programs to find the best fit and connect their local lending institution with MEDC to participate in Capital Access.

Caring for MI Future and the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) has partnered with Wonderschool, a comprehensive education and business support platform that provides training and licensing supports for child care staff and businesses as well as a tool to help parents and families find child care providers in their area. For Michigan child care businesses, Wonderschool provides tools to develop comprehensive, successful business plans.

Civitas Strategies is a nationally known management consulting firm that specializes in entrepreneurship, program development, and fundraising, with expertise in workforce development and early learning initiatives. Civitas offers many valuable resources related to developing business and marketing plans, bookkeeping, creating a website, finance, establishing contracts with other businesses, keeping up with tax regulations, and other vital business aspects.

Capital Area Michigan Works! has a Business Services Team structured to support capital region small businesses with a variety of business needs at no cost. The Business Services Team can help child care providers develop and implement an effective hiring plan to retain qualified, dedicated employees.

Whether you’re new to the profession or a seasoned provider planning for retirement and succession, Childcare Success Academy offers fee-based comprehensive mentorship and educational resources. Access in-depth business support, including marketing strategies, enrollment goal setting, financial management, tuition trends, and HR practices.

The CACCC has been listening to what child care business owners have shared over the past year and has created a series of technical assistance webinars aimed at supporting the business development and planning needs of child care professionals.

Access and attend these webinars via MiRegistry or view the recordings as they are made available below.