Motor City Match awards first-ever $1 million round of grants

2022

Motor City Match awards first-ever $1 million round of grants

  • Twenty Round 20 entrepreneurs awarded grants to help bring their dreams of opening a business to reality

  • Recently-approved ARPA funding doubles grants provided by program that already has helped 138 entrepreneurs open their brick-and-mortar businesses

  • Round 20 winners include and array of restaurants and coffee/tea/juice shops, apparel shops and a popular farm and cider mill in the city

  • Round 21 applications open today at motorcitymatch.com

AUG. 30, 2022 (DETROIT) – Mayor Mike Duggan and Motor City Match celebrated the program’s Round 20 awards, which include 20 grants totaling $1 million dollars to entrepreneurs looking to bring their dream of opening a business in Detroit a reality. This marks a doubling of the grant pool and increase of funding from $500,000 in grants every quarter to $1 million dollars.

The expanded impact was made possible by $15 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding approved recently by Detroit City Council.

“Motor City Match has unleashed the incredible entrepreneurial talent that has always existed in Detroit and is bringing a range of wonderful new businesses to neighborhoods across the city,” said Mayor Duggan. “Thanks to this additional ARPA funding, the program will have twice the impact on the revitalization of our neighborhood commercial corridors.”

Among the businesses receiving grants are an African-themed metaphysics shop, high-end and custom apparel shops, a party supply rental shop, a community laundromat and a host of new neighborhood-based coffee, tea, juice and ice cream shops among many more.  

In addition to grants, the program confirmed awards to 45 additional businesses in its Business Plan, Develop, and Design Tracks. These awards offer technical assistance, business services, classes and workshops, and one-on-one consulting for Detroit businesses still developing their projects. Round 20 Awardees represent all 7 council districts and more than 13 Detroit neighborhoods.

“The beauty of the Motor City Match program is that it continues providing valuable tools and resources for awardees throughout their entire journey from idea to open,” said Kevin Johnson, president and CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. “This program helps to ensure that once open, those doors stay open and these businesses remain essential.”

Since 2015, Motor City Match has made awards to more than 1,600 businesses. Those awards, both cash grants and services, have resulted in 138 new brick & mortar businesses currently operating throughout the city. Starting with Round 20, the program will leverage an infusion of federal funding from the city’s ARPA allocation to increase both the amount of grants and scope of services available. The quarterly grant pool will increase to $1,000,000 for new businesses and offer a $250,000 in grants to existing business that have been operating in the city for at least one year.

Integrating ARPA funding into the program represents a continuation of the city’s efforts to support businesses in combatting the negative economic impact of the pandemic. The DEGC administered over $15 million in Covid relief grants between March 2020 and March 2021 and introduced the Detroit Means Business platform to provide wrap-around services for Detroit businesses. ARPA funding will allow Motor City Match and the DEGC to continue those efforts and target support to underserved Detroit entrepreneurs.

Motor City Match continues to grow Detroit’s small-business landscape

Combined with its other small business programming, DEGC is creating a sustainable small business environment that nurtures new concepts and ideas. Motor City Match offers business owners a wide range of assistance in four tracks Plan, Develop, Design, and Cash. The program helps Detroit entrepreneurs plan, formalize, and launch their business by providing business planning classes, site-selection assistance, financial planning, legal aid, design services, and gap funding.

Through 20 rounds of the program:

  • 85 percent are minority-owned businesses
  • 74 percent are women-owned businesses
  • 68 percent are businesses owned by Detroit residents
  • 1,606 total business served
  • Total cash grants: $10.1 million
  • Total leveraged investment: $60 million
  • Total business open: 138
  • Total businesses under construction: 64

 

MCM Grant winner
Motor City Match Round 20 cash grant awardees.

 

MCM Grant
Ice Cream Detroit owner Ysahai Honor-Marie, $35,000 Motor City Match cash grant awardee, with Mayor Mike Duggan.

 

 

About Motor City Match

Motor City Match is a unique partnership between the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Competitive financial assistance is supported by a broad partnership of Southeast Michigan community development financial institutions and corporations including, Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Ford Foundation, Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Foundation, Hudson Webber Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, New Economy Initiative and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Motor City Match applications are available quarterly. More information is available at www.MotorCityMatch.com

Motor City Match Round 20 Cash Awardees  

The Goddess Metaphysical Store LLC – $45,000 o Holistic-based retail & community space o 9701 Harper Ave.

Craig's Coffee – $50,000 o Commercial kitchen and coffee roastery available for rent to foodservice businesses in Midtown o 412 Peterboro St.

Ice Cream Detroit – $35,000 o Ice cream shop offering innovative frozen treats o 3762 2nd Ave.

Bouncing Around the Motor City – $80,000 o Party decorations and bounce houses for rent, headquartered in the Bethune Community o 13238 Fenkell St.

Pink Diamond Beauty Mall – $50,000 o Health & beauty salon/spa in the University District o 17350 Livernois Ave.

Thumbprint Artifacts – $40,000 o Warehouse and distribution center in Southwest Detroit o 2100 20th St.

Juicing with Jai d/b/a Pressed Juice Bar – $55,000 o A Neighborhood juice bar and café in North Rosedale Park o 19550 Grand River Ave.

Our Community Laundromat LLC – $75,000 o Full-service laundromat in the Bethune Community o 15429 Schaefer Hwy.

K. Walker Collective LLC – $30,000 o A high-street apparel for audacious, urban professionals. o 4161 Cass Ave.

Vecino Detroit – $50,000 o Modern Mexican restaurant in Midtown o 4100 Third St.

CommodiTeas Tea, LLC – $70,000 o Tea café and B2B retail shop in Wildemere Park o 8035 & 8045 Linwood St.

Taste of Love LLC– $70,000 o Restaurant providing carryout and catering in the Oak Grove District o 21559 Grand River Ave.

Virtual Virtual Offices– $45,000 o Shared office space in Harmony Village o 14029 W. McNichols St.

Someday– $40,000 o Community art gallery and tea shop offering decadent pastries and award-winning art. o 2857 E Grand Blvd.

Detroit Farm And Cider– $40,000 o Cider Mill in the Dexter-Linwood neighborhood o 1600 Lawrence St.

The Rectory – $45,000 o Restaurant and residential units in the Historic Atkinson neighborhood o 1920 Atkinson St.

Detroit Denim LLC– $35,000 o Custom jeans shop in Midtown o 651 W. Alexandrine St.

Le Souk– $55,000 o Pop-up space and podcast studio in the Bagley neighborhood o 8632 W McNichols St.

Complete Image Manufacturing– $40,000 o Full-service apparel manufacturing company on the Avenue of Fashion (Sherwood Forest) o 3187 Franklin St.

DPI Plumbing Heating & Cooling, LLC– $50,000 o Plumbing sales and installation in the Dexter-Linwood neighborhood o 10330 Dexter Ave.

Motor City Match Round 20 Plan Awardees

  • Joy 4 Learning Preschool and Family Event Space
  • JD Springs Manufacturing
  • Great Lakes Biologics
  • Culture Café
  • Orchid Balloons and Designs
  • Duke Studios Detroit
  • 6 and Park (dba Birdie Mae’s Café)
  • The Village PT & Wellness
  • Starhopper Transport
  • Shenay Bath Body Home, LLC
  • Vanguard Media Group, LLC
  • Urban Social Plaza, LLC
  • Lovely Suites LLC (dba Lovely’s Inspirational Candles)
  • Royal Fashion’s Boutique
  • The Ultimate Barber and Beauty Spa LLC

Motor City Match Round 20 Develop Awardees

  • Kija Bakes
  • Five Fold Publishing, LLC
  • CHEFTI’S
  • Cupcake Bar & Grill
  • VIP
  • Replay Café, LLC
  • Aquatic Serenity Hydrotherapy, LLC
  • Terra Vegan
  • Kastoffs, LLC
  • Marabou Haircare, LLC
  • Yoganic Flow, LLC
  • Fungi and Fungal
  • Royal Reading, LLC
  • Onyx Tax and Financial
  • Grannies Pound Cake
  • The Salad Jar
  • Nesha’s Beauty Closet
  • Mehatma Candles, LLC
  • Healthy Hair by Steph, LLC
  • Lelyr Fashion, LLC
  • 247 Tire Repair, LLC
  • Tha Hype Wellness Group
  • Brow Bodega, LLC
  • Detroit Culture Café/ Shot x shot Studios, LLC
  • The Salon Professional School of Cosmetology

Motor City Match Round 20 Design Awardees

  • Building Cooperatively
    • 944 King St.
  • Jamaica Mi Hungry 313, LLC
    • 8910 Wyoming St.
  • Jo’s Gallery Café, LLC
    • 19372 Livernois Ave
  • Naturally FLYY
    • 17337 Lahser Rd.
  • Potted Tea House
    • 9912 Kercheval

 

MCM Grant 2
Mayor Mike Duggan, Motor City Match Program Director Andrew Lucco, and Motor City Match Round 20 cash grant awardee Roxanne Ashley, owner of The Goddess Metaphysical Store.