Two Grand Rapids youth housing organizations and longtime partners have merged into one organization after years of consideration, aligning with recent consolidation trends among nonprofits.

Dozens of crops grown in West Michigan are hand-picked by seasonal and migrant farmworkers. 

KALAMAZOO — Southwest Michigan biosciences company Native Traits Corp. plans to use a recent investment to move its high-yield and weather-resistant seed technology into field testing and production.

GRAND RAPIDS — In March, organizers at the Fulton Street Farmers Market in Grand Rapids were preparing for their biannual soup-tasting fundraiser. Usually, vendors and West Michigan restaurants donate soups for the event. Hundreds of people gather to taste food from the cooler weather season, catch up with one another and support the market.

GRAND RAPIDS — Coming off of strong sales in 2019, executives at Sharpe Cars had plans to reinvest capital into the company’s showrooms and facilities. 

GRAND RAPIDS — Last year was “the best year ever” at Local Epicurean LLC, a maker of handmade pasta, sauces and specialty food products. 

HUDSONVILLE — Nearly all of Suburban Inns Inc.’s more than 1,000 hotel rooms in West Michigan are sitting empty.

Michigan greenhouses and nurseries say they are pleased and ready to open following an executive order today by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer loosening restrictions on some businesses as COVID-19 cases level off.

As the new coronavirus spreads throughout the Midwest and people’s behaviors change as a result, Michigan’s turkey farms are struggling to stay afloat. 

GRAND RAPIDS — Purple East Plus Inc., a lifestyle retailer of paraphernalia used for the consumption of cannabis and tobacco, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan.

Like most non-essential businesses in the state, many garden centers and greenhouses in West Michigan have been forced to close as part of continuing efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. 

Much of the economic data collected in the second half of March do not yet reflect the extent of the effects of the COVID-19 fallout, and yet the economic situation in West Michigan has seldom looked so grim. 

The state has tightened environmental restrictions on Michigan’s largest livestock farms. 

Panicked consumers stocking up on essential items during the early phases of the coronavirus outbreak have exacerbated what attorneys say are already weak agreements between manufacturers and distributors that spur unscrupulous resellers.

When Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the first two cases of COVID-19 in Michigan and declared a state of emergency on March 11, Lisa Wideman knew Meals on Wheels Western Michigan would be forced to adapt to a new reality. 

Michigan’s food and agriculture industries and related workers are considered as “essential critical infrastructure” to ensure continued food security across the state under Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-home executive order. 

Powered by hundreds of highly trained volunteers, the Kent County Tax Credit Coalition helps working individuals and families in the region receive important refunds during tax season.

A significant and expanding group of people in Michigan are working but still not bringing home a paycheck big enough to cover their basic expenses. 

Following a request from Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, the U.S. Government Accountability Office will investigate the integrity of the U.S. Department of Agriculture aid to farmers affected by the U.S. trade war with China. 

Instances of cybercrime and online fraud against businesses and individuals are far-reaching, but now, a new resource offering advice and assistance for victims is also spreading throughout the state. 

Michigan’s outdoor recreation industry has fueled a thriving boating sector, and boat manufacturers in the state are developing new ways to grow the next generation of boat builders and enthusiasts.

Michigan residents have taken to wearing their state pride on their sleeves. 

Increasing prosperity and the decade-long economic expansion have provided a record number of jobs in Michigan, yet people who want to work are still facing barriers to employment. 

Nonprofits that depend on private donations and often publicly honor major gifts are increasingly finding themselves in ethically complicated spots when donors become embroiled in scandals.

A flood of mergers has hit the West Michigan nonprofit sector in recent months and the trend is expected to continue as more organizations of all sizes seek efficiencies through consolidation. 

Indiana agricultural land manager Ceres Farms LLC is suing Amtrak over blocked access to farmland in Niles, Mich. 

West Michigan’s farmers will be wading through the confluence of negatives brought on last year ranging from extreme weather, volatile commodity prices and trade wars well into 2020. 

As concerns over privacy and misinformation mount, federal and state officials are preparing for the 2020 Census by using nonprofits to collect an accurate count of the nation’s residents. 

GRAND RAPIDS — Heartside Ministry and Mel Trotter Ministries, two nonprofits with missions concerning housing and homelessness, formally merged as of Jan. 1. 

Locally owned and operated businesses are a unique asset to West Michigan’s economy, but that dynamic is changing as more owners opt to sell to private equity firms that have increasingly targeted the region for deals.