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BATTLE CREEK — Battle Creek Unlimited Inc., the economic development arm for the city of Battle Creek, has established a $500,000 emergency small business loan fund in the wake of COVID-19.
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The fund, which launches tomorrow, is for food and beverage companies located in the city of Battle Creek that have been adversely affected by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive order that mandated the closure of those businesses.
“Over the last couple of years, the transformation of Battle Creek, in particular downtown, has been exciting to watch. It is difficult to see the hopes, dreams and hard work of so many people suffer, business owners and employees alike,” Joe Sobieralski, president and CEO of Battle Creek Unlimited said in a statement. “This emergency loan fund will allow our most vulnerable businesses to remain viable during this concerning time.”
Battle Creek Unlimited’s announcement comes after the Michigan Strategic Fund Board voted this morning to create two funds totalling $20 million to support grants and low-interest loans to small businesses that had to close or have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as MiBiz reported.
The federal government is also in the process of approving emergency funds for the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Battle Creek Unlimited has created a resource page at battlecreekcovid-19.com, which will launch Friday and provide more information on the emergency fund.
